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Breaking Artist: Tegan and Sara

8/1/07, 2:06 pm EST

Who: Calgary-born identical twins who started touring Canada on Greyhound buses in 2000.

Sounds Like: Smart, nuanced guitar-and-keyboard pop that merges Sara’s angular, hook-filled ditties and Tegan’s melancholic odes to heartbreak.

Three Things You Should Know:
1. Tegan and Sara have five albums out, but 2004’s So Jealous put them on the map in a major way: The album won a Juno (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) and the White Stripes released an EP named after the girls’ angular pop gem “Walking With A Ghost” that included a high-wattage cover of the track.
2. The 26-year-old identical twins may look and sound alike, but they insist they’re totally different. “It’s impossible for me to think Tegan sounds like me,” Sara says. “I literally might as well be in a band with Nick Cave.”

3. They’ve been gleeful self-promoters since they were three years old. “For Christmas, my parents got us one of those Fisher-Price tape records,” says Sara. “We were total narcissists: All we wanted to do was listen to our own voices.”

Get It: Tegan and Sara’s new album The Con is in stores now. Check out our video for footage of the band working in the studio with Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, debating what to name their record and chatting about their favorite live shows.

>> Watch every episode of our weekly New Breaking Artist video podcast by subscribing via iTunes (when prompted, click “Launch application”). Every Wednesday, an exclusive video profile of an emerging artist will be delivered to your iTunes. [If you don’t have iTunes, download it here.]


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Comments

Mr. Negative | 8/1/2007, 2:29 pm EST

Wow. A breaking artist that’s been around for 7 years and released several albums already. As always, the Stone has it’s finger planted firmly on the pulse of today’s music scene.

Matt S | 8/1/2007, 2:57 pm EST

Haha. Troof on this being a little late, but better late than never. Tegan and Sara deserve it. The Con is amazing.

marnr67 | 8/1/2007, 3:07 pm EST

god they’re so attractive

The Real | 8/1/2007, 3:17 pm EST

Did them both, kind of fun!

Stuporfly | 8/1/2007, 3:22 pm EST

Mr. Negative put it quite succinctly – Tegan and Sara are quite fantastic, but they’re hardly breaking at this late stage.

Kristine | 8/1/2007, 3:36 pm EST

Not only is The Con an amazing album, but their other albums are amazing as well. If you can catch them live…DO IT!!!

The Real | 8/1/2007, 3:37 pm EST

1 Nut 2 Bitches, that’s how I roll!

Richard Legner | 8/1/2007, 3:48 pm EST

yeah…how are they a breaking artist? I understand their albums may not get the press attention, but “Walking with a ghost” came out 3 years ago. They were a breaking artist THEN, not now.

I liken this to iTunes inclusion of LCD SOundsystem as an up-and coming artist.

Damn Rolling Stone, everyday you push your head further up your ass.

Richard Legner | 8/1/2007, 3:50 pm EST

(everyday).

Country Crotch | 8/1/2007, 4:20 pm EST

OK maybe RS is a little late with the “Breaking Artist” thing, but it’s nice to see indie rock and “new” artists featured on this website then the usual bullshit stories of, say, GnR, Metallica, Dylan, Prince, White Stripes, etc. etc.

Dr. Cox | 8/1/2007, 4:29 pm EST

what the hell…this story isnt about GUns N Roses…whats it doing on the main page??

Marc | 8/1/2007, 6:16 pm EST

These girls are awesome. The new album isnt as good as so jealous. Now that was an album worth checking out! There touring now. Check them out if them come to your city/town.

Anonymous | 8/1/2007, 9:29 pm EST

i’m so sick of references the white stripe’s cover of “walking with a ghost” in every freakin’ review… ugh!

they kind of missed the boat on this one though, so jealous came out like 3 years ago, and that was their FOURTH album even then. ah well, they deserve it… tegan and sara are two very talented musicians.

margaret | 8/1/2007, 10:42 pm EST

They are amazing. I love their live shows.
But god, Rolling stone needs to get a fucking clue.

Joe | 8/2/2007, 1:41 am EST

Pure cookie cutter crap. They’ll be forgotten in a couple years.

Brett | 8/2/2007, 3:13 am EST

I know they’re twins but I would much rather fuck Sara.

YeahYeahYeah | 8/2/2007, 3:37 am EST

Yes; they are cutter cookie crap. Sure. Let us not forget this is their fourth album, they have been around for six years, and kick ridiculous kinds of ass. So shut your stinking piehole and long live the sisters the QUIN!

nathan | 8/2/2007, 12:10 pm EST

It takes a couple of Canadian girls to show the American pop stars how to not be ditzy car-crashing, rehab-going sluts. Tegan and Sara are fantastic, especially by today’s standards.

