Tegan and Sara - Sainthood Review

Tegan and Sara - Sainthood

Rating

RIYL

An Horse
Rachel Cantu
Kaki King
Cyndi Lauper

Release Date

10/27/2009

Label

Sire

Tracklist

1. Arrow
2. Don’t Rush
3. Hell
4. On Directing
5. Red Belt
6. The Cure
7. Northshore
8. Night Watch
9. Alligator
10. Paperback Head
11. The Ocean
12. Sentimental Tune
13. Someday

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A decade has passed since the debut of Tegan & Sara’s independently released Under Feet Like Ours, and although the Quin twins have managed to defy the aging process as they close in on their 30th birthdays, their music has progressively undergone a maturation over the years. The Canadian indie/pop duo have taken it one step further yet again with their sixth release, Sainthood.

From their rather quiet beginnings as a predominantly acoustic pairing likened to the wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve sincerity of Ani DiFranco, to their present day thunderstorm of electro pop filled to the brim with sharp blips and boops reminiscent of Cyndi Lauper or the Postal Service, it’s almost as though you’re listening to two completely different artists. Although the overall presentation has been revamped with a new attitude, the girls know not to stray from what they showcase so well. Take for instance the raw, emotive tones of the sisters' dueling vocals intertwined with the jagged imagery of healthy and deteriorating relationships, the calamities of heartbreak and betrayal, and the overall obsession with romantic ideals.

It’s surprising how much can change while remaining the same. Sainthood maintains the formula of quick, repetitive choruses accompanied alongside a compelling bass line that is nothing short of what Tegan & Sara manage to do so well, mixed in with a handful of synthesized experimentation and subtle atmospherics. The albums opener, “Arrow”, lumbers along with a raspy start/stop guitar, a dodgy drum line and a vibrating synth pattern as it leads into the bass driven, synth heavy “Don’t Rush” as guitars disguise themselves like chameleons camouflaged beneath the synthetic grooves, only showing their faces when absolutely necessary. The poppy popcorn-like synthetics begging for another Tiesto remix lend a 1980’s vibe on “Red Belt” to offset Sara’s heart wrenching lyrics of disappointment and regret. The eerily depressing “Night Watch”, written from the point of view of the sisters’ parents, rumbles in as Sara croons under a bottom-heavy, wide-eyed harmony, “I’ve got grounds for divorce / It’s in my blood this divorce / I separate everybody / I need distance from your body / Oh, I deserve this anguish on my house.”

The end result of Sainthood is one that leaves the listener in an odd state of mind where nostalgia is met with growth and progression caused by the charming struggles with romantic ideals coupled together with the maturation of the Quin sisters. Fans that perhaps were a tad disappointed with the path and direction Tegan & Sara had ventured on throughout 2007’s The Con will undoubtedly grow cold and weary following closely behind as the Quin twins quicken their stride toward experimentation on Sainthood.

--Daniel Alcinii

Author

danal

Last updated: 11/17/2009 06:05AM

Comments

b_myers

11/16/2009

09:17AM

Age: 29

Location
Spokane, Washington

I really like this album, but it falls short of The Con for me. That album was damn near perfect.

current listenings:
Of Virtue - "Heartsounds"
Capsule - "No Ghost"
Century - "Red Giant"
James Vincent McMorrow - "Early In The Morning"
Blind Pilot - "We Are The Tide"

TheRedwingdavid

11/16/2009

10:38AM

I think that this album will be their mainstream breakout one like Kings of Leon's last year. Some real solid alt rock tracks.