Tegan and Sara - Listen, Buy, Love

More on Tegan and Sara as promised. Tegan and Sara appeared in my music collection around 2000. I can't pinpoint the date, other than to say I remember being told by the doorperson at a Hawksley Workman show that I should check out their upcoming show at the same venue (I didn't). This memory sticks out either because I bought This Business of Art after that tip or had just bought it and found the recommendation coincidental. I'm leaning toward the latter, but memory is slippery. The disc became a quick favourite for its distinctive sound. No matter what the music around them is like (stripped down, synth infused, punkish) Tegan and Sara's vocals are always recognizable.

I fell out with the band for a time, dismissing their next release, If It Was You, as too loud and too different in direction. Fortunately, my friend M pushed me to listen to their new album. I gave him the 'too different from what reeled me in originally' spiel, but he insisted I would like it. Based on release dates, I assumed 'new album' meant So Jealous (he'd actually meant If It Was You) so that's what I sought out. And I loved it. Regret seeped in. I'd given up too soon. I could've been listening to this album for years prior and I'd turned down a suggestion from my friend K to see the band on the So Jealous tour, still labouring under the 'too loud' delusion. Luckily, because I hadn't kept up, new material was just around the corner.

The Con is strong from start to finish. You won't find a track to skip. While I gravitate to Tegan's songs on this disc, the preferential pull is slight. The whole disc impresses me more each time I hear it. Press play and then repeat.

Here are my owned standout tracks. I could easily have chosen more (tried and failed to pare down from The Con) as none of these albums contain obvious filler. Maybe, super standout tracks is a better description:

This Business of Art - My Number, Come On
So Jealous - Downtown, Wake Up Exhausted
The Con - Burn Your Life Down, Nineteen, Dark Come Soon, The Con, Back in Your Head, Call it Off

These choices are reasonably balanced between Tegan's songs and Sara's songs. That's not intentional and the balance extends to other favourites on the albums. I always knew they split songwriting and lead vocal duties but until recently, I didn't know which voice belonged to which song. I just knew I liked those voices equally. Sadly, age and digital music have stolen some of the dedicated fan-ism of my younger days. Band trivia, bio details and liner notes don't find their way into my head as often any more. Lots of great info about these two is out there if you look (ask Google). One helpful resource even breaks down who sings what.

To conclude, I will no longer let misconceptions interfere with my appreciation for Tegan and Sara. I will give If It Was You another shot. My initial judgment of it was based on cursory listenings. Though I've managed to miss the recent local tour dates, it wasn't intentional this time and I won't pass up an opportunity to see them live again. Especially, after checking out the wealth of hilarious concert banter footage on YouTube. People say Tegan and Sara should have a TV show and I believe that they would deliver solid ratings. Just as they deliver solid albums. How rewarding, and rare, to listen to a band that improves on fantastic with each new effort.