In less-artful hands, these could be tacky histrionics, but here, Tegan and Sara make them simply gripping. The gloomy вЂњI Was a FoolвЂќ confronts a partner who вЂњdisappeared for weeks to pout,вЂќ asking, вЂњHow long did you think IвЂ™d last?вЂќ the peppy вЂњI CouldnвЂ™t Be Your FriendвЂќ is a toxic kiss-off, revealing a wild-eyed edge thatвЂ™s weirdly unsettling, as if the speaker was about to hurl a lamp across the room.ДЇor flaming, deranged drama, however, thereвЂ™s no topping вЂњNow IвЂ™m All Messed Up,вЂќ a masterpiece of controlled tension that starts slowly with morose observations like, вЂњWhy wonвЂ™t you just comfort me?вЂќ before erupting into full-blast melodrama, with tortured voices exclaiming, вЂњGo / Please stay!вЂќ in a furious tug-of-war.

The estranged, unreliable lovers who populate these songs qualify as classic bad choices, selfishly taking without bothering to give back.

Heartthrob insightfully studies the messy aftermath of relationships, showing the wistful longing or bitter disappointment unleashed when everything implodes. The soaring вЂњLove They Say,вЂќ with its charmingly naГЇve declaration (вЂњYou donвЂ™t need to wonder if love will make us stronger / ThereвЂ™s nothing love canвЂ™t doвЂќ) serves as a sequel, evoking the moment when all the wishing and hoping lead to a happy connection.Д«ut mostly, what love can do is wreak psychic havoc.

вЂњCloser,вЂќ the almost-perfect single that opens the album, breathlessly captures the giddy anticipation of physical contact, serving up a crazy cocktail of desire and hope as galloping beats and blippy synths heighten the sense of wide-eyed excitement. Whether sharing close harmonies or trading lead vocals, the sisters retain the engaging conversational style that values down-to-earth expressiveness over showy theatrics. The albumвЂ™s electro trappings may feel odd at first, but that sensation quickly fades thanks to the smooth, inviting textures - the Quins never sound like anyone but themselves. ItвЂ™s produced mostly by Greg Kurstin, whose rГ©sumГ© boasts marquee names from Kelly Clarkson to Ke$ha, though on earlier, more eccentric collaborations with Lily Allen (and in his own duo, The Bird and the Bee, with Inara George), he began to perfect the art of balancing striking idiosyncrasies with commercial concerns, a valuable skill in great supply here. (Perhaps the title of their second album - This Business of Art - offered a clue to future crossover strategies way back when.)Д«right, busy, and unapologetically direct, Heartthrob nonetheless makes everything Tegan and Sara did before seem perversely obscure. For the last decade-plus, Tegan and Sara have been inching toward greater accessibility, from their early days as folksy Lilith Fair disciples through an era of electrification that ultimately resulted in 2007вЂ™s The Con and 2009вЂ™s Sainthood, both jangly, attractive albums featuring more elaborate production input from the esteemed Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie. Fortunately, theyвЂ™re quite good at it.ДЄnyone whoвЂ™s paid careful attention all along wonвЂ™t be totally surprised. Instead, theyвЂ™ve largely ditched the guitars and cast their lot with slick mainstream hooks. But their seventh album reveals the always-appealing Quins to be something other than your typical indie-rock mainstays, a stifling role theyвЂ™ve arguably grown too comfortable with lately. The prospect of alienating their devoted fans with HeartthrobвЂs synth-driven dance-floor gems must have been especially daunting for the pair, though theyвЂ™ve never shied away from confrontation - the Canadian twin-sister act has long been comfortably open regarding their sexual orientation, for example. But here goes: Tegan and Sara are pop stars. Coming out can be scary, especially when the faithful have graced your band with years of emotional and financial support, and may have trouble handling surprises that require a complete reorientation.

Tegan and sara heartthrob