Canadian indie-rock duo Tegan & Sara's snappy songwriting and intimate lyrics have found a steadily growing audience in the United States since the twin sisters started recording songs a decade ago.
The Con, the duo's 2007 album, debuted at No. 34 on the Billboard 200 and led to an opening slot on Death Cab for Cutie's 2008 U.S. tour.
Sainthood, their sixth full-length release, was released yesterday on Vapor/Sire Records. The propulsive first single, Hell, was released to iTunes Oct. 6, and with its bouncy bassline and anthemic chorus, it might be key to expanding the duo's audience.
"It's less of a goal to get on radio and more of a goal to not resist radio as much as we have in the past," Sara Quin said. "We've had a really comfortable arc in our career, but at this point we recognize there is a fan base we have yet to entice. With this album, I know we have a shot at it."
After writing separately throughout their careers, Tegan & Sara penned lyrics together for the first time during a writing trip to New Orleans in fall 2008.
They used the concept of sainthood, inspired by a Leonard Cohen song, as a thesis for songs of devotion and emotional longing.
In conjunction with the album release, Tegan & Sara are issuing On, In and At, a three-book set that chronicles the sisters' past year through writings and photographs.
