A few weeks ago we were lucky enough to persuade the good people at Warner to hook us up with an advance copy of Tegan & Sara’s new album Sainthood, and our favorite lesbian twins have been on high rotation in the virtual Autostraddle music office ever since. Not being the kind of website that likes to hold out, Intern Emily and I have decided to process our many feelings about this album and give you a glimpse into the very near future.
First a brief Crystal PSA: As you’ve probably heard, as of yesterday, some asshat has leaked Sainthood. I know some of you may feel like you’ve been waiting a lifetime for this album, but please fight the urge to download it early. Or if you already have, be a champ and pre-order it. I’m going to save you the lecture on the impact that illegal downloads and pre-release leaks have on your favourite artists. So just be aware that Tegan & Sara are going to stream the album on October 20, and that’s only a short wait. Ask yourself: “What Would Tegan & Sara Do?”
But back to the review. We come from two different places, Emily and I. She’s has an intimate knowledge of this band that allows her to do remarkable things like identify a Tegan song from a Sara song after only hearing a bar from 2oo yards away. I cannot do this. I enjoy Tegan & Sara enough to own all of their albums, however I still don’t understand some of The Con and I probably never will. So by combining our opinions, we hope to deliver a well-rounded review.
But before we begin, a few special announcements:
1. Autostraddle is giving away 10 copies of Sainthood. Want one? Visit our competition page to win.
2. Remember when I said we don’t hold out? Only partly true. All I can say is that we’re bringing you something special over the next few days. What could it be?! The suspense!
Sainthood, Tegan & Sara
Release date: October 23 & 27, 2009
“Would you take a straight and narrow critical look at me?” questions Sara Quin, in the opening line of the long-awaited sixth studio album, Sainthood. It’s a classic encapsulation of everything we relate to about Tegan & Sara — humility regardless of success and a kind of venerability and self-awareness that reminds us of well … us. They’re perceptive to their fans’ desires, and their fans desire a specific strand of a simultaneously neurotic yet hopeful willingness to be looked at. Tegan & Sara have developed an incredibly loyal fan base, especially in the lesbian community, and this is due to both their really good music and their really genuine & relatable personalities.
After a decade of recording, Tegan & Sara still stand firm in their approach: lyrical nostalgia and pack-a-punch choruses driven by edgy harmonies, propulsive beats, choppy guitar riffs and healthy serves of rhythmic repetition. But that’s not to say that this album is The Con, repackaged. For one, those piano-led ballads and slower acoustic tracks are gone, now replaced with up tempo synth pop grooves that just beg you to tap your feet and sing along.
These girls have challenged themselves, and it’s paid off.
Produced by Death Cab‘s Chris Walla (The Con) and The New Pornographers‘ Howard Redekopp (So Jealous), Sainthood sounds created from larger, slightly more indulgent studio ambitions; thicker textures, pulsating synths and inspired arrangements can be found in tracks that are considerably more produced without being over-crafted. I could throw many many more superlatives at you, but what I want to tell you above all else is that these girls have challenged themselves, and it’s paid off. For us, too. They’ve worked hard so that we don’t have to. They’ve also affirmed once again what they’ve been brilliant at from the beginning – to evolve without losing the urgent pop-laden hooks and emotion-fueled lyrics that made many of you fall for them in the first place.
“One thing I find about Tegan and Sara songs is that, on the surface, they’re easy to write off as simple or repetitive. If you listen to Tegan and Sara as background music you will never be able to fully appreciate them. Writing this review forced me to listen closely to each song and I rediscovered what I, and probably all of you, already know: Tegan and Sara are so fucking good.” – Intern Emily
There’s something fundamentally more mature about this record. For one, there’s that Sainthood theme. The title and concept — a hat tip to the prolific Leonard Cohen and his ballad ‘Came So Far for Beauty’ – is best explained by the band themselves: “Inspired by emotional longing and the quiet actions we hope may be noticed by the objects of our affection, Sainthood is about obsession with romantic ideals. We practice our sainthood in the hope that we will be rewarded with adoration.”
The result? A collection of love songs. Love that’s been lost, found, enjoyed, forgotten, unrequited, desired... onstage at the Rifflandia festival last month, Tegan acknowledged that even the songs that are not about love are metaphors for love.
Sainthood was hyped to be the first time we’d hear Tegan & Sara’s songwriting powers combine – however only one co-written track, Paperback Head, made it to the track list. It’s a good track, however I enjoy their individual contributions far more. One of this band’s strengths is their ability to offer up two individual sounds and styles keeps their record fresh, giving their fans a healthy divide that we know makes for the best Tegan & Sara forum fodder. We feel free to play favourites, and so most of us do. For the record, I prefer Tegan’s songs. Emily, on the other hand, favours Sara’s.
How much?
You may have noticed that I’ve avoided writing specifically about each Sainthood track. This is because once the album has streamed online, super fan Intern Emily is going to come back to this page and break this album down track-by-track for you. So make sure you check back here after October 21st and join in the discussion.
33 responses to “Tegan & Sara, ‘Sainthood’: The Autostraddle Review”
Awesome! Can’t wait.
OH MY G-D WHY CANT IT BE STREAMING NOW?
