TRACK REVIEW: Tegan and Sara - I’ll Be Back Someday

TRACK REVIEW:

Tegan and Sara

PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Brady Photography

I’ll Be Back Someday

9.6/10

The track, I’ll Be Back Someday, is available via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PRtBDpm6zY

GENRES:

Indie-Pop/Pop-Punk

ORIGIN:

Calgary, Canada

LABEL:

Sire Records

RELEASE DATE:

25th July, 2019

The album, Hey, I’m Just Like You, is available from 27th September, 2019. Pre-order here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hey-Just-Like-You-Explicit/dp/B07TYSM5CP

__________

BEFORE talking about their latest track…

PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

I want to discuss Tegan and Sara from a number of different angles. To begin, I want to chat about longevity and artists who manage to navigate the years and evolve as time goes on. I also will nod to the duo as pioneers when it comes to queer women in music and how they set a precedence; a relationship that is fraught at times but a connection and compassion that has remained for years; Pop music with more depth and credibility than a lot of what is in the mainstream; returning to your roots yet adding something new to the pot. I will start with that last point. Hey, I’m Just Like You was recorded in Vancouver in April and May and, in many ways, it is Tegan and Sara returning to their Rock and Punk roots. I will talk about their work in Pop terms later; a fact that there is energy and something that extends beyond the boundaries of Rock and Punk. Tegan and Sara have revisited some songs that they wrote as teenagers for their new album. I want to explore Tegan and Sara’s longevity and survival but it is interesting to see, on their new record, they are looking back at some older songs and giving them a new lease. The duo has been looking back in the archives and they have a memoir, High School, coming out on 24th September. When they were looking at the annals and digging back into their past, they found a lot of older songs and have brought them to life. Some might say it is nostalgia but I think, in a larger sense, it shows that artists do not always have to write and record what is new and current. For years, artists have included older songs on their albums and I like the fact there are some of these years-old tracks on Hey, I’m Just Like You. I urge people to get a hold of the upcoming album because, I think, it is shaping up to be one of their very best.

For this record, Tegan and Sara are working exclusively with female personnel. The credits include drummer Carla Azar, bassist Catherine Hiltz; producer Alex Hope, engineer Rachael Findlen and assistant engineer Annie Kennedy - while Beatriz Artola mixed the record and Emily Lazar mastered it. Some might say that this is a ploy to grab headlines and get attention but, actually, we are living in a time when women are not that visible and respected when it comes to the studio. By that, I mean there are some fantastic female producers and engineers out there but they do not get the credit they deserve. Also, in terms of sheer numbers, men still outweigh women and it is an unbalanced scene in that respect. I do think there are small steps being made but, as the years go by, can we say we have moved as fast as possible regarding equality? I do not think so. With Tegan and Sara having an all-female team, it will not only raise awareness regarding women in the studio but encourage other artists to do the same. I think it is important we get away from the notion that the studio is for men and it is their playground. There are so many talented women crafting today’s music and we still have to see imbalance and exclusion. Not only are festivals and other areas of music dominated by men still but, in terms of production credits for albums, most are filled by men. It is great to see a big name like Tegan and Sara taking this step and making a record with so many female voices in the mix. I wonder if they will continue to use this team on the next album because, when you listen to some of the tracks on Hey, I’m Just Like You, there are qualities and nuances I have not heard on their other records. It seems like there is a real understanding and connection between Tegan and Sara and their crew and it seems like the duo are entering a new phase. It makes me think about how long Tegan and Sara have been on the scene.

PHOTO CREDIT: Katie Friedman

The Canadian sisters of Tegan Rain Quin and Sara Keirsten Quin came onto the scene with 1999’s Under Feet Like Ours. That album received a smattering of focus but, even then, they were separating themselves from the pack. Maybe the first couple of albums were more Folk-based and had Indie strands. By So Jealous in 2004, they started to move into Pop-Punk and were gathering more big reviews and praise-heavy snippets. That album is one of their most complete and satisfying and, after experimenting and finding their sound, it seems like they arrived then. There was darkness on 2007’s The Con, but it is a record that, again, saw the duo step up and reach new heights. I think Tegan and Sara have survived and flourished for so long because they each handle songwriting on their own terms. A lot of bands and duos have to write in a certain way and there are often arguments regarding credit and sonic direction. Rather than have disagreements about individual songs’ sound and what direction and album will take, Tegan and Sara can bring their own voices to the plate. Maybe Sara is a more mature and intriguing songwriting whilst Tegan is more direct and simple with her music. That is not to say there is a disparity: both sisters have their own sound and ideas and it is nice to see them contrasted. I do think Tegan and Sara will continue to record for many years to come because, on every album, they explore new avenues and sounds. They are not a unit beholden to a strict template and unwilling to deviate too much. Take, for example, an album like Heartthrob from 2013. The sisters had both passed thirty (as they are twins) and they thought they needed to take big leaps. The album is one of their most commercial but it is also one of their deepest and most eclectic.

