Heartthrob

They might have a plethora of Grammy, Juno and Polaris Prize nominations to their name, but for Calgary’s Tegan and Sara Quin, turning 30 proved the true watershed moment in their careers. For the first time ever, the twins began writing collaboratively, decided to trade guitars for synths, and enlisted the services of Kelly Clarkson/Lily Allen-producer Greg Kurstin. The results are showcased on Heartthrob, an impressively hook-heavy and unapologetically accessible seventh studio album that may cause long-time fans to double-take. However, the faithful needn’t worry: there’s no shortage of beautifully-bittersweet love stories here, it’s just that this time round they’re cleverly concealed in an irresistibly-sugary pop shell.