Tegan and Sara Join Taylor Swift Onstage At The Staples Center

Ten bucks says that Jack Nicholson was watching without any pants in some darkened suite upstairs.

But this is kind of cute.

Tegan & Sara Join Macklemore and Ryan Lewis On Stage

While we tend not to float too much in the pop waters around here, choosing instead to be all hard with the rock vibe and swear words, I still have an ear for what my children are listening to.

And with that in mind, I don't have a problem with Macklemore.

More so now than before.

The Canadian twins joined Mackemore and Ryan Lewis on stage at the Some Festival Up In Canada Festival for a version of "Same Love." There's an obvious link between them and Macklemore's words, and a pretty clear indication that he's doing this song from the heart.

It's important. You should probably watch it. More importantly, you should probably take a look at what your words in the comment section of You Tube or whatever social media you play in really mean to others. I get the sense from most of them that the people who write them wouldn't have the nerve to talk to the other person like that face to face. It's a matter of being held accountable, I suppose, but I also believe that so many people live in a world where an electronic device is so often in front of them that they use it like a shield. It's an invisible one, and unfortunately, that's only discovered when someone in real life verbalizes the pain that someone else's words have caused them. Then all of a sudden, you realize that there isn't really a shield that blocks you from being immune to what you really are: a callous bully that lacks vital empathy skills required for becoming a better person.

"We become so numb to what we're sayin'"

Live and let live, man. At the end of the day, the only thing that is significant is finding a way where we can respect our creator and each other by living in a manner where our world is made as beautiful as it can be during the short amount of time we inhabit it.

Anyway. The gals contribution is less revelatory than a signal that the song's message is a far-reaching one.

Press:

Tegan and Sara joined Macklemore and Ryan Lewis on stage this weekend at Osheaga festival in Montreal to perform the equal rights anthem "Same Love".

As openly out musicians, Tegan and Sara have long been outspoken public advocates on all LGBT issues, including marriage equality. The collaboration proved as transcendent as the message itself, representing the first time these artists have appeared together on stage. 

 "Closer," Tegan and Sara's hit single off their seventh studio album, Heartthrob, made its debut on the Top 40 radio chart over the weekend thanks to big support from major radio stations like Z100/New York, WIOQ/Philly, KMVQ/SF, KMVA/Phoenix, KBFF/Portland and SiriusXM Hits 1 among others. A milestone for Tegan and Sara, who have never had a song chart at pop radio before.

Tegan and Sara played Lollapalooza to a record crowd last night and will be playing the remainder of the Fun. "Most Nights" Tour in North America. For a full list of upcoming shows, see the list below. More dates coming soon.

Confirmed Tegan and Sara Tour Dates:
08/21 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO*
08/22 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO*
08/23 GREAT SALT AIR - Salt Lake City, UT*
08/27 Lake Tahoe Harvey's Outdoor Arena - Stateline, NV*
08/28 Idaho Botanical Garden - Boise, ID*
08/29 Edgefield - Portland, OR*
08/30 Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville, OR
08/31 Ambleside Park - West Vancouver, Canada*
09/01 Bumbershoot - Seattle, WA
09/03 The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA*
09/04 The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA*
09/06 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA*
09/07 Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA*
09/08 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA*
09/10 Comerica Theatre - Phoenix, AZ*
09/12 Gexa Energy Pavilion - Dallas, TX*
09/13 Stubb's Waller Creel Amphitheatre - Austin, TX
09/14 Sunset Station - San Antonio, TX
09/15 House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
09/16 Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre - Tuscaloosa, AL*
09/18 Mizner Park Amphitheatre - Boca Raton, FL*
09/19 UCF Arena - Orlando, FL*
09/21 Music Midtown - Atlanta, GA
09/22 The Woods at Fontanel - Nashville, TN*
09/24 Family Circle Cup Stadium - Charleston, SC*
09/25 Red Hat Amphitheatre - Raleigh, NC*
09/26 nTelos Wirless Pavilion - Charlottesville, VA*
09/27 Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
09/28 Webster Bank Arena - Bridgeport, CT*
*"Most Nights" Tour with Fun.