I think bands and artists can get stuck on a samey path and are unwilling to deviate because they feel they will lose focus and acclaim. Rather than repeating what they did from years ago, Tegan and Sara moved forward and continue to do so. They have kept their identities intact and are not making radical moves. The fact that they have an all-female team on Hey, I’m Just Like You just shows that they are always moving and progressing. In fact, I feel Tegan and Sara are getting better and stronger with every release. Maybe it is a growth of confidence or a better relationship between the sisters but many are noticing how Tegan and Sara are hitting huge heights. Judging by the new material from their latest album, they are adding new layers and colours. From the somewhat tentative beginnings, Tegan and Sara have grown into one of the most captivating and inspiring acts in modern music. They are a lesson to any artists of the moment regarding sustainability and popularity. One looks to the future and wonders where they can go. I do think Tegan and Sara will bring new sounds to the fore but I feel they are on a level footing right now. I will talk about the sisters’ bond and relationship in a bit but it seems like there is harmony and agreement in the camp. There have been tough times but they have weathered the storms and continued to thrive. I will move on because there is a lot to discuss. It has been amazing looking back at Tegan and Sara’s career and seeing how they have moved. I think all the best and most enduring artists change between albums but keep their personalities and identity true. In modern music, I wonder whether we are conscious and accepting of great queer artists. I have recently reviewed Shura – another queer artist – but, in the wider field, are these artists being embraced and promoted?

PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

Tegan and Sara openly identity as queer artists and have done from the start. It was a pretty brave and bold move discussing their sexuality at a time when there were not many queer women in music. In a way, they lead a bit of a breakthrough but I do wonder whether the mainstream has opened up and are shining a light on queer artists. We hear a lot of talk about LG.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights and the discussion is moving forward. I do think that, in 2019, we are not as progressed as we should and so many L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ artists are undervalued, overlooked or side-lined. I am pleased Tegan and Sara have lasted for years and grown into this hugely popular act. The fact that they have managed to grow and discuss their sexuality so freely is because of their loyal and loving fanbase. I will move on but, before then, I want to bring in a feature from last year where gender fluidity was discussed and Tegan and Sara talked about a sense of isolation and misunderstanding:

“As their career gained momentum, the pair also had to navigate the fraught gender and sexuality expectations they faced as queer women musicians without much modern precedent. In a poignant interview for The Con's tenth anniversary in 2017, Sara expressed regret she hadn't found a mentor earlier in her career. "I'm not blaming any one person," she said, "but I just feel like we were isolated from the queer scene, we were isolated from the indie-rock scene. We never really fit in for whatever reason." But in recent years, this dream of a support system and inclusive community has come true: After nearly two decades of honing their sound and pushing back against sexist and homophobic stereotypes, Tegan and Sara have amassed a fiercely loyal fanbase that celebrates the siblings' radical individuality.

This spark of singularity was present even early in Tegan and Sara's career. Signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records, the pair started off playing spunky folk-pop — their first widespread release, 2000's This Business Of Art, was a funky album with debts to hip-hop, Ani DiFranco and Alanis Morissette — which soon evolved into something musically undefinable.

PHOTO CREDIT: Lindsey Byrnes

On 2002's If It Was You, the swaggering "Time Running" benefits from churning guitars; the brisk "Monday Monday Monday" is a kicking-leaves-in-autumn acoustic pop tune with a bittersweet core. Later, on 2004's So Jealous, fizzy-candy keyboards pockmark the pogo-pop "Speak Slow."

Both Tegan and Sara openly identify as queer, and the latter wrote "I Was Married" about her then-common-law partner. Although the song represents one of the pair's first deliberate lyrical references to their sexuality, neither woman has ever hidden this fact; they both came out before the band blew up. Still, the sisters have never wanted to have their art pigeonholed by their sexuality, gender or even twin sisterhood, Tegan once told an interviewer — although she later admitted that they "accepted that we were going to be seen as a 'lesbian band'" once they found a niche in the alternative music world. "We were okay with that," she said”.

