The duo has released nine studio albums so far: Under Feet Like Ours (1999), This Business of Art (2000), If It Was You (2002), So Jealous (2004), The Con (2007), Sainthood (2009), Heartthrob (2013), Love You to Death (2016) and Hey, I'm Just Like You (2019). They also issued the live album/DVD Get Along in 2011 and their memoir High School in 2019.
Tegan and Sara initially played as Plunk in 1995, and lacked a drummer and bass player. In 1997, they used their school’s recording studio to record two demo albums: Who's in Your Band? and Play Day.
In 1998, they made an early breakthrough by winning Garage Warz Battle of the Bands, a local music competition in Calgary. Since then, the two have toured with Neil Young, Rufus Wainwright, Kaki King, The Pretenders, Ben Folds, The Killers, Rachael Cantu, Vivek Shraya, Cake, Gogol Bordello, Hot Hot Heat, Ryan Adams, Veda Hille, Little Birdy, Iron On, Little Brazil, Bryan Adams, and Weezer, and they performed a show at Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair.
They are signed to Neil Young's Vapor Records in Canada, and to Sire in the United States as their previous label, Sanctuary Records, is no longer releasing new music in the United States.
When they were competing in Garage Warz, they were known as "Sara and Tegan" because that is how their mother registered them on the competition forms. Their first album, Under Feet Like Ours, was initially released under the name "Sara and Tegan". While both twins are similarly involved in vocals and playing instruments, the singing of the lead melody usually goes to whichever twin wrote the particular song. The two hardly sang together in the recordings of their early records, but they started to more on their later records and when live.
On their 2004 album, So Jealous, the two lend their unusual voices and simple guitar riffs to power pop ballads about love and emotional, haunting songs such as "Walking With a Ghost".
The fifth album, The Con, released July 24, 2007, showed a shift in style towards darker tunes compared to the relatively upbeat indie pop of So Jealous. The singles "Back in Your Head", "The Con" and "Call It Off" were issued to support the album. The twins toured the album for over a year and a half.
Their sixth studio album, entitled Sainthood, was released on October 27th, 2009, to generally positive reviews. The album included the singles "Hell", "Alligator", "On Directing" and "Northshore".
Tegan and Sara also collaborated with many other artists, including Tiësto for the single "Feel It in My Bones" (from the album Kaleidoscope, 2009), and Morgan Page for the single "Body Work" (from the album In the Air, 2012).
"Closer", the first single from their seventh album was produced by Californian pop producer Greg Kurstin. The song was made available for download September 25, 2012. On 29 January 2013, Tegan and Sara released their seventh studio album, Heartthrob.
The duo's eighth studio album, titled Love You To Death, was released on 3 June 2016. The lead single Boyfriend was released on 8 April. Greg Kurstin returned as the producer.
On October 20, 2017, the duo released a compilation album titled Tegan and Sara Present the Con X: Covers, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of The Con. The compilation contains covers of each song performed by various artists, as well as a previously unreleased demo “Miami Still”, performed by the duo. The proceeds of the record and subsequent tour benefitted the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which raises money for self-identified women and girls in the LGBTQ community.
The duo released their memoir, High School, on 27 September 2019. It recounts their childhood and adolescence growing up in Alberta in the 1990s as well as their musical beginnings. The book debuted at number fifteen on The New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction best-sellers list. Along with the book, Tegan and Sara's released their ninth studio album, Hey, I'm Just Like You, which contains re-recordings of unreleased demo songs that the duo recorded as teenagers. The record was produced by Alex Hope and is the first Tegan and Sara record produced, performed, engineered, mixed, and mastered by a team of all women. The band embarked on a US, Canada and UK tour to promote the book and album, playing mostly acoustically, reading excerpts from the book and incorporating old video footage from the band's teenage years.
The current live touring band members include Ted Gowans (guitar; 2004-present), Jasper Leak (bass; 2012-present), John Spence (keyboards; 2012-present), and Adam Christgau (drums; 2013-present). Former live touring band members include Johnny Andrews (drums; 2006-2010), Shaun Huberts (bass; 2007-2010), Dan Kelly (bass; 2007), Chris Carlson (bass; 2001-2005), Rob Chursinoff (drums; 2001-2005) and Jason McGerr (drums; 2012).