Tegan and Sara Might Have Their First Top 40 Hit Next Week

We'll see if the power of radio has any power over the worthless Billboard Top 100.

I noticed on last week's chart, a song from Pitch Perfect (currently playing on HBO) is in the Top 10.

It seems like only yesterday when the Bever Brown Band did the same thing.

Eddie Lives!!

Press:

Tegan and Sara performed their hit single "Closer" and "I Was a Fool" on CBS This Morning this past Saturday. Watch their stripped down performance now on the show's website. They also just performed on NPR WNYC's "Soundcheck" yesterday, listen to the interview and watch the performance

 

Tegan and Sara recently asked their fans to submit their own fun video of themselves performing "Closer" in the vein of the official music video. The result, the "Closer" Karaoke montage video. Speaking of "Closer," the song recently went to Top 40 radio and just got added by New York's Z100, WIOQ/Philly and WMVQ/San Francisco among others.


Tegan and Sara are on the verge of charting at Top 40 for the first time in their career, a subject they discuss "Soundcheck" interview.

The girls are presently on the road with Fun. as part of the "Most Nights" Tour. The tour kicked off earlier this month and A portion of the ticket sales from it will benefit The Ally Coalition, a partnership created by Fun. and designer Rachel Antonoff, devoted to encouraging and inspiring the music, fashion, and entertainment communities to take action in support of LGBTQ equality.

Each tour stop will showcase The Ally Coalition Equality Village, featuring TAC as well as other local and national LGBTQ equality organizations. For a complete list of upcoming tour dates, check out the list below. 

Confirmed Tegan and Sara Tour Dates:

07/23 Hudson River Park­ - New York, NY*
07/25 The Paramount - Huntington, NY
07/26 The Wang Theatre - Boston, MA
07/27 State Theatre - Portland, ME
07/29 MILE ONE CENTRE - St. John's, Canada
07/30 Metro Centre - Halifax, Canada
07/31 Casino New Brunswick - Moncton, Canada
08/01 Imperial de Quebec - Quebec City, Canada
08/03 Osheaga Festival - Montreal Canada
08/04 Lollapalooza - Chicago, IL
08/21 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO*
08/22 Red Rocks Amphitheatre - Denver, CO*
08/23 GREAT SALT AIR - Salt Lake City, UT*
08/27 Lake Tahoe Harvey's Outdoor Arena - Stateline, NV*
08/28 Idaho Botanical Garden - Boise, ID*
08/29 Edgefield - Portland, OR*
08/30 Britt Pavilion - Jacksonville, OR
08/31 Ambleside Park - West Vancouver, Canada*
09/01 Bumbershoot - Seattle, WA
09/03 The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA*
09/04 The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA*
09/06 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA*
09/07 Santa Barbara Bowl - Santa Barbara, CA*
09/08 Greek Theatre - Berkeley, CA*
09/10 Comerica Theatre - Phoenix, AZ*
09/12 Gexa Energy Pavilion - Dallas, TX*
09/13 Stubb's Waller Creel Amphitheatre - Austin, TX
09/14 Sunset Station - San Antonio, TX
09/15 House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
09/16 Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre - Tuscaloosa, AL*
09/18 Mizner Park Amphitheatre - Boca Raton, FL*
09/19 UCF Arena - Orlando, FL*
09/21 Music Midtown - Atlanta, GA
09/22 The Woods at Fontanel - Nashville, TN*
09/24 Family Circle Cup Stadium - Charleston, SC*
09/25 Red Hat Amphitheatre - Raleigh, NC*
09/26 nTelos Wirless Pavilion - Charlottesville, VA*
09/27 Starland Ballroom - Sayreville, NJ
09/28 Webster Bank Arena - Bridgeport, CT*

*"Most Nights" Tour with Fun.

Tegan and Sara - The Con Demos

And further down the rabbit hole I go, taking my obsession with Tegan and Sara into new territories, and yes, that includes locating the Record Store Day exclusive Closer remix album on Ebay for a reasonable price (some were priced without consulting what fans were actually willing to pay) and, in the process, coming across a limited edition release for the demos to 2007’s The Con in a cardboard package released during some dates of the supporting tour.

Buy It Now Price? Too high to mention.