Things have changed for the better in terms of acceptance and inclusivity but I do feel there is a long way to regarding true balance and understanding. The duo have faced a sense of unease and isolation from the very start but I do think they have opened the way for so many other queer artists. I just mentioned Shura but there are so many more who have seen what Tegan and Sara have done – regarding their passionate music and the fact they openly speak about their sexuality – and have taken that to heart. I just want to crib from a 2016 article where, again, Tegan and Sara’s sexuality is covered:

“And the pair don’t mind talking about their sex lives. Sara has been in a relationship for six years; Tegan is seeing someone new. For eons, they feared their identification as queer women would trivialize their music, as the media didn’t used to have such a capacity for intellectualizing sexuality and gender. Sara, in particular, was shy about her girl crushes. “I still am!” she clarifies.

“I still struggle with being out. When I say, ‘I’ve got a crush on Rihanna,’ there’s some part of me that thinks, Am I being gross?” As a heterosexual woman, I wouldn’t think twice about admitting such frivolities. That’s privilege”.

The fact of the matter is that, even when you are in a group with a sibling, that does not mean the bond will always be stronger and unbreakable. In fact, I think there is an extra pressure when you are playing with a brother or sister. Maybe it is the fact that you have grown up together and there is an extra weight and sense of expectation. From Oasis and The Bangles through to Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon, there are cases of siblings playing together successfully for years – although, when it comes to Oasis, that once-solid bond sort of broke and remains to this day! Tegan and Sara are together still and seem more assured and happy than they have ever been. Whereas non-related members might have walked away from each other when times were tough, Tegan and Sara have remained resolute and have worked through that strain. In this article from 2016, they talked about their new album but also discussed their relationship and how that has changed through the years:

“The follow-up, Love You to Death, picks up where Heartthrob left off – 10 sparkling songs that tackle topics ranging from gay marriage (BWU features the line: “Save your first and last dance for me/I don’t need a white wedding”) to their own volatile relationship, which is documented in brutal terms on White Knuckles: “Black and blue now/Breaking each other like/Knuckles in a fight.”

The twins’ tumultuous partnership is no secret, but it’s the first time they have dared put it so explicitly on record. It must have been weird for Tegan to hear certain songs by Sara and think: “Oh, that one’s about me punching her.” Or maybe not ...

“The truth,” Tegan says, “is that I listen to Sara’s songs as if she’s a band that I like. So, when my inbox has a new song from Sara in it, I get excited, as if Beyoncé just dropped a track. It wouldn’t occur to me to ask what it’s about, because I immediately make it about myself, like any fan would.”

On White Knuckles, they sing about making “excuses for the bruises we wear”, which refers to one scarring encounter. So, what were their excuses? Sara thinks for a second. “Probably just not acknowledging that there were any bruises. We would look at people as if to say: ‘What do you mean? What are you talking about?’”

Tegan agrees: “We were often out on our own. And the second Sara and I had conflict, everyone would leave. It was alienating and awful at times. We’d look around at [other bands] and think, ‘You’re having so much fun,’ ’cos they were friends. Whereas we were out there and it felt like some weird punishment or prison sentence. But we couldn’t acknowledge it to each other. I couldn’t say: ‘I hate this, I hate being onstage, I’m uncomfortable in my skin, I feel scared, alone, broke.’ Because [Sara] could have just been like: ‘Me too, let’s quit’”.

PHOTO CREDIT: Shervin Lainez

I feel like modern Pop music is quite diverse and open. There does seem to be a shift between the underground and rising artists and those in the mainstream. There are some terrific modern Pop artists around but I still find the most popular and covered are not as deep and interesting as the press makes out. Not to single out someone like Taylor Swift but she is getting a lot of hype and love right now. Her new album, Lover, has picked up some positive reviews but you listen to the music and a feeling of familiarity comes through. There does seem to be this sense we have heard this before; a modern formula that means the songs and production all sound the same. Maybe I am not her target demographic but it is a bit depressing seeing these big Pop artists release albums that have no nuance, sense of the original and chance of remembrance. How long are we going to listen to artists like Swift? She is popular now but, in decades to come, will people pull out her records and talk about them? I think so much of today’s music is light and transient; subject to entropy and quite dismissal. The real and most promising artists are those who can take genres like Pop and add something new. Tegan and Sara started out with more Folk and Indie sounds but then added in Punk and Pop threads. I think their blend and eclectic nature means that the music sticks and remains. You listen to the tracks and they are so much more alive and appealing than a lot of what is happening in the mainstream. Even when Tegan and Sara have been more commercial-looking, their music has always been far stronger and deeper than their peers’ efforts. I shall move on in a second but, with a new track out, there is a lot of talk. I’ll Be Back Someday is a fantastic cut and one I am keen to explore.

