Amherst Lane

I find myself constantly gravitating towards musik that is not pop, but has a pop aesthetic. This must be the duality in my nature, being that I am a twin born under Gemini, the sign of the twins. Which brings me to one of my new favorite bands, a couple of fellow twins, Tegan and Sara. These two Canadian songwriters have captured my heart with their fourth ablum “So Jealous”

“So Jealous” is solid all the way through. The album starts with “You wouldn’t like me”, a song that is introduced in layers and makes for a perfect introduction. This album’s most noticeable traits are its clean production and distinctive vocals. Tegan and Sara have great voices, and since they share genetically identical vocal cords, harmonize with each other really well. They make full use of this in songs like “I know I know I know”. It’s also songs like this, that remind me how powerful simple songwriting can be.
This brings us to their single “Walking with the Ghost”. This song is not only one of the best of the album, but one of the freshest songs I’ve heard in a while. Once again they have found power in simplicity. This song uses a repetitive rock riff and heavy compression to drive its theme home. “Speak Slow” is a another nice addition to the album. Just when you feel that things are getting a little too heavy, this song rolls in to lift you up. It is upbeat, fun, and once again makes great use of those voices I love to hear. (The video for this song is an excellent chance to see them hamming it up)

All in all, “So Jealous” is a solid album with some really great songs. There is a light and carefree feel to this album. None of the songs sound forced or overthought. There is also a vulnerability in their songs that isn’t hidden, but explored. All this combined with their unique sounding voices, has made me an instant fan.
www.teganandsara.com

This entry was posted on Friday, April 21st, 2006 at 12:05 pm and is filed under Music. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.