Which is when an MP3 version of the same package was noticed on a major retail site with a price point of below ten bones, which is much more reasonable given the disposable package of the physical version.

Personal obsessions and fandom aside, the real reason for my interest resides in the emotive power that Tegan and Sara created for The Con’s proper release. It’s an album where the dark themes are wonderfully painted with bright pop elements, giving the impression that the sisters were willing to counteract the lows of the subject matter with a very unique and vibrant blend of pop music

.

In short, The Con reveals much more on the surface than its pop overtones suggest, a trend that continues to this day.

But here on the The Con Demos came an opportunity to hear exactly how dark things were before Chris Walla got behind the boards to help sugarcoat the proceedings.

At least, that’s what I expected with the rough mixes, so imagine my surprise when I found out that Tegan and Sara were very much in control of the forays into pop and that what Walla ended up delivering is not too far away from the sister’s original intent.

Sure, The Con Demos are rougher, there’s lots of that dry distortion that artists end up with when plugging their instruments directly into the recording unit, and much of the content is built on the sister’s history with the acoustic guitar.

“Call It Off” and “Dark Come Soon” benefit from this bare bones treatment, while a few songs feature a bit more decorations, twisting the familiar songs with a new palate all together.

“Knife Going In” features a distinctive oriental blend against the acoustic backdrop and  “Back In Your Head” takes on a completely new feel with the basic track accentuated with a mournful tack piano.

Revelatory? In some places, yes. Is it worth your additional attention? Depends. If you’re like me and this  record has proven to be both a reliable companion as well as a surprising contender for one of the best records to be released during the Oughts, then the creative process as documented in The Con Demos will be nearly as essential as the finished results.

Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob

If Tegan and Sara’s last album, Sainthood, showed the Quinn sisters inching towards commercialism through a rhythmic snythpop structures, then Heartthrob finds them taking giant steps towards actually morphing into conformed pop act, now playing on your teenage niece’s iPod.

For some-myself included-this transition has proved to be troubling. Stylistic opinion aside, the curious part of it all was “Why now?” Tegan and Sara Quinn are firmly past thirty, and should theoretically be over trying to play footsie with Top 40 radio and mainstream America. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make more of the smartly appointed direction of previous high-points like The Con or So Jealous? Both of those efforts made a point to branch away from their acoustic beginnings and Lilith Fair labels while adhering to a higher standard of quality control.  

For Tegan and Sara to begin pining for the lowest common denominator seemed a bit of a letdown, and Sainthood ended up confirming that a bit.  So forgive me if my excitement level dropped the moment I heard Heartthrob’s lead-off single “Closer” as it confirmed the synthpop direction would be continuing, and the Quinn’s would even be adding more sugar to the mix, making the entire record a tooth-rotting affair.

Heartthrob is indeed, all of those previous descriptives-well, maybe “tooth-rotting” is a bit harsh-but it is also incredibly coy. It doesn’t take long before you’re riding out the sugar coma from Tegan and Sara’s own HFCS complacency, shamelessly addicted to the contrived songs they’ve served on this tight ten track package.  

The difference with album number seven is how both sisters seem on board with this controversial departure and commitment to accessibility, which is Heartthrob’s ironic moment. By going all in, Tegan and Sara sound strong enough to withstand all the inevitable attacks of selling out, but what will end up silencing most critics of their decision is how good Heartthrob actually sounds.

Within the record’s sonic precision and scaled back lyrical examination, Tegan and Sara place much of their burden upon the shoulders of others. Despite all of the cooks in the kitchen, Heartthrob still sounds uniquely like Tegan and Sara. It also shows how good Tegan and Sara could sound on the radio. By capturing the nuances of the Quinn sisters’ charm and gutting much of the self-analysis from their lyrics, Heartthrob is more about the essence of Tegan and Sara than a reflection of their prior work.

But the surprise ends up becoming how compelling Heartthrob is, even when that essence is filtered through a different part of the sonic spectrum.  It’s an inspired and infectious effort, and one that validates the Quinn sister’s desire to empower a larger audience with their music.

