On "Heartthrob" and other stuff and twintastic-ness.
(*Tegan) (Cute)
(*Sara) (Adorable)Last night I saw these two beauties at "Club Nokia" in Los Angeles and was probably 1 of 5 strait men out of probably 1'500 people. (Above is a small clip I found online from the show) I'd seen them once on tour before when they fronted for "Paramore" in San Diego. That was about a 40 minute set. The show I saw them at last night was around an hour and forty minutes.
Everyone has that one band they have difficulty describing to people 'why' they love it so much...but I'm gonna try.
My top favorite musical artists are "Joy Division", "The Cure", and "Richie Havens".
A post punk band whose lead singer has a brooding Jim Morrisonesque voice and writes songs of pure poetry. A gothic rock band who writes songs about love and breakups and fun with such grace each one crescendo's on something darker richer and more various in tone and sounds than the next ("Disintegration" is seriously one of the best albums ever produced) and an African American folk singer who does mostly covers with his own flare and style and a rich brooding voice.
(*I saw them previously on this tour. Cute hat.)
("Sainthood" is a really good album too)
How does a little Canadian lesbian punk, pop, singer, song-writer, twin sister band become so influential to peak the interest of bands and artists like "NoFx" and "Jack White". (Also for those of you unfamiliar...ewe, they're sisters, they're not a couple, hence the word "twins".)
(Written by Tegan and Sara)
Bill Hicks said it best 'Since when do mediocrity and banality become a good image for your children . . . play from your heart.'
And Tegan and Sara most certainly do play from their heart. They write songs about them, about their marrow, what it means to be in love, from the point of view of that doll eyed look a woman has when she watches you sleep to that rage filled sadness that most people remember from spouting poetry to their lovers in their teenage years behind bleachers and twisted rotten trees. Tegan and Sara's songs certainly tap into that point of view of a woman...but they're gay so since a lot of their songs are about relationships it's the strange juxtaposition I find beautifully relatable. Romantic songs with a female point of view about woman. Something about that undercurrent I dig, I can't explain it, but I love it, It's not vocal, it's not on the nose it's there it's that femininity that if your a man you can't just ignore and pretend it's not there when you say you love a band like this.
Truth be told a buddy of mine recommended them too me. (Around 2005) I believe because I told her I dug folk and singer/songwriter type musicians and that I was a twin. (I'm a twin, me and my brother have joked about as kids that we should have a band together, me keyboard him guitar...however our tastes are completely different.) He only likes 2 Tegan and Sara songs that I know of. "Dark Come Soon" (Probably my fav) and "Come On" a rather obscure one.
And I noticed at the show that I knew the lyrics to all but two of the songs they played. (Having been marathoning their new album "Heartthrob" in my car while I worked. "Heartthrob" is much more electronica influenced than their previous records and reminded me of that 80's pop thing like Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany, or Blondi - but with their own flare and emotionality.)
It's the sweetness and sincerity I get with them. When they write a song, and perform it, you believe they've been there and are inviting you into that moment.
A "Smiths" song titled "Panic" has the lyric "the music they constantly play, it says nothing to me about my life" ... Jack Kerouac wrote "Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together; sophistication demands that they submit to sex immediately without proper preliminary talk. Not courting talk - real straight talk about souls, for life is holy and every moment is precious."
Sophistication, intimacy, and simplicity make memories and moments in one's life as razor sharp as imaginable. And each one of Tegan and Sara's songs as different and various in tone as they are seems to have that little gem. That little nugget of reality that penetrates it's audience deeply to their core. At least the ones that get it. That are open to it. This song is about what it was like when you were 19 years old and had your heart shattered. If you've been their than you get it...if not well then...
I can see how most men might be embarrassed to listen to songs about crying and shit and stuff ya know. But those men are pussies. To say you don't have a heart willing to empathize with the true tragedy of what a past relationship might have done to your soul is just denying a part of a unique human experience I think everyone deserves to experience. And I have. And I relate to this music. And I'm not ashamed to say I've sat for hours at a time playing the same song ("Cut here" - The Cure) over an over again and balling like a little kitten after I broke up with my first girlfriend. A little kitten I say.
