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32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Album That Got Me Hooked, February 23, 2005
This was the very first album I heard from Tegan and Sara, and I immediately fell in love with them. After hearing 'I Hear Noises' on a local music station, I was intrigued by the twins and bought the album a few weeks later. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Soon after purchasing 'If It Was You', I rushed out a bought their first major label album; 'This Business of Art'. Then, in late 2004, their latest release, 'So Jealous', was released, and it has quickly become one of my favourite albums.
The album begins with the extremely catchy 'Time Running'. The drums in the beginning are a great opener, not only for the song, but for the CD as a whole. The vocals are drawn out and the lyrics are likeable and well-written (though definitely not the best on the album). The music is very upbeat and it makes the listener want to dance along in their seat. Though it's not my favourite, this is the song I find the hardest to get out of my head. 'You Went Away' starts out slowly with just quiet singing and an acoustic guitar before really picking up. When it does, it's another very uptempo song. The lyrics are empowering, stating "well I don't think we have to be like this forever/there's more to life than love and being together". The third track, 'Monday Monday Monday' is among the best off of 'If It Was You'. Lyrically, it's honest and sweet. The video for it is also pretty darn cool, in a weird sort of way that only artists as loveable as Tegan and Sara could get away with. The drums are pretty good on this track, but simple enough that they don't draw the listener's attention away from the vocals and the lyrics, which are the twins' strongest attribute.
'City Girl' is among my favourites from the album. It's a midtempo track (the first one on the album), and has fantastically unadorned but engaging lyrics. This track didn't jump out at me when I first bought the album, and I found myself skipping it. However, when I really started listening to it, I fell in love with just how genuine it really is. 'Not Tonight' is a tricky song. I can't figure out if it's midtempo or a ballad. The vocals and emotion really push it towards the ballad side, but the drums keep it at a quicker pace than is usually acceptable for slow love songs. I guess I'll just have to settle for placing it right in between those two classes. There's no question that 'Underwater' is lyrically one of the best songs on the album. It's also one of my personal favourites. The vocals begin by sounding angry and serious before slowly slipping into a much calmer tone, as though the girl's are explaining something to the listener. My favourite part, by far, comes with they lyrics "I'm a silly love song/a twisted elbow crush song".
'I Hear Noises' was, as I previously said, the first song I ever heard by Tegan and Sara. Obviously, it's catchy or I wouldn't have bought the album weeks later. This is definitely another lyrical masterpiece. It's honest and down-to-earth, and you really can't help but wish you personally knew the girls just to ask them what's going on in those genius heads of their's. The vocals are amazing, with a raw quality that you don't hear on over-produced, computer re-touched pop-hits. The beat is also fabulously catchy and upbeat, this is unquestionably one of the best on the album. My very favourite track on the album is 'Living Room'. It begins like a good-ol' country song with the wonderful inclusion of a banjo. This is a standout track simply because of the unique melody which suits the vocals and lyrics perfectly. The album slows down slightly with 'Terrible Storm'. The raw emotion given off in this track is enough to make it stunning. The chorus sounds angry and forceful, while the verses are all surprisingly calm, though you can really sense the rage boiling out from just under the surface.
From angry to gentle, we switch to 'And Darling (This Thing That Breaks My Heart). The sheer charm brought forth in this song (which was recorded in Tegan's apartment) is enough to make bring tears to the listener's eyes. Too bad it's the shortest track, because it really is beautiful. 'Want To Be Bad' is a good track, but my least favourite off of 'If It Was You'. The singing and the beat are both good, particularly the drawn out vocals, which add emotion and depth. The best part of the song comes near the end, with the repetition of the words "what's the matter" before looping back into the chorus. 'Don't Confess' is beautiful and heartfelt. It's a very sad song, not just because of the lyrics, but also because of the emotion emitted through the singing and the melody. The back-up vocals are actually what really draws the listener in hear. Innocent and melodic, they add poignant intensity which helps finish the album off on a smooth note.
Obviously, Tegan and Sara's 'If It Was You' is an album I'd definitely recommend. These twins are some of the most talented singer/songwriters out there, and I urge you to go and listen to at least one of their albums. I greatly respect these girls and the music they're making. This is one of the best albums from two of the most talented musicians in the industry today, don't miss out on it!
THE FINAL VERDICT: 99%
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Original, quirky, exuberant... sparkling addictive pop/punk, August 27, 2005
Having discovered and become addicted to Tegan and Sara's 2004 album 'So Jealous' over the last few weeks, I bought this earlier album, not daring to hope it would be quite as delightful. How wrong I was! If anything, 'If It Was You' is even more original and exciting than 'So Jealous' - although it is more of a 'grower', so takes a few extra initial plays to become addictive. It is punkier, rockier, and more exuberant. I'm in love with this music! Tegan and Sara's sound is essentially fresh and original, and their incredibly catchy tunes, clever lyrics and superb musicianship demand frequent replays. I haven't been so enthralled for a long time.
One thing that sets Tegan and Sara apart is their unusual approach to collaboration. They work separately as songwriters, coming together with each other and the band only to record, perform and tour. It's surprising and interesting to learn that although the sisters sound as though they're harmonising on most of their album tracks, this is actually an illusion, created by multi-tracking. With rare exceptions, Tegan sings all the vocal tracks on her own songs, and so does Sara. On this album, Tegan's songs are Time Running, You Went Away, City Girl, I Hear Noises, Living Room, And Darling, and Don't Confess - while Sara's are Monday Monday Monday, Not Tonight, Underwater, Terrible Storm, and Want to Be Bad. Careful listening armed with this information reveals that the twins have entirely individual approaches to songwriting, with Tegan writing the more classically addictive hooks and personal lyrics, while Sara is the more abstract and unconventional of the two. Despite, or perhaps because of this, the album works brilliantly as a whole - or at least I find every song on the album to be enjoyable and engaging. Highly recommended, both to people who already own and enjoy 'So Jealous', and to those looking for an introduction to Tegan and Sara.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
suprisingly addictive album, December 11, 2003
tegan and sara have annoyed me. I thought I was completely over my girls w/ guitars and heart-felt lyrics stage of my life and expected not to like them at all. after having a friend play 'if i was you' and (the abyssmally titled) 'this business of art' nonstop for months, i became hooked. so unfair. regardless, these girls know how to write some killer hooks and pretty catchy rock songs with great lyrics. though some songs are better than others, the album makes me bounce shamelessly around my apartment, plus it comes w/ copies of their videos and tour footage (bonus). in general, i prefer their upbeat songs, but if you dig ballads, they have some decent ones on this album. though the only people i know who like them (besides me) are big ferrick and ani fans, I hear tegan and sara are quite popular in canada. and yeah, canada may make you think of flannel and celine dion, but its cooler than you think, with neil young, gay marriage and universal health care. and like their homeland, tegan and sara are cooler than I would have thought. go ahead, give 'em a listen (their website has clips you can listen to) and support some up and coming young musicians.
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