I was just thinking the other day, whatever happened to Annie, my favorite Norwegian poplette? It's been eons since she's released anything new. And suddenly this appeared on Popjustice:
So,
Annie’s back with a great new song, but the video has issues, and I
don’t mean just her lipstick - mon Dieu! Incidentally, there’s talk of Little Boots working recently with Annie. Now that’s a partnership I never anticipated! Only something completely fab could come out of that collabo. Psyched.
Tegan and Sara have been moving past their wordy, strummy, funky folk-rock for some time now. Sainthood (2009) was an amazing rock record. Still, did anyone expect this? With Heartthrob,
T&S aimed to make big synthpop radio hits. They don’t just make
their mark, they clobber it. Each song is full of huge hooks, monster
choruses, and catchy tunes. Every track is a crowd pleasing barn
burner. And they have perfected the art of the pop lyric. The lyrics
are constructed from brief, conversational phrases or sharply described
images that make sense the first time around, no need to read the lyric
sheet to try and figure out what’s happening.
The
same day I heard this album, and fell in love with it, I saw that
T&S were playing near my home town the next night. I felt this was
some kind of sign, so I made the 35 min. drive to see them and they did
not disappoint, they totally killed it. They love their audience,
calling them the “nicest fans.” Those fans threw articles of clothing
at Tegan (a scarf, and a bra). Tegan picked up the bra and said thanks
but, “I really have no use for this.” Sara talked amusingly about
breaking a string, saying, “Whenever I break a string I always wonder
what Slash would do. Probably roll around on the floor in his leather
pants, no shirt, and a boa constrictor around his neck.”
One
of the great things about Heartthrob is that everything holds together
beautifully as an album. It’s not just a collection of new songs.
These tunes sound like the pages of a book that were meant to be read
in order. Heartthrob has a consistent sound, big shiny synths, slamming
drums, and strong melodies. Any of the ten tracks would make a
terrific single. T&S are opening for fun. on a big arena tour this
summer. What? They should totally be headlining. In the current issue
of Billboard (5/4/13), they have the #1 spot on the Dance Club Songs
chart, with Closer:
