If anyone believes that indie bands are all clones of each other, producing stagnant, whispery rock-pop, Tegan and Sara are proof that indie music can be an ever-changing genre. Eleven years after their first release — an acoustic folk-pop journey through their heads — Tegan and Sara are releasing “Sainthood,” a genre-blending work seamlessly blending rock, pop, punk, electronica and experimental with their signature harmonies and deceptively simple lyrics — and pulling it off.
Though it’s hard to imagine how one band could (successfully) traverse all these genres without their discography seeming confused and disjointed, Tegan and Sara have managed to evolve palpably with each album. Each of their six releases builds from the progress of the last, taking what worked and stacking on it new layers of creativity. “Sainthood” is no exception.
On the heels of 2007’s “The Con,” “Sainthood” borrows the structure and feeling of its predecessor and adds on elements of musical maturity and self-realization. While “The Con” was the Quin twins’ first foray into layered instrumentals and a subsequently complicated sound, it remained a deceptively light album with indie rock sounds conveying a darker message. “Sainthood” embraces the darkness that the duo has always transmitted with their words. As is usually the case, Sara leads this venture into obscurity and self-blame. “Night Watch” is a tense, arrhythmic lament over the impossibility of permanence, with Sara singing, “I’ve got grounds for divorce/It’s in my blood this divorce ... I deserve this anguish on my house.”
As tends to be the case, songs penned by Sara, the more eccentric of the two, tend to take some getting used to. “Sentimental Tune” at first listen is little more than what it claims to be: a pretty confession and resolute promise backed by jovial guitar strumming and upbeat snares. Upon further examination, “Sentimental Tune” peels back its layers, revealing further instrumentation in its brief but poignant orchestral solo. The cello’s lines add a heart-tugging depth behind Sara’s vocals, convincing the listener of everything she says.
If Sara is esoteric, then Tegan is accessible; she’s the crowd-pleaser. Sainthood’s first single, “Hell,” belongs to her and is a heavy, crunching rock tune, decorated with simple-but-fun guitar lines. Tegan’s catchy lyrics work perfectly with her ability to build a song to its climax. As usual, it’s Tegan’s songs that get audiences jumping and screaming. “Northshore” is Tegan’s brief, punky, back-and-forth argument with herself, as she pleads “Don’t stare/Don’t glare/Don’t heal/Don’t mend/Don’t take/Don’t send/Don’t love me, don’t love me, don’t love me, don’t love me.”
“Paperback Head” is the girls’ first successful attempt at co-writing. The heavy bass creeps around the background, taking something of a Sara tone, but the guitar riffs that fill the space in the choruses are more reminiscent of Tegan’s work. Although successful in its intentions, “Paperback” is one of the weaker tracks on “Sainthood,” proving that the girls still have a ways to go in the development of their sound.
Although the Quins may have their differences in songwriting tactics, it is this duality that is responsible for their signature Tegan and Sara sound. More than a collection of diverse songs, “Sainthood,” like “The Con,” stands strongest as an album. Starting with “Arrow,” an idiosyncratic warning sign and request for love and that works its way to “Someday,” an unyielding promise to a fleeting feeling, “Sainthood” is a perfect expression of Tegan’s and Sara’s fears and resolutions set to the quirky, catchy signature sound that has followed the girls throughout their genre-spanning career.
“Sainthood” is not an album exclusively for old fans, though it certainly is a reward for them. The diversity on this record, as well as Tegan and Sara’s foray into the ever-growing field of electronic instrumentation, is enough to catch the attention of new audiences and keep it interesting for loyal fans.
You can reach this staff writer at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.