PHOTO CREDIT: Trevor Brady Photography

There is something youthful and charmingly throwback when you hear I’ll Be Back Someday. That is not to say the song is light: it is one of the most engaging and wonderful of the year. I mean, one gets a blast of the early-2000s and some of the Pop-Punk that was around at the time. There is a nod to the past but, as always, Tegan and Sara keep things in the present. They always bring that combination of mystery and the direct when it comes to their lyrics. They talk about watching T.V. and whatever is on right now will make things better. The heroines want to dial someone up and ask how they are. There is something wonderfully spirited and optimistic about the words but one wonders whether there is some more pained backstory. I am not sure whether they are talking to a friend or lover but, maybe, there has been some friction and fracture. There is hesitancy regarding that call; a sense that the numbers cannot be dialled – what is causing that reluctance? The composition has a chug-and-charge that mixes the best of modern Pop-Punk with a sound of the 1990s and early part of the previous decade. The sisters’ bond and connection means the song leaps from the speakers and make the listener wonder. The chorus seems to contradict the early feeling that there is this friendship bond and need to connect with someone – “I run, run, run, run, run away/Get, get, get, get, get away/I run, run, run, run, run away/Get, get, get, get, get away/But I'll be back someday/I'll be back someday”. I love the fact that, in the video, there is a landline being used and referenced. In fact, when you hear the song, one gets these visions of a proper phone, perhaps corded, that is being used. Again, one gets visions of a past (better) time when we did used to communicate verbally. At a time when we are texting and technology is taking over, there is something brilliant rare hearing a phone being used in a song – one that is not packed with apps and distractions!

PHOTO CREDIT: Nate Ryan/MPR

As the song progresses, the sound and energy levels raise. The chorus is huge and there is so much life and drive to be found. It is impossible to ignore the physicality and addictiveness of the chorus and how it sort of sweeps you off of your feet. Against the more wracked and troubled verses, the chorus provides this sunshine burst that, whilst documenting the heroine(s) running away, is much-needed. On the surface, it seems like Tegan and Sara are fleeing and they are abandoning someone. The fact that they will be back and have resolved to return means that, perhaps, they just need to get away and think. Lyrics talk about reading all night and doing so until they fall asleep; a cold feeling that is hard to shift – the song asks how to get rid of these troubling and hard feelings. When listening, I wondered whether this song was a message from the duo to a friend (or a single perspective) or it was a message between the two them. Certainly, the sisters have had their problems in the past but, rather than the track being a sort of veiled message between the two of them, I do think it is a single story aimed at someone who means a lot but has to accept the fact things have changed; the heroine needs to get away but will be back. It is not a shock to hear the 1990s make its presence known because, as with many songs on the upcoming album, this was an older song that has been re-recorded. I am not sure why it did not get a full release years ago but, in many ways, it sounds more relevant now than ever. There are a lot of modern Pop-Punk artists taking guidance from the 1990s so it is pleasing to hear something modern-yet-nostalgic come from Tegan and Sara. I’ll Be Back Someday is the first single from Hey, I'm Just Like You but I am sure there will be others before the album is released on 27th September. I love everything they do but I think, now, they are at their strongest. The songwriting is amazingly assured and I feel like there is this solid bond between the sisters. Where they go from now is uncertain but it seems like there are positive and productive juices flowing through the Tegan and Sara camp right now.

Tegan and Sara are pretty busy on the road right now and are gearing up for autumn and winter shows across North America. I am not sure whether they are coming to the U.K. at any point but there are a lot of people here who would love to see them. The sisters have been revisitng their past for their memoir and a lot of this upbringing and younger spirit comes through on Hey, I’m Just Like You. Released on 27th September through Sire, I think the record will be one of the most celebrated and well-received. There has always been a lot of love for Tegan and Sara but I think, as the sands shift and modern music changes, they will get even more credit and attention this time around. I do feel Pop-Punk is a huge thing right now and there are not many treats regarding the biggest names. Tegan and Sara are making music at a time when L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ artists are becoming more visible but have not received the support they deserve; wen Pop is evolving and we need something sunnier and more hopeful. This year has been an extraordinary one for women and I do think that, with the best albums coming from them, more needs to be done in order to accelerate gender equality and change. The scene is so rich right now and I do not think women are getting the opportunities they deserve. Think about festivals and airplay and things are still skewed towards men. I hope this does change but one cannot fail to ignore the sheer weight and wonder coming from women in music. I shall leave things now but I urge people to pre-order Hey, I’m Just Like You because it is shaping up to be one of 2019’s very best albums. The duo are constantly evolving and adding something new to their music but, in whatever they do, they are…