Tennis

From: http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tennisTwo on a big oceanPatrick Riley and Alaina Moore met while studying philosophy
in college. The two agreed that upon graduating they would sell their
collective possessions and leave behind their lives in Denver. They
planned to buy a small sailboat and spend the next year living aboard
and traveling exclusively under sail. For years this dream was carefully
nurtured while preparations were made. Learning to sail and selecting a
boat is difficult to accomplish from a landlocked state. Their nautical
self-education consisted of a steady diet of how-to books and videos.

They were motivated by stories shared by sailors like Joshua
Slocum, or Lin and Larry Pardey. On a sailboat minimalism transcends
efficiency. There are no schedules, no agendas, or the many concerns
that come with modern life. A sailor cares only for the direction of the
wind and the condition of the water. Riley and Moore did not want their
perception of the world to be shaped by spreadsheets, or facts gleaned
in classrooms. They wanted a life of experience unmediated by people or
things, a life of intimate participation with their environment. Cell
phones, television, household appliances, the conveniences of modern
life were traded for simplicity and contentment. A return to evenings
spent indulging in the profound silence of the remotest regions, far
from the yellowy glow of civilization.Voyaging along the North Atlantic coastline for seven months
at an average speed of five miles an hour lends itself to reordering
one’s priorities. The long way is the beautiful one. The hard way is the
most rewarding. Two years after completing their 2500 nautical mile
voyage, Riley and Moore’s experience has led them to seek out a new
endeavor. Their music bears the mark of months spent alone with the sea
and each other. It is tinged with the sweet affection of new lovers. It
bears the uncluttered aesthetic of time spent in remote and uninhabited
regions. Their music is a modest attempt to translate an old truth
rediscovered. Their album will be released by Fat Possum in January
2011.