Real Music | 8/2/2007, 12:34 pm EST

Yes, Tegan and Sara are very good canadian musicians. I often wonder though, why Matthew good the best current canadian musician always goes unnoticed. Every bit as good a songwriter if not better than ryan adams or Bruce Springsteen and almost as good as Bob Dylan. Far better than Tegan and Sara. Check out his brand new album ‘Hospital Music’ released on tuesday July 31/07, or visit his site at http://www.matthewgood.org

The man, the activist, the icon

Enjoy

Alexander | 8/2/2007, 1:50 pm EST

its true what “real music” said. its not just matt good that gets passed over. Compare anything that any american band has done, musically, in the last 20 years, and then compare that to the tragically hip and its a joke. And what the hell!??! what about SAM ROBERTS. Ryan adams is like a 10 year old playing around with fisher price instruments compared to Sam Roberts. Which is why no one knows who Ryan adams is in canada.

right now, Alexisonfire might be the best band other than Tool, that i’ve heard.

Tegan and Sara are way down on the list of talented Canadian artits people should pay attention too, and thats still saying a lot.

Andrea | 8/2/2007, 3:49 pm EST

If you like Tegan and Sara- check out Dance Yourself to Death as they are FUCKING INCREDIBLE!
http://www.myspace.com/d anceyourselftodeath

Laverne and Shirley | 8/3/2007, 2:30 am EST

And we’ll do it our way, yes our way, making our dreams come true for me and you…what? Tegan and Sara? Whoops,sorry! …Phantom Power

thomas | 8/5/2007, 4:09 pm EST

i read an article that they were gay.. but in this video they talked about a tall boyfriend. regardless they make excellent jams

ricpecora | 8/6/2007, 10:23 am EST

if they are talking about boyfriends they are probably kidding (which they do a lot of.) They are both gay for sure….Sara’s girlfriend is ee storey who does all the art work for the band (The Con and So Jealous)

ricpecora | 8/6/2007, 10:25 am EST

and to Mr.Negative at the bottom…totally agree. I’m 23 and I;ve been listening to tegan and sara since i was 14///breakout artist for sure! haha

ricpecora | 8/6/2007, 10:41 am EST

To Real Music and Alexander….
you make good points but i have to disagree cause none of the bands you mentioned (with the possible exception of Ryan Adams – and people in Canada do know who he is) are better than Tegan and Sara. Matt Good may be a talented musician, but people are fed up with his holier then thou attitude. Matt good is an asshole. TEGAN AND SARA ARE EASILY ONE OF THE BEST CANADIAN ACTS AROUND TODAY, no contest! And those who usually rush to disagree are straight boys who don’t like listening to female artists in the first place.

ricpecora | 8/6/2007, 10:45 am EST

Joe | 8/2/2007, 1:41 am EST

Pure cookie cutter crap. They’ll be forgotten in a couple years.

umm, clearly you have no idea what you;’re talking about. cookie cutter crap? yeah, cause twin sisters who also have to deal with the stigma of being gay are from an industry cookie cutter…dumb shit

ricpecora | 8/6/2007, 10:48 am EST

they have been around for 8 years and they are signed to Neil Young;s label….and you’re calling them cookie cutter crap? Yeah cause Neil young is known for his love of Britney spears, right? Do your research before you make a comment, man!

E-Boy | 8/6/2007, 10:56 pm EST

every one writing bad about the twins should deepthroat their own shit!

thank you!

punkbitch | 8/14/2007, 1:42 pm EST

GO TEGAN AND SARA!!! YOU’RE THE BEST!!!

PUNKBITCH87
SOFIA

punkbitch | 8/14/2007, 1:42 pm EST

GO TEGAN AND SARA!!! YOU’RE THE BEST!!!

PUNKBITCH87
SOFIA

punkbitch | 8/14/2007, 1:42 pm EST

GO TEGAN AND SARA!!! YOU’RE THE BEST!!!

PUNKBITCH87
SOFIA

punkbitch | 8/14/2007, 1:42 pm EST

GO TEGAN AND SARA!!! YOU’RE THE BEST!!!

PUNKBITCH87
SOFIA

Laken | 11/1/2007, 12:20 am EST

tegan and sara are two talented individuals who have yet to come out with a cd that is anything less than brilliant! i am glad to see that they are finally getting the praise they deserve! i am infatuated with tegan and i cant wait to see them live in dallas and austin texas!

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