by Tiana Feng

Rating:

Release Date: January 29th, 2013
Label: Warner Brothers Records

Sometimes when acts like Tegan and Sara take off, I forget about their Canadian origins and don’t post much about them much on Ride the Tempo. Heartthrob, the seventh album from the Calgary, Alberta twins definitely shouldn’t be ignored.

While comfortably fitting into the palettes of those who enjoy Top 40 pop tunes, musically the twins have some lovely vocal harmonies that only two people that close could muster up. Within each tune with synth-pop rhythms and sunshine melodies, the twins tell throbbing tales of heartache and disappointment in a rather tongue-and-cheek manner.

With tracks like “Love They Say”, “Goodbye, Goodbye” and “How Come You Don’t Want Me”, Heartthrob reminisces the late 80s and early 90s and the days of squeaky clean sounding pop tunes. Most of Heartthrob could work well as standalone singles and guaranteed to have the listener singing along by the end of each track. Maybe this is to the credit of producer Greg Kurstin (who previously worked with Pink and Kelly Clarkson) for making most of Heartthrob sound so radio friendly.

Their vocals on this record are powerful, confidently singing about whatever subjects for instance the heartache in “Now I’m All Messed Up” or the flirtatious in “Closer”. Heartthrob sings to those who have ever had a heart wounded or are ready to let their heart be vulnerable.