Review Summary: A slap out of nowhere: one surprise hit in 2022.
Glitz and glamor and pop hooks - sound familiar? Heartthrob may come to mind, perhaps Tegan and Sera’s most recognizable moment in time. Closer was on that album, a song that received huge recognition with radio and stadium play. I believe the vast majority of people know the group based on that one song (I could be wrong, seeing as I haven’t done a study, but I believe it a safe theory), but Tegan and Sera are no one-hit wonder. Crybaby proves they’re staying strong to this day.
Crybaby brings shades of Heartthrob, in fact the sugary gumdrop pop here irks as so familiar it almost looks like a resurrection. Choruses are especially as strong as ever, and even in softer tracks the mark of Tegan and Sara’s dual vocal attack is a tasty treat. It’s exactly the right amount of cheese and seriousness, with delightful tongue-in-cheek lyrics. For example, F*****g Up What Matters reveals:
“
I treat you like a credit card I can’t afford. I drain you like a bank account until there’s nothing more”.
I know what you’re thinking, I’m rating this album much higher than Taylor Swift’s Midnights. First of all, the songs are much more engaging here, and secondly, the songs are a new life every time. Beats in Crybaby aren’t a riff on the same thing, they sound different, they shake it up a bit. This isn’t flat, flavourless pop, or entirely repetitive music either, varied vocal hooks and drum beats that come out of nowhere show the passion in the art.
I’ll be honest, Tegan and Sera was never my favourite group, but I have always liked their sound and vibe. This album brings them back on my radar, call it a return to form, I don’t care. It brings me back the joy of listening to them when Heartthrob came out, nearly like time hasn’t passed. I still wouldn’t say they are the most memorable group, plenty of indie pop artists make this kind of casually catchy music. Nonetheless, I’m eating this up because it is fun, and I have no doubt Tegan and Sera had fun with this record too.
