Spun: Tegan and Sara

By Jaime Burnet

Tegan and Sara have come a long way since competing in Calgary’s Garage Warz competitions. On previous releases, their songs have followed a set singer/songwriter formula and have gained critical response from it. On their fifth release, The Con, the sisters have enlisted the help of Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie to

help change their sound and to give them a better variety. This influence is evident throughout the album in its many different styles.

First single “The Con” is an upbeat and catchy pop-sounding song. Using both singers together for the verses, their similar sound gives an echo-like quality to the quick sing-song lyrics. This works well for the girls and the majority of the songs are in this style. Thankfully the girls prove that they aren’t one-trick ponies and mix it up with a few different styles. Standing out on the album are songs like the opener “I Was Married” and “Soil, Soil,” where the girls use an electric twang sound to round out a thoroughly eclectic album.

The album may be too varied for some with its multiple instruments and styles, but it is definitely their most mature and innovative album to date. If this is a preview of things to come, these two Calgary girls will soon be taking the world by storm.