For a record that kicks off with a song called "Closer," Tegan and Sara's seventh effort has a fair amount of distance to it. Throughout, the Calgary, AB-born twins look back on past relationships from afar while using a shiny, multi-layered sonic template. The title implies childish fantasies, though the sisters' grown-up, real-world experiences have evidently offered just as many unrealistic expectations. And therein is the album's primary asset: it playfully uses '80s synths and other sparkly instrumentation to create a compelling push-pull dynamic with often-personal narratives. It's simultaneously immediate and removed. Cuts like the writhing "Drove Me Wild" and the restrained "How Come You Don't Want Me" are at once viscerally and emotionally rewarding. Sure, the LP falters when it casts its net too wide, particularly on the Roxette-indebted "Love They Say" and Twin Shadow outtake "Shock to Your System," but those moments are few. Conversely, the aforementioned leadoff number is a big highlight, wisely ditching in-depth analysis for a sexed-up, new wave dance party.
Read an exclusive Tegan and Sara interview here.
(Warner)Read an exclusive Tegan and Sara interview here.
