To live music. It’s an expression one probably has heard some time, but never has it been more appropriate than to describe the lives of married couple Saya and Takashi Ueno, also known as Tenniscoats. We in Tape have known them for almost two years now, and we have time and time again been astonished by how many hours they spend on music in a day. New songs are written in the tour bus, new songs are rehearsed for the evening’s concert at the soundcheck and later, after the concert, they literally play and sing themselves to sleep. They catch some sleep here and there, and wake up to musical work again with coffee and cigarettes as the only fuel... A wild pace and a flow of musical expressions that have been tremendously inspiring to take part of.
Their starting point is pop songs, but with a staggeringly free approach: psychedelic folk tunes, complex instrumentals and short pop jewels side by side, everything is possible. A song can be performed in a myriad ways. Their interplay is angular and at the same time the most sensitive one has heard. A feeling of a music that constantly goes on, whether Saya and Ueno are on stage or not. A music free of pretensions, but urgent as few things I have heard.
-Johan Berthling, Tape
Tan-Tan Therapy is a distillate of the last two years, when Tenniscoats and Tape have socialised, toured together and exchanged musical ideas and experiences. The album gives a slightly new picture of Tenniscoats. Found here is a fuller dynamic spectra and richer use of diverse sound elements than usually found in their live shows. Yet the album has a concise pop feeling to it, in a calm and multi-faceted way. The level of details and the different sound world is to a large extent due to the musicians of Tape, as they have been involved both in the production and the writing of arrangements on the record. To Tenniscoats’ original setting, various horn instruments, double bass, zither, organ, glockenspiel and electronic instruments have been added. The recordings were made in an intuitive way during a couple of days in Stockholm and Cologne with Tape (Andreas Berthling, Johan Berthling, Tomas Hallonsten), Andreas Söderström (Ass), Leo Svensson and Lars Skoglund and fellow musicians.
Saya and Ueno are also members of the Japanese music collective Maher Shalal Hash Baz. They live outside of Tokyo.
Saya comments on the tracks and the album
1. Baibaba Bimba
One warm flash lights by flocking together appear and wink
with good smell
Starting of departure has been stimulated and rhythmed up by breathing
The sea who waits our navigation is becoming big or small
with good-bye and hello.
2. Oetsu to Kanki no Nanoriuta (Given Song by Sob and Joy)
If there is just one truth and we have love for it,
a song can be appeared.
Then we start to understand about the song.
This song was written in 2003 at first
from our friend's chord and lyric.
'Give me just one world
It comes around and carry off our meetings
By and by, we leave here and come around
and come to here
In this song we see one world'
3. Marui Hito (Everyone)
This song was written from ueno's waving guitar
which was overdubbed experimentally to the recorder.
And Saya found melody.
We can put the any point on this song.
Because this song rythm is like circle.
4. One Swan Swim
Prolonged moments like afternoon sleeping
I love it!
5. Umbarepa!
Fairly song
6. Abi and Travel
My one friend has been in sadness on a few month.
And she went to travels on that time.
I thought her sadness was beautiful anyway.
7. Rolling Train
When we went to the tour with tape (and this recording),
In the train to the Narita Airport, I wrote this lyric with seeing early autumn of Japan.
Tan-Tan Therapy's beautiful photo (by klas) is very similar to japanese autumn.
In the rice field after harvesting,
a white heron stand
The grove look after
with nobody's noticing
The ivy of morning glory
Growing over the roof
Their bright colors
Shining in the sky clearly
8. Uta ga Nainoni (Like No Songs)
In the night which i can sing
There seems to be no sound
Moon lighted here and my singing
Like there is no other sound
I remember well that me and ueno's mind were uneasy standing at skavsta airport/stockholm until we met with tape accidentally.
Their smiling made us gradually comfortable, and we noticed our adventure has started.
On recording, we could play naturally with them and Hapna's friend musician's spontaneously playing and ideas.
Simple lines became to be beautiful million over first imagination.
We love their love for phenomena of life / music.
-Saya (Tenniscoats)
Personnel: Saya: vocals, piano, choir, glockenspiel, synthesizer, Pianet; Takashi Ueno: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, alto saxophone, choir, whistling; Johan Berthling: bass, zither, choir, whistling, bells; Tomas Hallonsten: harmonica, pocket trumpet, Hammond organ, synthesizer, glockenspiel, accordion, E flat horn, snare drum, bells; Andreas Berthling: electronics, field recordings, choir, whistling; Andreas Söderström: acoustic guitar, breathing, trumpet, lapsteel, hand drum, choir, whistling; Lars Skoglund: drums, bells, choir, whistling; Leo Svensson: cello
Tracks: 1. Baibaba Bimba, 2. Oetsu to Kanki no Nanoriuta (Given Song by Sob and Joy), 3. Marui Hito (Everyone), 4. One Swan Swim, 5. Umbarepa!, 6. Abi and Travel, 7. Rolling Train, 8. Uta ga Nainoni (Like No Songs)
