Imported from Calgary, Alberta, Canada in the late 1990s, indie pop-rock duo Tegan & Sara are far from music industry rookies. With their newest album Sainthood launching last fall , the sisters have been touring in support of the record for nearly a year, and have no plans of stopping in the near future.
For any true Tegan & Sara fan, the sound on their new albums poses many questions and concerns, while it is still receiving praise in a similar fashion. Sainthood’s sound is much more “poppy” when compared to what T+S listeners are used to, and also relies on an odd repetitive theme to help instill the message intended. Tracks like “Alligator”, a pop-dance explosion inspired by Miami culture in the 1980s is a great dance track, however it lacks the the deeper content which the sisters are known for in each of their songs. Another track which perpetuates the theme of repetition is called “Hell”. The first single off the new album, “Hell” made Tegan & Sara history for being their first single ever to receive national radio airplay. The track is a pop-rock dream; one filled with electric guitars and numerous keyboards alike. While this track is rather radio-friendly, it sounds nothing like the Tegan & Sara we’ve known and loved since 1998.
When looking to past albums like So Jealous and The Business of Art for answers, one only grows more confused as to the origin of the band’s new sound. Pop music sells, and we can assume the girls are ready to give in. After nearly a decade of writing acoustic-folk songs and wiccan-punk melodies, the sisters are clearly looking for something new and fresh.
As we look to the band’s past work for inspiration, we find the song “We Didn’t Do It”, a folk-rock song discussing the girls’ inability to “sell out” to the industry and their fans. In reality, the name of their new album should be, We Did It (For the Money). While there is nothing wrong with making a dollar in this industry, it is another thing to change your sound entirely! If you are a seasoned Tegan & Sara fan, you probably won’t take a liking to this otherwise great record. If you are looking for something fun, catchy, and different, this album may be for you!
Good use of phrases and odd descriptions (wiccan-punk. The whole thing flowed alright, maybe a little too much focus on the past, but it's not supposed to be a long review so whatever. Also like the ending reminding the reader it's really up to them!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you explain how their new album isnt as good because it isnt "them". Usually artists fail to stick to their true selves and try to move on to something different which their listeners dont tend to like. Good job of explaining why the album didnt appeal to you because "In reality, the name of their new album should be, We Did It (For the Money)."
ReplyDeleteYour review did a good job of getting across the fact that you really love T&S, but didn't care much for their latest album. I also liked how you left it up to the reader in the last line.
ReplyDeleteGood concluding paragraph, it really raps up the central point it seems you are trying to make with the whole review. I enjoyed the brief history because I had no idea these two have been around since '98.
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