Tegan and Sara Release New Video for "Closer"

So it seems that the new Tegan and Sara album Heartthrob is going to be more of the same electronic bent as Saints, an album that I wasn't all that fond of.

I doubt that I'll do the knee jerk purchase like I did last time-which was only done because the album before it, The Con, is just so friggin' awesome.

The new one?

Not so much, IMO.

As Tegan and Sara attempt to inexplicably move towards the mainstream, the less interesting and unique they become.

Here's the record label's enthusiastic version:


Tegan and Sara Release Official Video for "Closer"
Heartthrob Out January 29th
Available for Pre-Order Now

Tegan and Sara just released the official video for their piping hot single,"Closer." The video premiered on Spin.com, who glow "it's become clear that Tegan and Sara are indeed readying some of their most accessible and interesting material in years." Truth!

"Closer," off of their upcoming seventh studio album, Heartthrob (out January 29th on WBR), initially premiered on RollingStone.com and proved to be internet gold, peaking at #1 on Hype Machine's "Most Popular" chart that same week.


Tegan and Sara offered fans another taste of what they can expect on Heartthrob when they posted a stream of another new song, "I'm Not Your Hero" and just recently released the cover art and track listing for Heartthrob.

Official Heartthrob Tracklisting:

1. Closer
2. Goodbye, Goodbye
3. I Was a Fool
4. I'm Not Your Hero
5. Drove Me Wild
6. How Come You Don't Want Me
7. I Couldn't Be Your Friend
8. Love They Say
9. Now I'm All Messed Up
10. Shock To Your System

**Deluxe Version includes bonus tracks "Guilty as Charged," "I Run Empty" and "Closer" Official Music Video

The girls just returned from the UK on tour in support of The Killers, played a sold out show at Bowery Ballroom in NYC, and performed "Closer" on The Late Show with David Letterman. They will be kicking of additional US dates with the band on November 29th.

For a full list of upcoming dates, see below.

Confirmed T&S Tour Dates:
w/The Killers:

Nov 29 - 1st Bank Center - Broomfield, CO
Nov 30 - UCCU Center - Orem, UT
Dec 1 - Knitting Factory - Reno, NV *
Dec 3 - Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC
Dec 4 - Kitting Factory - Spokane, WA *
Dec 5 - Theatre of the Clouds @ Rose Garden - Portland, OR
Dec 7 - 91x WREX The Halls - San Diego, CA *
Dec 8 - Live 105's Not So Silent Night - San Francisco, CA *
Dec 10 - KJEE Winter Round Up - Santa Barbara, CA *
Dec 13 - Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ
Dec 14 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Dec 15 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON
Dec 16 - Metropolis - Montreal, QB
Dec 17 - Agganis Arena - Boston, MA
Dec 18 - Patriot Center - Fairfax, VA
Dec 20 - EMU Convocation Center - Ypsilanti, MI
Dec 21 - UIC Pavilion - Chicago, IL
 *without The Killers

Tegan And Sara Release Lead-Off Single For 'Heartthrob'

Tegan and Sara have a new album coming out, and of course I'm smitten.

It's not schedule until January of next year, but the hype machine is in full force now with a lead single and an opening slot on the upcoming Killers tour.

The new album is called Heartthrob.






w/The Killers:

Nov 29 - 1st Bank Center - Broomfield, CO
Nov 30 - UCCU Center - Orem, UT
Dec 3 - Pacific Coliseum - Vancouver, BC
Dec 5 - Rose Garden Arena - Portland, OR
Dec 8 - Rialto Theater - Tucson, AZ
Dec 10 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK
Dec 13 - Susquehanna Bank Center - Camden, NJ
Dec 14 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
Dec 15 - Air Canada Centre - Toronto, ON
Dec 17 - Agganis Arena - Boston, MA
Dec 18 - Patriot Center - Fairfax, VA
Dec 20 - EMU Convocation Center - Ypsilanti, MI
Dec 21 - UIC Pavilion - Chicago, IL

**Contrary to previous reports, Tegan and Sara will not be opening for The Killers in Las Vegas at The Cosmopolitan on December 28 and 29.

I seriously have no ideas who The Killers are or what they sound like. I think my ex-wife liked them, so maybe that's the real issue.

