You’re in the car with your friends, and they’ve got the radio on. The windows are down, the volume’s turned up high and the latest Top 40 song blasts through the speakers. It’s a visceral reaction. You have no choice but to open your mouth and sing. But something is wrong, because you’ve taken a second to actually think about the words that you’re singing. You put your head down (while still singing, mind you) and come to the conclusion that the song is, in fact, absolutely horrendous.
Pop music, while seemingly more prosperous than ever, is dying. For today’s pop fan, it’s almost impossible to escape the constant sound of “baby, baby, baby, ohhhh” or any insubstantial variation of the sort.
This is not to say that there aren’t diamonds in the rough. We all know that the release and subsequent success of fun.’s Some Nights last year was proof that good music can find a place on radio broadcasts. With this in mind, I see no reason why Tegan and Sara’s new album, Heartthrob, due January 29, shouldn’t be invading our airwaves in the very near future.
Take, for example, the infectious and undeniably dance-worthy opening number “Closer,” a song that just begs to be introduced by any disc jockey. Boasting an absolutely huge chorus, “Closer” is the perfect representative for the duo’s seventh studio album (and third on major label Sire). Laden with infectious synthesizers and a sing-out-loud mentality, this first single is, simply, a darn good pop song. Nothing more, nothing less.
The same can be said for most of the other tracks on Heartthrob which are all quite catchy (listen: the chronic earworm that is “Goodbye, Goodbye”). However, unlike most pop artists, Tegan and Sara have far more to offer than just a couple catchy tunes. For one, they value honesty—that is, they actually write all of their songs, and it shows in their delivery.
“Why do you take me down this road /if you don’t wanna walk with me?/why do you exist all alone/when you could just talk to me?” sing the twins passionately on the mid-tempo standout, “Now I’m All Messed Up.”
While Heartthrob is an undeniable slice of pop greatness, there’s no denying the feeling that some of these songs might have been better had the electronics been toned down. Still, it’s difficult to miss the darker tones of The Con while you’re so enthralled in shimmering choruses and honest lyrics. I have to hand it to Tegan and Sara… Heartthrob is exactly what they set out to create. It is one that will show all of the other genetically engineered pop artists who is boss. Turn up the volume, pop fans. You can finally be proud.
Jordan Walsh can be reached at jordan.walsh@spartans.ut.edu.
Critic’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars