She and Him

So usually I would stray away from any Hollywood actor/actress that him the music scene, especially the popular ones - of most recent times: Cyrus, Duff, Lohan and the list goes on. But, here I am going to break the rules. She and Him is an indie pop duo with Hollywood actress, Zooey Deschanel and indie singer-songwriter, Matt "M. Ward" Ward and have made some quiet success over the last 5 years, most prominent with their Volume 2 record which was released earlier in 2010.

Most know Deschanel from her appearances on Elf, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Manic and (500) Days of Summer. This side project, which in turn has seemingly become a major one for her has produced a relative amount of success without the mainstream pop title being labelled towards it. Her beautiful and innocent voice that she presents on She and Him EPs and 2 albums does she that she actually does have musical talent and her collaborations with M. Ward work wonderfully, and believe it or not, she does most of the songwriting.

I will be posting reviews and analysis on She and Him's two records shortly...

Tegan and Sara News for Australia

Canadian twins Tegan and Sara return to Australia in May for a national tour, following the release of their new album ‘Sainthood’ (Warner) last year. ‘Sainthood’ was lavished with acclaim from fans and critics a-like, the first single ‘Hell’ gathering radio spins from alternate and commercial radio around the country.

After years of selling out headline tours and their recent experience in joining the summer festival circuit, which saw them playing to thousands at the Falls Festivals, Southbound and Sunset Sounds in 2008, Tegan and Sara tours have become one of the most anticipated live shows among Aussie music lovers. Their on stage chemistry, incredible musical abilities, infectious pop sensibilities and direct connection with their fans has won hearts all over the world.

In 2010 the girls return with a show full of new songs off ‘Sainthood’, as well as a few crowd favourites.

“Their onstage chemistry - and namely effortless banter - added to their appeal, with the pair indulging in storytelling and play fighting far more than they reportedly have in other Australian gigs. With a new album set for release this year, it may be some time before Adelaide gets another taste of these talented siblings whose charm, talent and individuality truly set them apart” THE ADVERTISER

“The anthemic 'Nineteen' then blasted through the speakers, with Tegan and Sara changing guitars and keyboard roles throughout a whole host of their songs. Their harmonies were brilliant, with a few imperfect moments that just seemed to endear the girls to the crowd further.” NINE MSN

“Pop music never looked so appealing.” THE DRUM MEDIA

“Overall, a top performance from the Canadian twins who are quick becoming a household name.” BEAT MAGAZINE.

Tegan and Sara

TIME TRAVEL (AUSTRALIA)!

photo by Lindsey Byrnes, from ON, IN, AT!

friends in the land down under!

we’re thrilled to announce our upcoming tour details for Australia! Festivals! Headline shows! The best espresso in the world! Kangaroos! Surfing! Intense jet lag!

The last time we made the trek across the ocean to visit you, it was in January 2009. The trip was paced in such a relaxed way that everyone felt as though they were on vacation. I was very sick the entire trip and I spent much of the tour-cation watching the band and crew run around on the beach swatting flies and squealing about jelly fish from the comfort of my air conditioned bungalow. i would use the word frolic to describe the skipping and jumping done on the beaches during our many days off. Band and crew bodies clad in lycra, skin glistening with spf 100, I realized that a tour-cation in iceland would be more MY style…but I am in the minority. All the sun-burning and swimming enhanced the group’s Australian experience and we can’t wait to return (boardies and rashies in tow) to visit you once again!

We were thrilled to see HELL made it into the triple J top 100 this year! We’re planning to bring our biggest, longest and best show as a gesture of appreciation! Thank you for the continued support Australia!

skq


Tegan and Sara Australian Tour 2010

Saturday 1 May - Bendigo Showground - Bendigo, VIC
Groovin’ The Moo Festival - with Vampire Weekend, Silverchair, Spoon, Empire of the Sun
Tickets on sale Feb 16 at gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au

Sunday 2 May - Murray Sports Complex - Townsville, QLD
Groovin’ The Moo Festival - with Vampire Weekend, Silverchair, Spoon, Empire of the Sun
Tickets on sale Feb 16 at gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au

Tuesday 4 May - The Tivoli - Brisbane, QLD
With special guests Astronautalis and The Jezabels
Tickets on sale Feb 12 at www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849
Doors 7.00pm

Friday 7 May - Big Top - Sydney, NSW
With special guests Astronautalis and The Jezabels
Tickets on sale Feb 12 at Big Top Box office - 1300 BIG TOP or www.bigtopsydney.com and www.ticketek.com.au
Doors 7.00pm

