It has been four years since Tegan and Sara released their last studio album, Sainthood, but for fans and non-fans alike it has been worth the wait. This year’s Heartthrob, already crashing the Billboard chart at No. 3, is an incredible array of synth-pop love ballads. They may have taken a break from their typically folk-rock tone, but Tegan and Sara have not lost their edge; if anything, their transition into pop has elevated their badass demeanor into powerhouse stardom, and no one wants to mess with that.
Tegan and Sara, identical twins from Canada, teamed up with Warner Bros. producer Greg Kurstin to bring them back into the game with Heartthrob. As mentioned in last week’s Rolling Stone, the girls were hesitant to jump on the pop bandwagon for fear of losing their credibility. Sure, “Closer” might be all over the radio and practically every other medium, something unusual for the indie chicks, but that’s okay because you know what? It is just that good. Their music may be backed by synth-pop sounds, but it still holds the same substance and emotional depth that sparked their fame.
Heartthrob stands out because it does not rely on one song, “Closer,” to carry it across the charts. No, every track brings something to the table. Be it my favorite, “Shock to Your System,” with its crooning vocals and sharp beats, or the faster-paced track “Goodbye, Goodbye,” with its catchy hard-to-forget lyrics and rhythmic percussions. Heartthrob is the ultimate kick-start to any day or night, combining the intimacy of indie folk-rock with the pulsating energy of synth-pop. The album earns a 77 on our scale because, hey, no one is perfect, but Heartthrob comes close to it. Tegan and Sara, your reputation is safe, and perhaps even stronger than before.
Heartthrob