For a band to be successful in the long term, they must evolve with the times. As fashion and values change, so does popular music. “Heartthrob” sees Tegan and Sara trying to appeal to a new generation while still holding onto a vague semblance of their old sound. It is an experiment that, while succeeding in some of its goals, ultimately fails to produce anything that is very memorable.
Tegan and Sara have always sounded a certain way. Though their sound has evolved through several albums, it has still generally focused on typical electric instruments and unaltered vocal ranges. “Heartthrob” marks a new direction for the band. Gone are the remnants of folk that could be found on “So Jealous” and the indie rock sensibility that pervaded “The Con.” Instead, the electronic aspects that “Sainthood” hinted at have been pushed into overdrive. The album is bathed in synths and slightly produced vocals. As an album, it feels almost mechanical at times.
There are moments that shine through, of course. “Closer” is a well-crafted pop song that serves as both a strong single and a strong first song on the album. Its placement on the track list makes a definitive statement about who Tegan and Sara are on this album. It is just a shame that they did not build upon the potential of the track throughout the entire album. “Shock to Your System” works incredibly well as an ending song, as it works in elements of past albums to create a summation of sorts. It is the closest thing to an old Tegan and Sara song on the album. Another highlight is the shameless, guilty-pleasure chorus of “Drove Me Wild”, which provokes thoughts of John Hughes’ vision of the 80s.
Surrounding the good moments on the album, though, are an abundance of less desirable moments. The lyrics on the album are generally weak, which is really disappointing. Tegan and Sara’s appeal has always lied in their strong lyric, and the inclusion of choruses that are just a single repeated word is legitimately baffling. Many of the songs on the album try desperately to reach a certain level of pop sensibility that never really happens. They try too hard, which makes the songs work less. They are obviously trying quite hard to appeal to a certain crowd, but that obvious effort is what makes it sound contrived.
In making “Heartthrob”, Tegan and Sara are clearly trying to appeal to a larger audience. However, the question of whether or not that audience will react the way they want is up for debate. Only time will tell if they ever enter the heartthrob status that they so desire.