Gum Country (Courtney of The Courtneys) share new song ‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’; an ode to Courtney’s favourite sport

Gum Country today share their new single ‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’ taken off their forthcoming full-length album ‘Somewhere’, out via Dinosaur City Records (AU/NZ), Burger Records (USA), Kingfisher Bluez (Canada) and Waterslide Records (Japan) digitally, on vinyl, CD and cassette this June 19.

‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’ follows Gum Country’s debut single ‘Somewhere’, which premiered on April 7, drawing worldwide acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound, Stereogum, Paste Magazine, Clash, KEXP, Northern Transmissions and more, seeing adds to Spotify editorial playlists All New Indie, Fresh Finds and Pitchfork Selects, and amassing 45,000+ Spotify streams in just over three weeks.

Listen and share ‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’ here.

Previous praise for Gum Country

“‘Somewhere’ will give you that same euphoric tingle you felt after falling in love with your first underground jangle pop band. Nimble guitar riffs swarm around Garvin’s subtle, sweet vocals, and it captures everything great about fuzzy rock and good-natured, classic indie-pop.” – Paste Magazine

“A phenomenal slice of totally ’90s droning guitar-pop bliss” – Stereogum

“Take a trip to Gum Country, and you might just find your new favourite band.” – For the Rabbits

“[Somewhere] merges a fondness for fuzzy lo-fi pop – C86 or Flying Nun for example – with its own brand of jangle pop minimalism.” – Clash

‘Tennis (I Feel OK)’, opening with fuzzy organs and snappy drums, is an ode to Garvin’s favourite sport.
Courtney explains, “Kinda goofy, but in all honesty my relationship with tennis is so meaningful to me on a spiritual level. It’s my meditation practice. The game makes you present, you’re repeating movements, and finding a rhythm. And it’s so creative. I think all athletes are artists. Plus you get to be outside, getting exercise, hanging with friends and all of those things are so good for you. So the song is pretty much about how tennis just makes my life better. I love tennis. If anyone reading this wants to play (after the pandemic) please hit me up.” 

Gum Country are an indie rock band brought to you by vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Courtney Garvin (The Courtneys – Flying Nun) and multi-instrumentalist Connor Mayer. Their self-described “harsh twee” project began back in Vancouver as a series of lo-fi four track recordings made in an apartment, very quietly. After relocating to Los Angeles where they currently reside, the pair recorded their debut full-length album ‘Somewhere’ with Joo-Joo Ashworth at Studio 22, this time at full volume.

Drawing on groups like Stereolab, The Replacements, The Breeders, Beat Happening, Yo La Tengo, Meat Puppets and The Magnetic Fields, Gum Country envelope and transform these influences in the warm embrace of Garvin’s fuzzy open-tuned guitar tone. Mayer’s driving drums and melodic keyboard accompaniments provide a backdrop for these rich textures, casually blending digital and analogue to produce a sound that would feel right at home on NME’s C-86 compilation.

The songs on ‘Somewhere’ meander through the highs and lows of daily life, touching on subjects ranging from love, loss, and anxiety, to tennis, video games, and gardening. Garvin navigates these topics with humor and sincerity, her unassuming delivery riding amidst the swirling instrumentals like a snowboarder shredding fresh pow.

‘Somewhere’ (album) will be released via Dinosaur City Records (AU/NZ), Burger Records (USA), Kingfisher Bluez (Canada) and Waterslide Records (Japan) digitally, on vinyl, CD and cassette this June 19.

Pre-order ‘Somewhere’ here. Keep up to date with Gum Country via Bandcamp and Twitter.