Seconds into the track On Directing Tegan Quin (or maybe it's Sara) let's fire the line "eyes focused like a microscope." And while probably relating to matters of the heart she could easily be talking about the impressive album she and her sister have put together - Sainthood.
This is without a doubt the tightest, most economical album of the Polaris bunch. Every note has been accounted for, every harmony justified. It's clear these girls are as serious as a heart attack when it comes to putting an album together. This is as polished and nimble as you can ask for in music, and clearly only the most essential pieces were included, anything extraneous was tossed aside.
But don't assume this means the music is cold or in any way detached. Despite their cut-throst approach to recording, these two can open up and bare their souls with the best of them. Heartbreakers like Night Watch and Sentimental Song are as autobiographical as they come and sound right at home peppered amongst a mixture of new wave jerkers and old school punk rockers.
Which is the other admirable thing about Tegan and Sara - their amazing knowledge and respect of musical history. There's a little something for everyone here whether you're looking for Thin White Duke era Bowie (Red Belt) or something approximating Social Distortion (Hell, Northshore).
Some people may not love the repetitive lyrics or the jerky guitar-synth tug of war but with the help of producer Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie) the sisters make it work almost every time and successfully too. They've got a knack for sniffing out the necessary parts and doing away with the rest.
This album could easily be announced next week as the Polaris winner and would have my full endorsement. With the exception of perhaps BSS and Kwarka, Tegan and Sara have assembled the most complete and cohesive album of the competition.
We truly did save the best for last.
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