You see I've seen bands ranging from Nine Inch Nails (was actually tempted to wear my shirt to the TandS show), GWAR, B.B. King, Muse (*amazing live) and working at the particular job I do (in TV that has bands) I get to experience the joys of all different varieties of music.
But if variety was something to be admired. Tegan and Sara have it in spades. Each song on their albums seems to live in a world of it's own, very few artists can accomplish that. At their show at Club Nokia they covered the chorus to a Bruce Springsteen song. "I'm on Fire" and it was hot. (Also I like John Mayer's version better than The Boss. But seriously this song is sexy, like slow dancing in a claw foot bathtub sexy.) And when two lesbians sing it in a room full of dancing mostly lesbians it becomes a transcendent message about how we're all equals. Especially on this strange sexuality thing dumb people get all hung up about for no reason.
I love Tegan and Sara because they write and perform songs I find beautiful. Not for some novelty reason that they're either gay or twins. Simply they write beautiful songs. If they were a troupe of clowns with leprosy and wrote those songs I can relate too I'd of been in that room of diseased harliquin's dancing just the same.
(These pics are from the show.)
Their show was quite a strange one. One thing I noticed walking into the club once we moved to a better spot was a woman glaring at me as in no way I should like this band and then after a few songs she noticed I knew all the words and loosened up. The atmosphere was polarizing. Because of the loyalty of their fans and the uniqueness of their music it was pure electricity. The opened with an old favorite "Back of your Head" to which the shrieking of all the girls climaxed to a pulse as about the entire audience sang along in unison. This happened to just about EVERY SONG. Yes the audience knew every song intimately, sang every word like their life depended on it, and danced as if it was there last chance to dance, too many people making-out but all the audience was in sync with music. There wasn't that one person that seemed like they showed up at the wrong show. Like some concerts get. (Especially metal shows where guy shows up who doesn't know the band but just wants to punch a guy, none of that bs here.) I was in awe the control these two tiny woman (and their bandmates) had over the room. It's about the only time I've heard a singer say. "Shut the fuck up, I want you to calm down during this song" and an entire crowd of hyped up people...calm down and listen to a small intimate song. Somewhere between that and a dance party made it easily one of the funnest shows I've ever been too.
;)
A post punk band whose lead singer has a brooding Jim Morrisonesque voice and writes songs of pure poetry. A gothic rock band who writes songs about love and breakups and fun with such grace each one crescendo's on something darker richer and more various in tone and sounds than the next ("Disintegration" is seriously one of the best albums ever produced) and an African American folk singer who does mostly covers with his own flare and style and a rich brooding voice.
(*I saw them previously on this tour. Cute hat.)("Sainthood" is a really good album too)
How does a little Canadian lesbian punk, pop, singer, song-writer, twin sister band become so influential to peak the interest of bands and artists like "NoFx" and "Jack White". (Also for those of you unfamiliar...ewe, they're sisters, they're not a couple, hence the word "twins".)
(Written by Tegan and Sara)
Bill Hicks said it best 'Since when do mediocrity and banality become a good image for your children . . . play from your heart.'
And Tegan and Sara most certainly do play from their heart. They write songs about them, about their marrow, what it means to be in love, from the point of view of that doll eyed look a woman has when she watches you sleep to that rage filled sadness that most people remember from spouting poetry to their lovers in their teenage years behind bleachers and twisted rotten trees. Tegan and Sara's songs certainly tap into that point of view of a woman...but they're gay so since a lot of their songs are about relationships it's the strange juxtaposition I find beautifully relatable. Romantic songs with a female point of view about woman. Something about that undercurrent I dig, I can't explain it, but I love it, It's not vocal, it's not on the nose it's there it's that femininity that if your a man you can't just ignore and pretend it's not there when you say you love a band like this.