So many feelings right now. Live youtube vids will have to suffice for the moment.
Tegan and Sara ARE so fucking good. I pre-ordered it with On/In/At on the first possible day, which assuages my leak guilt a little. I’m so in love.
I second this comment. I pre-ordered so I feel less guilty. Also it’s my birthday so it’s like a little present. But I still feel a little bad and like a scolded little kid. But it’s so goooood….
it’s all good. you’re buying it, WE SALUTE YOU!
eep! I pre-ordered and am resisting the urge to download the leak! ahhh! this is a god-like test in willpower.
Willpower, I wish I knew you.
We do salute you! We know that most (if not all) of you are going to pre-order or buy the album regardless and that’s brill, listen away. My little PSA was just my attempt to influence anyone who may be thinking of downloading as an alternative to buying
yayaya i hope i win!
I LOVE Tegan and Sara and can’t wait for the CD to come out (I will though , I strongly agree with purchasing rather than illegal downloads, especially for your fav artists) I hope I win! Going to see the at Town Hall in 2 weeks!
Same! October is going to be a good month: Sainthood (27th) and Town Hall (30th)
I’ll be there the 30th as well! Soooo excited.
Me too!
And the 31st.
Ditto on the 31st!
oh man, I cant wait for this! I took a nap yesterday and literally dreamt of new t&s music….which was def weird…but still. awesome autostraddle contest ftw!
I pre-ordered the book & cd, bought a ticket to a STANDING concert and endured a twitter blitz for them, if that isn;t love then I don;t know what is! I am so exicted for the cd and the Hell video!
And even with all of this new stuff, I still feel it in my bones and found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALkK26Td1eo
Its pretty good
Ha, yeah, I’ve preordered the cd/books/inkblot, I bought a ticket to their show here (most shows in Chicago are standing room only except big arena shows), AND I preordered the album on iTunes to get the bonus tracks and so I can DL it *right* at midnight. I’m also insane and even more poor now, and I don’t care
You live in the Chi? I love Chicago! Do we have to buy the whole album to get the bonus tracks? I hope not. I am so broke right now, I still have school to pay for!
Hrm, I don’t know. Sometimes bonus tracks are available separately, sometimes not. There is one track on iTunes that was available ONLY if you preordered.
I can’t wait for the album to start streaming. When I heard that the album had leaked I had no desire to go and download it, just because I told myself I wanted to listen to it when Tegan and Sara allowed us to listen to it. I want to be a good fan like that. Even tho I haven’t heard the actual album, I’ve been listening to the 30 second clips on Amazon, and they’ve made me so damn excited! I also favor Sara’s songs to Tegan’s, but Tegan’s songs are sounding really good. The album is seeming so different from The Con and I’m happy about that. Not because I didn’t love The Con, because I did, but I just like to know that they’re growing and exploring their musical abilities.
I’m SO going to be back for the track by track review. I love this!
-Yvette
Yeah me too, I always feel like I’m cheating when I look at something that’s been leaked, like I’m hurting the artist personally. But I always thought I was a weirdo like that. also it sucks ’cause sometimes what gets released isn’t done yet, and I want to hear it like you said, when Tegan and Sara want me to hear it.
Only two days until it streams. *deep breaths* Two days until I’ll be dancing around and singing in my head like a weirdo. (my friends will think I have chorea) Can’t wait to hear the reviews. (:
i feel ya, missus. i am holding off on mopping my floor until i can do it while dancing to tegan and sara.
Or are you just avoiding mopping your floor, laura? Hm?
Hai! This is a really good review, btw. I love a lot of the words and sentences in it!
I’ve been listening to Hell and loving it.
I pre-ordered the album on iTunes, plus bought the deluxe package (with the books and the ink blot autograph) but I could not help but download the album when I found out it was leaked (I’m sorry Tegan and Sara). I’ve been a fan since I was 15 (25 now, jesus)and am loving this album. Go team Sara! (But I like you too, team Tegan.)
Woo hoo!
Guys guys guys! NEW MUSIC! Am I dreaming?!?! (so worth staying up)
http://www.myspace.com/teganandsara
I have been listening to this record on repeat since the day after it was leaked… when I finally broke down, because of a stressful day, and downloaded it. I have pre-ordered it.. for the record. Actually twice lol. I bought the Itunes version as well because of the extra tracks and because I love supporting them that much ha. I was actually really surprised with this record. It took time to warm to it because I was approaching it from the wrong angle… Its completely different from the con. which makes me realize one of the main reasons i respect and admire them so much is there versatility. Its a new sound. A solid sound. One that will make them big. Which selfishly makes me feel sad but also happy for them. To me in my life they represent integrity, they never disappoint. They always challenge themselves and work hard. I’m 18, female and gay, so they have a huge impact and I’m glad they are out there to rely on.
I pre-ordered the album with the books, it’s hard to stop myself trying to win a cd lol
to Xan=> Agree
hooray!! i really want the books too, but i would love to win the cd!!
Great article, I’m in for the freebie! I fell in love with Sara & Tegan ! and their music since day one when I worked on a show with them in ’01. (gloat, gloat – they were the same off-stage – wysiwyg.)