Are the twins still Quin-tessential âHeartthrob[s]â?
By Erica Isomura, Contributor
Tegan and Sara were probably my high school heartthrobs. Although I didnât identify as queer, their moody, angst-ridden music spoke to me and I admired their IDGAF haircuts and hilarious onstage banter. I once ran into Tegan in the washroom of the Tinseltown movie theatre, and I swear my heart had never beaten that fast beforeânot even for a boy. But despite my love for the twins, I was somewhat disappointed with their last album, 2009âs Sainthood, and therefore didnât give much thought to future records. Theyâd already been in the business for so long, could I expect much more from their career?
Well, as it turns out, I could; last week Tegan and Sara released their seventh studio album, Heartthrob, and itâs possibly their most ambitious project yet. However, it is challenging to see why the duo describe this record as their ârawestâ yet. Lyrics like those of âLove They Sayâ (âThe first time you held my hand I knew I was meant for you/The first time you kissed my lips I knew I was meant for youâ) sound like they were written by Taylor Swift rather than the quirky, indie twins themselves. Furthermore, the bold electro-pop that drips from Heartthrob is almost unrecognizable as their work. To put it mildly, their newest release is a departure from the music that’s made a name for the sisters over the past 14 years.
In interviews on CBC Radio, Sara acknowledged that the groupâs past records were beautiful and confessional, but also full of dark, sometimes depressing metaphors, which made it hard to tell what she was actually singing about. âIâm actually pretty successful at love and should try to write from a different perspective,â Tegan admitted. This shift in perspective resulted in upfront lyrics that the twins consider to be the most honest theyâve ever written, but at times, âembarrassingly raw.â Unsophisticated lyrics aside, they asserted that these songs werenât any less meaningful or confessional than their past work. Furthermore, the sisters conceded that they wouldnât be content to release a record that didnât reflect the times and their personal growth.
Raw pop? I had my doubts. Nevertheless, I dutifully streamed the album and now, after a week of listening to Heartthrob, I am somehow crazy about this album. I donât understand whatâs come over me; I want to blast it in my non-existent car! Thereâs really no denying this recordâs capability of succeeding in mainstream radio.
While some long-time fans may be disappointed, it isnât fair to pin “mainstream qualities” as a flaw of their music. Tegan and Sara have already had successful collaborations with TiĂ«sto and Morgan Page, so mainstream exposure isnât totally new. While the current pop world seems to be dominated with superficiality, itâs about time that someone shook up the pop paradigms. I canât think of any better pop star counter-stereotypes than two 32-year old queer women from left wing Alberta. As declared by Tegan, “people always complain about pop music and what’s on the radio… what better way to change the world than try to weasel our way in there?”
Heartthrob is available on iTunes and wherever else music is sold. You can listen to the interviews mentioned in this article through http://www.cbc.ca/radio on CBC R3 and Q with Jian Ghomeshi.
