New documentary sparks a relisten of Tegan and Sara's music that results in a 65-favorite-songs list
Electronica, new wavy stuff isn’t usually among my favorite genres of rock music. But something has always endeared me to Tegan and Sara’s style of catchy pop new wave.
It occured to me that I should revisit the twin sisters’ catalog after recently watching Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara, a documentary on Hulu. It tells the story of Tegan getting her identity stolen by a hacker who befriends many in the rampant Tegan and Sara fan community. This does not go well and nearly destroys her life; the perpetrator still hasn’t been located. Although it is indeed horrific, this is a film for the diehards, of which there appear to be plenty. I, on the other hand, was generally pretty bored throughout. 2.5 out of 5 stars
Perhaps shaded a bit by my lukewarm assessment of Fanatical, I found that Tegan and Sara’s real product—the music—doesn’t hold up quite as well as it used to.
That said, I may have had a pretty unrealistic view, because my memory told me that the duo’s dozen or so releases were uniformly great. That’s not quite the case. Some is average, but Tegan and Sara still have way more greatest-hits-worthy tracks than 99 percent of music artists. 2002’s If It Was You and 2004’s So Jealous remains classic albums.
It’s safe to say very few bands would get a 65-song set (!!!) for one of my favorites lists, but if you’re not familiar with these friends of Taylor Swift, I suggest you start with the top 10 tunes here and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed:
Back in Your Head (The Con, 2007)
I Know I Know I Know (So Jealous, 2004)
Boyfriend (Love You to Death, 2016)
Monday Monday Monday (If It Was You, 2002)
You Went Away (If It Was You, 2002)
You Wouldn’t Like Me (So Jealous, 2004)
Walking With a Ghost (So Jealous, 2004)
Take Me Anywhere (So Jealous, 2004)
I’m Not Your Hero (Heartthrob, 2013)
Dark Come Soon (The Con, 2007)
Time Running (If It Was You, 2002)
Closer (Heartthrob, 2013)
BWU (Love You to Death, 2016)
Burn Your Life Down (The Con, 2007)
You Go Away and I Don’t Care (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Fix You Up (So Jealous, 2004)
Hop a Plane (The Con, 2007)
Hello, I’m Right Here (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Hang On to the Night (Love You to Death, 2016)
100x (Love You to Death, 2016)
I Won’t Be Left (So Jealous, 2004)
Alligator (Sainthood, 2009)
I Bet It Stung (So Jealous, 2004)
Wake Up Exhausted (So Jealous, 2004)
I Can’t Take It (So Jealous, 2004)
Con (The Con, 2007)
I’ll Be Back Someday (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Not Tonight (If It Was You, 2002)
Living Room (If It Was You, 2002)
Downtown (So Jealous, 2004)
Where Does the Good Go (So Jealous, 2004)
Want to Be Bad (If It Was You, 2002)
On Directing (Sainthood, 2009)
City Girl (If It Was You, 2002)
Hold My Breath Until I Die (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Drove Me Wild (Heartthrob, 2013)
Whatever That Was (Crybaby, 2022)
Call It Off (The Con, 2007)
I Hear Noises (If It Was You, 2002)
The Cure (Sainthood, 2009)
Floorplan (The Con, 2007)
Soil, Soil (The Con, 2007)
Keep Them Close ‘Cause They Will Fuck You Too (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Hell (Sainthood, 2009)
Stop Desire (Love You to Death, 2016)
So Jealous (So Jealous, 2004)
F****** Up What Matters (Crybaby, 2022)
Relief Next to Me (The Con, 2007)
Divided (Under Feet Like Ours, 1999)
Hey, I’m Just Like You (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Please Help Me (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Faded Like a Feeling (Crybaby, 2022)
Sentimental Tune (Sainthood, 2009)
Red Belt (Sainthood, 2009)
I Don’t Owe You Anything (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
Now I’m All Messed Up (Heartthrob, 2013)
Nineteen (The Con, 2007)
All I Wanted (Crybaby, 2022)
Love They Say (Heartthrob, 2013)
I Know I’m Not the Only One (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
We Don’t Have Fun When We’re Together Anymore (Hey, I’m Just Like You, 2019)
I’m Okay (Crybaby, 2022)
Under My Contol (Crybaby, 2022)
This Ain’t Going Well (Crybaby, 2022)
Our Trees (Under Feet Like Ours, 1999)