Truth be told a buddy of mine recommended them too me. (Around 2005) I believe because I told her I dug folk and singer/songwriter type musicians and that I was a twin. (I'm a twin, me and my brother have joked about as kids that we should have a band together, me keyboard him guitar...however our tastes are completely different.) He only likes 2 Tegan and Sara songs that I know of. "Dark Come Soon" (Probably my fav) and "Come On" a rather obscure one.
And I noticed at the show that I knew the lyrics to all but two of the songs they played. (Having been marathoning their new album "Heartthrob" in my car while I worked. "Heartthrob" is much more electronica influenced than their previous records and reminded me of that 80's pop thing like Cyndi Lauper, Tiffany, or Blondi - but with their own flare and emotionality.)
It's the sweetness and sincerity I get with them. When they write a song, and perform it, you believe they've been there and are inviting you into that moment.
A "Smiths" song titled "Panic" has the lyric "the music they constantly play, it says nothing to me about my life" ... Jack Kerouac wrote "Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together; sophistication demands that they submit to sex immediately without proper preliminary talk. Not courting talk - real straight talk about souls, for life is holy and every moment is precious."
Sophistication, intimacy, and simplicity make memories and moments in one's life as razor sharp as imaginable. And each one of Tegan and Sara's songs as different and various in tone as they are seems to have that little gem. That little nugget of reality that penetrates it's audience deeply to their core. At least the ones that get it. That are open to it. This song is about what it was like when you were 19 years old and had your heart shattered. If you've been their than you get it...if not well then...
I can see how most men might be embarrassed to listen to songs about crying and shit and stuff ya know. But those men are pussies. To say you don't have a heart willing to empathize with the true tragedy of what a past relationship might have done to your soul is just denying a part of a unique human experience I think everyone deserves to experience. And I have. And I relate to this music. And I'm not ashamed to say I've sat for hours at a time playing the same song ("Cut here" - The Cure) over an over again and balling like a little kitten after I broke up with my first girlfriend. A little kitten I say.
You see I've seen bands ranging from Nine Inch Nails (was actually tempted to wear my shirt to the TandS show), GWAR, B.B. King, Muse (*amazing live) and working at the particular job I do (in TV that has bands) I get to experience the joys of all different varieties of music.
But if variety was something to be admired. Tegan and Sara have it in spades. Each song on their albums seems to live in a world of it's own, very few artists can accomplish that. At their show at Club Nokia they covered the chorus to a Bruce Springsteen song. "I'm on Fire" and it was hot. (Also I like John Mayer's version better than The Boss. But seriously this song is sexy, like slow dancing in a claw foot bathtub sexy.) And when two lesbians sing it in a room full of dancing mostly lesbians it becomes a transcendent message about how we're all equals. Especially on this strange sexuality thing dumb people get all hung up about for no reason.
I love Tegan and Sara because they write and perform songs I find beautiful. Not for some novelty reason that they're either gay or twins. Simply they write beautiful songs. If they were a troupe of clowns with leprosy and wrote those songs I can relate too I'd of been in that room of diseased harliquin's dancing just the same.
(These pics are from the show.)Their show was quite a strange one. One thing I noticed walking into the club once we moved to a better spot was a woman glaring at me as in no way I should like this band and then after a few songs she noticed I knew all the words and loosened up. The atmosphere was polarizing. Because of the loyalty of their fans and the uniqueness of their music it was pure electricity. The opened with an old favorite "Back of your Head" to which the shrieking of all the girls climaxed to a pulse as about the entire audience sang along in unison. This happened to just about EVERY SONG. Yes the audience knew every song intimately, sang every word like their life depended on it, and danced as if it was there last chance to dance, too many people making-out but all the audience was in sync with music. There wasn't that one person that seemed like they showed up at the wrong show. Like some concerts get. (Especially metal shows where guy shows up who doesn't know the band but just wants to punch a guy, none of that bs here.) I was in awe the control these two tiny woman (and their bandmates) had over the room. It's about the only time I've heard a singer say. "Shut the fuck up, I want you to calm down during this song" and an entire crowd of hyped up people...calm down and listen to a small intimate song. Somewhere between that and a dance party made it easily one of the funnest shows I've ever been too.
;)
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