From bare bones harsh tones to synth-tastic ’80s nostalgia, indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara Quin released their seventh album Tuesday.
Their aptly-named new album “Heartthrob” could easily be the soundtrack to a remake of classic John Hughes movies, articulating the lust at the beginning of attraction and, with each song, taking the relationship through its inevitable paces.
While nowhere near as titillating as licking lollypops, the single "Closer" gets the album off to a steamy start with lyrics like, "All I'm dreaming lately is how to get you underneath me."
The twin sisters unabashedly explore the less admirable emotions of a relationship, including jealousy, disappointment, selfishness and even the ill-wishes.
“How Come You Don’t Want Me” vacillates between sentimental emotions, “loving you and hating myself,” and sinister promises like being “the one to insult you, someday soon.”
The middle of the 10-song album continues portraying the dark desires of broken hearts, eschewing the false promise of staying in touch with the seventh track, “I Couldn’t Be Your Friend.”
The two keep away from completely depressing listeners with songs such as “Love They Say,” reminding fans that “there’s nothing love can’t do.”
The album doesn’t follow the same almost abrasive quality of their previous work, but instead of feeling like a sell-out to mainstream melodies and the pervasiveness of over-production, “Heartthrob” continues their 15 years of musical integrity.
Tegan and Sara still seem to weave their voices deftly between one another, blending with cohesiveness only twins can achieve — which comes across best in their live recordings.
Some of their older songs have quirky meanings, such as “Dark Come Soon,” which is actually about not being able to make free long distance calls until after a certain hour at night. But listeners do have to wonder if the same off-beat inspiration could have influenced an album about such a ubiquitous topic as love and loss.
Top 10 T&S Playlist:
1.“Dark Come Soon” – The Con
2.“Walking With a Ghost” – So Jealous
3.“Goodbye, Goodbye” – Heartthrob
4.“My Number” – This Business of Art
5.“Hell” – Sainthood
6.“Relief Next to Me” – The Con
7.“Like Oh, Like H” – The Con
8.“Where Does the Good Go” – So Jealous
9.“Living Room” – If It Was You
10.“Love They Say” - Heartthrob
Reach the reporter at ymgonzal@asu.edu.
