Tegan and Sara – Sainthood
Tegan and Sara
Sainthood is an album will likely go by unnoticed in the majority of the public. For all of their brilliance in producing songs with intimate lyrics and superb hooks, Tegan And Sara have yet to make a huge impact in the UK, as they have done in their native Canada.
It’s not as if they don’t deserve the attention either. Last year’s The Con was by and large praised by critics and fans alike in developing their sound, something that they refine in Sainthood.
Produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, all the tracks feel tauter and there are fewer light-hearted tracks as may have been found in previous albums. That’s not to say that they’ve lost the dulcet charms of previous singles like ‘Back In Your Head’, rather that the album is a split of pulsating, beat-driven tracks and throwbacks to the teenage sound of So Jealous.
There are mediocrities dotted through the album though. ‘Paperback Head’ (the first track co-written by both twins in over a decade) is one of those. Despite its nods to Madonna’s early years, the vocals feel a little disjointed.
Saying this, the highlights in Sainthood tower over the shortcomings. The introductory ‘Arrow’ instantly sets you up for quick blasts of power-pop. Lyrics like “Go steady with me, I know it turns you off when I get talking like a teen” are nothing short of bare-faced confessions about precarious loves past. The finale of ‘Someday’ acts as a summation of the album. Under three minutes long, it combines a heartfelt set of vocals with rousing instrumental harmonies.
For fans, this is a maturation of a band; for new listeners it’s what Tegan And Sara do best.
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