Saturday 8 May - Maitland Showground - Maitland, NSW
Groovin’ The Moo Festival - with Vampire Weekend, Silverchair, Spoon, Empire of the Sun
Tickets on sale Feb 16 at gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au

Sunday 9 May - The Meadows - Canberra, ACT
Groovin’ The Moo Festival - with Vampire Weekend, Silverchair, Spoon, Empire of the Sun
Tickets on sale Feb 16 at gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au

Tuesday 11 May - Forum Theatre - Melbourne, VIC
With special guests Astronautalis and The Jezabels
Tickets on sale Feb 12 at www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849
Doors 7.00pm

Thursday 13 May - Thebarton Theatre - Adelaide, SA
With special guests Astronautalis and The Jezabels
Tickets on sale Feb 12 at Venuetix www.venuetix.com.au or (08) 8225 8888
Doors 7.00pm

Friday 14 May - Fremantle Arts Centre - Fremantle, WA
With special guests Astronautalis and The Jezabels
Tickets on sale Feb 12 at www.heatseeker.com.au or Heatseeker retail outlets
Gates open 5.30pm

Saturday 15 May - Pat Usher Foreshore Reserve - Bunbury, WA
Groovin’ The Moo Festival - with Vampire Weekend, Silverchair, Spoon, Empire of the Sun
Tickets on sale Feb 16 at gtm.net.au or moshtix.com.au

People's Choice Awards 2010

Here are the winners in the music categories for the 2010 awards

Favorite Female Artist: Taylor Swift.
Favorite Country Artist: Carrie Underwood.
Favorite Male Artist: Keith Urban.
Favorite Breakout Music Artist: Lady Gaga.
Favorite Hip-Hop Artist: Eminem.
Favorite Rock Band: Paramore.
Favorite Music Collaboration: “Run This Town,” Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West.
Favorite R&B Artist: Mariah Carey.
Favorite Pop Artist: Lady Gaga.

Sainthood - Tegan and Sara

Tegan and Sara, those two Canadian identical twins whom have joined the indie-pop cruise around the music world release their 6^th LP amd om the outset it promises to be an excellent transformation from Under Feet Like Ours back in 1999. The twins have joined forces, once again, with Death Cab for Cutie guitarist, Chris Walla, on their development from teenage indie rock to a more adult music scene as they delve into darker and deeper subjects, yet still revolving around their common themes through their songs over the last 10 years - love and relationships. Over their 10 years of experience in the music industry, they are the hidden pioneers of indie rock and pop and now have grown into their own, after the hit album in 2007, The Con. Upon witnessing the surge to success of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Fever to Tell and It's Blitz, Tegan Quin and identical twin, Sara Quin, release their own record to mark the sudden mainstream popularity of indie rock and pop.

As producers tell fans that they should be prepared for a new and radical change from vintage Tegan and Sara, even more so that when The Con was released, this is supposedly the first record where both Tegan and Sara have written the album in unison. However, this does not seem to be the case with 2009's Sainthood. Fans have acknowledged the two distinct composing styles of Tegan and Sara; either siding towards Tegan's pop-oriented songs with a major focus of lyrics or Sara's deeper and more complex compositions, both musically and lyrically. This seems to be a constant throughout Sainthood as well, yet their content in different from their origins and for the better, especially in the mainstream music industry that the majority of society lives in, making it a more accessible record than previous ones.

Sainthood opens with Arrow, and is distinctively a Sara track with the opening synth lines. It provides a deeper and more 'adult' opening for an album with the repeating metaphor, 'feathers of an arrow' and truly sets the tone for Sainthood and their path to 'perfection'. Yet, Tegan still steals the majority of the album with her radio-friendly tracks as she writes those nice power-pop tracks with the ease of listening and mainstream popularity. Hell becomes the first single off the record, and the other obvious Tegan tracks would likely follow including In Directing, The Cure; Tegan's tribute to the Cure, which mimics the keyboard lines from their 1989 album Disintegration and the track Lovesong, and the new-wave/power-punk influenced track - Northshore. Nonetheless, Sara's musical talent is still clearly evident on Sainthood, with more probably would be the second single on the record - Alligator and a wonderful outro to Sainthood, the 1-2 punch of Sentimental Tune and Someday. This finale of the record shows glimpses of what Tegan and Sara would be like if they wrote together, yet this may dishearten hardcore fans, who want songs of the past. But, Tegan and Sara have taken the other path of the Y-intersection, into the future and as they reach 10 years writing and performing in the music industry and hitting their mid-30s soon, truly have shown the maturity to write an excellent album as a whole, while still writing about love, sex and relationships and still keeping in touch with fellow indie-pop stars, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

8/10