Tegan & Sara are twin sisters who create insanely catchy pop-rock songs riddled with honesty, angst, and self-doubt.  At first glance, they may come off as gimmicky and draw subconscious comparisons to t.a.T.u.  But be assured, this band is as legit as it gets.   I realize this post is titled rather boldly but I stand by the statement I’ve made and I’ll even add this; every man in man in America needs to hear this band.  But before I delve into that argument, there are two things you need to understand about this band:

1. Tegan & Sara write some very, very good music, but they are not the best band in the world (not even in my top 25) and, barring Thom Yorke inexplicably joining the band, they never will be.
2. The duo’s credibility relies entirely on their creative & artistic abilities and not on any argument I’m about to make.

That said, you might be wondering something along the lines of “if this band isn’t unreasonably great, what makes them so important?”  Not only that, but probably something along the lines of “why only men?” as well.  Here’s you’re answer:

When I first heard this band (about 6 or 7 years ago) I wasn’t particularly large on female singers (mostly because I had yet to hear of acts like Emily Haines, Sera Cahoone, Feist, and entire slew of others).  However, I was drawn to them by their fresh sound and their ability to write energetic, catchy songs.  But my introduction to their music rather brusque and soon after enjoying my first encounter with their music, they quickly disappeared from my radar.  That is until their 2004 release, So Jealous. 

At first just a good listen, I quickly learned there was much more to this album than first meets the ear.  Past the simple, guitar-driven rhythms and unobtrusively catchy melodies rested a glimpse of something that had never before seemed so comprehendible: a girl’s mind.  Now don’t get me wrong, listening to Tegan and Sara is not going to make you understand why your girlfriend (who you already think is gorgeous) will spend 30 minutes putting on makeup, or how to relate with your 14-year-old sister’s crush on Matt Dillon, or (on a much more vain level) how to get laid.  But I will tell you one thing, after listening to So Jealous I grew a lot more compassion for many of the nuances women have that I had previously written off as irrational.

Will this happen to every guy that hears the music of Tegan and Sara?  Most definitely not.  And in writing this may I be seen as sexist (or maybe as a reformed-sexist)?  Quite possibly (which I’ll admit is disconcerting and, in my opinion, wildly inaccurate).  But if there’s one thing I can say, it’s that listening to their music has in some way improved every guy/girl relationship I am a part of. 

So check them out.  Even if they don’t have a profound effect on the way you view the opposite (or your own) sex, they do rock pretty fucking well.  So, epiphany or not, it’s most likely worth it.

Written by Tarek.