Heartthrob

I had pre-ordered Tegan and Sara's Heartthrob on iTunes a few weeks ago and finally got to download it tonight (it is officially released in-stores tomorrow). I don't normally write about album releases on this blog, but I have been waiting for them to come out with a new album for four years and could not contain my excitement. When they released their first single, "Closer," in September, I was instantly hooked; it was probably their catchiest song to date. Then they released the audio for the song, "I'm Not Your Hero," on YouTube. And I loved that song even more than "Closer." I wondered if the rest of their seventh studio album would be as catchy or fulfilling as those two songs. Now that I've listened to the album in full several times, I can safely say: Heartthrob was worth waiting four years for.

If you are expecting the raw, acoustic Tegan and Sara of yesteryear, be prepared to be surprised. If It Was You, So Jealous, and The Con will always have a place in my heart; they all have an indie-folk appeal that I love, that I grew up with and made many memories to. But Heartthrob comes as a beautiful contrast to their previous works. It embraces electronic and dance pop beats, which comes as no surprise after their collaborations with Morgan Page and Tiësto. While the songs are quintessentially Tegan and Sara both lyrically and instrumentally, they also mixed in infectious synth beats that make you want to get up and dance, which their previous albums didn't do. You can tell they've grown up; they've found different influences and want to make it heard on this album. Change can be good, and this album proves that. I have been following Tegan and Sara for 14 years now; I first heard of them when I saw them as teenagers playing an acoustic set on Jonovision. At the time, I remember thinking, "Oh, they're pretty good. I hope they make it big one day." And now, after the release of their seventh studio album, the die-hard fans from their early days will have to learn to share them, because they're getting all the attention and popularity they deserve now.

My favourite songs on this album: "Goodbye, Goodbye," "I'm Not Your Hero," "Shock To Your System," and "Guilty As Charged" (this song only comes with Deluxe version of Heartthrob). Conclusion: Get this album. It is so, so, so worth it.