The lead-off single for Heartthrob is called "Closer."

Photo by Lindsey Byrnes. Check out her site. It's filled with awesome snaps 'n shots.

Tegan & Sara - Sainthood

Following the pop tart approach initiated on The Con, Tegan & Sara’s latest (Sainthood) continues the tradition of New Wave gloss thanks to another go-round with Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla behind the studio glass.

What is surprising is how Sainthood tastes like there’s nearly twice the sugar as The Con. Despite the heavy-handed album title and visually stunning cover art, the two have completely severed all traces of their folkie past and are gunning for a more mainstream audience.

And what band does Tegan and Sara most resemble as they work their way into sweet realms of pop?

Missing Persons, circa Rhyme & Reason.

Tegan & Sara don’t sound like they’ve lifted a finger during the arrangement process, lending Sainthood to the hands of Chris Walla who uses the same “no Earth tones” mantra in his sonic pallet as Michael Mann used in Miami Vice.

Through gated drums, Greg Hawkes’ Shake It Up era synthesizers, and Postal Service envy, Walla turns Sainthood into his own KROQ airshift. Through magic, he manages to turn Sara and Tegan Quin into Dale and Terry Bozzio.

It’s a bit too much to take at first, watching the sisters dismantle their mystique and deliver an album of such simple proportions. There’s nothing hidden in Sainthood, it is a pop record as written by a pair of artist who we’ve come to expect more of than just a “pop record.”

As it goes, Sainthood has become a commuting favorite, particularly from my 21/2 year-old daughter who now thinks the world of “Teegy and Sara.” And with each repeated play I find myself closer to the sister’s pop narcotic.

“The Cure” is perfection, an energetic blast that could find reception on radio airwaves during the Reagan and Obama administration.

“My motor-mouth runs over you” sings Sara on “Alligator,” but the pair have delivered a less cerebral offering in favor of an album of unabashed youthfulness.

“I know it turns you off when I get to talkin’ like a teen” coos Sara on “On Directing” and on first listen, Sainthood was a complete turn off for mostly that reason. I liked them better when Tegan and Sara at least acted their age.

Tegan and Sara - The Con

Effectively transitioning themselves from Lilith Fair card players to intriguing pop songstresses is impressive on paper, but it’s even more stunning on some moments of Tegan and Sara’s latest release The Con.
Keep in mind that pop music often homes a few bad eggs and yes, there are enough here to make a decent sized omelet. But when you consider how clever and infectious the Quin sisters deliver the album’s finer examples, you tend to forget all about those rotten eggs.
There’s a new wave feel to the twin’s delivery and a very subtle difference between their overall vocal sounds; you can identify who composed and performed what. The arrangements occasionally reveal their original acoustic origins, but Death Cab For Cutie’s Chris Walla, who’s a great choice to help the two test the pop waters. He manages to bring the record closer to Kate Bush’s The Dreaming than they could have ever dreamed up themselves. And I love The Dreaming, which means I’m feeling smitten about Tegan and Sara’s latest effort.
Speaking of the early 80’s, holy shit, I kept feeling fascination over The Con’s skinny tie snare ‘n high-hat propulsion and Human League keys. When Walla and the sisters lose sight of how charming their voices sound in this retro backdrop they start swinging at anything. “Are You Ten Years” ago, the album’s lowpoint, whips out a woefully unimaginative electronic drum pattern to propel a woefully unimaginative vocal rap.
Judging from The Con’s lyrical content, the main source of inspiration for Tegan and Sara’s latest selections is (again) those moments when love’s adverse effects are just as deep as the euphoria love initially creates. From it’s precautionary first hints (“You take your time coming over here/I think that’s for the best”) to it’s inevitable break-up (““I’m not unfaithful/But I’ll stray/When I get a little scared”), the con is that they buy into love’s sales pitch every time and, every time, they seem to get their heart broken.
Which means that the only thing that separates The Con between its predecessors is the new paint job Walla conjures up in the studio. However, no worries: there’s enough honesty and originality within the sheen of his pop clear-coat to give Tegan and Sara a new benchmark and, potentially, a larger audience.

This review originally appeared in Glorious Noise