Tegan And Sara - Sainthood

Sometimes to fully enjoy certain genres of music, you need to experience them in the surroundings that best suit. This is probably why this writer has never been a big fan of hardcore techno… having never been to a rave, taken class A drugs, and well, not being German. The same theory applies to a record like Sainthood, the sixth album from identical twins Tegan And Sara. It’s indie-dancefloor-pop, and knows it, something wasted on anyone who isn’t already enamoured music of its ilk.

Opening one-two-combo of ‘Arrow’ and ‘Don’t Rush’ are soaked through with head-tapping rhythms and sing-a-long choruses - you can already picture the throngs of hipsters filling the dance floors of Shoreditch, singing along, letting their tortured souls take a night off. But it’s lightweight, and though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just all gets a bit samey here after a while.

There is little that stands out on Sainthood, nothing to really sink your teeth into, a moment you tell your friends about, a moment which makes it all come together. ‘Northshore’ feels like it wants to be that moment, its punk-lite vibe harking back to the old Tegan & Sara sound, but it also feels a tad forced, thrown into the mix to appease the old fanbase. It’s a feeling only heightened once the rest of the album breezes past you so effortlessly.

‘Alligator’, a blissfully aware 80’s throwback sounds like something you’d hear at a Guilty Pleasures night on a Saturday, as does ‘Paperback Head‘, the repeated “a material girl” line decorating the chorus with an obvious nod and wink to the albums era of inspiration. They help make Sainthood a pleasant enough listen, but I’m sure it’s far more fun and enjoyable on the dance floor or the live arena than it is in the home. And sure it probably wont be lost on Tegan and Sara fans either, but, equally, it won’t convert anymore.