Official site: http://www.teganandsara.com
Hype
Tegan and Sara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've got the route in hand
But the map is stuck
They said it's not your fault
The tires are tired the camera moves
And your drivers been pulled
And I, I have always felt this
And I, I could never hear it
And turned it down
Always the volume, always the words
Review the press and tell it like it is
Your life is hype, your love is hype
And I, I will clench my own fist
And I, I will always wait
There's more, there's more than blood
That beats through my heart
My hands, my feet stuck
Between my tongue and my teeth
We don't know so we wait for tomorrow
We don't know so we wait for tomorrow
We don't know so we only go forward
Two times in your life you will
Trace the edge, sink your toes in
Review the press and tell it like it is
My life is hype, my love is hype
And I, I will clench my own fist
And I, I will always wait
I'd wait up all night for you
The lyrics of Tegan and Sara's song Hype explore the themes of uncertainty and self-doubt, particularly in regard to one's personal and professional life. The song begins by referencing a moment in time where someone feels that they have control and direction, but they are hindered by external factors such as a broken map or a tired driver. The singer acknowledges that this feeling of being stuck is something they have always felt, but have been unable to vocalize. And so, they turn up the volume and try to drown out their doubts and fears.
The chorus of the song declares that hype and excitement are the driving forces in life - the things that keep us going and make us feel alive. The singer sees their own life as being fueled by hype, but also recognizes the limits of this kind of energy. They clench their fists in determination, but also wait for something more substantial and real to emerge. They are caught between their own desires and the obstacles that stand in their way, both physical and emotional.
The final verse of the song references the idea of waiting for the future, and the uncertainty and anticipation that this brings. The singer sings that they are willing to wait for something meaningful and true, even if it means staying up all night. This sense of perseverance in the face of adversity is a central theme of the song, as is the idea that hype and excitement can only take us so far. Ultimately, there is something more important than the temporary rush of success or attention, and that is the steady beat of our hearts and the substance of our own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
One time in your life
You only get one chance in life
You've got the route in hand
You have a plan for your life
But the map is stuck
Your plan is not working out
They said it's not your fault
Others are blaming external factors for your struggles
The tires are tired the camera moves
You and your surroundings are exhausted and changing
And your drivers been pulled
The person in charge of your life has been taken away
And I, I have always felt this
The singer has always experienced this kind of struggle
And I, I could never hear it
The artist couldn't understand their own feelings before
So I turned it up and turned it on
They decided to take action and face their difficulties
And turned it down
But then decided to back down
Always the volume, always the words
The singer is constantly speaking out about their experiences
Review the press and tell it like it is
They are honest about what they've been through
Your life is hype, your love is hype
Others may see your life as exciting, but you know the true struggles
And I, I will clench my own fist
The singer will stand up for themselves
And I, I will always wait
They have patience while waiting for things to improve
There's more, there's more than blood
There's more to life than what's on the surface
That beats through my heart
There are deeper emotions and experiences that make up who they are
My hands, my feet stuck
The singer feels stuck and unable to move forward
Between my tongue and my teeth
They struggle to express themselves and speak up about their struggles
We don't know so we wait for tomorrow
They don't know what the future holds, so they wait to find out
We don't know so we wait for tomorrow
Reiterating the uncertainty of the future
We don't know so we only go forward
Despite the unknown, they keep moving forward
Two times in your life you will
There are few defining moments in life
Trace the edge, sink your toes in
In these moments, you feel the full extent of life's experiences
Review the press and tell it like it is
Again, the importance of honesty in sharing your experiences
My life is hype, my love is hype
The singer has come to accept the hype around their life and love
And I, I will clench my own fist
They will continue to stand up for themselves
And I, I will always wait
They will continue to have patience
I'd wait up all night for you
Closing line, expressing a willingness to wait for someone they care about
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Sara Keirsten Quin, Tegan Rain Quin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind