it's so fresh and they keep getting better and better!
It conveys emotions that you sometimes want to keep inside, but they let the world listen to them. This is great album!

Tegan and Sara are simply wonderful. Their music is straightforwared, engaging and tuneful. It's hard to know why they aren't better known.

Everytime I think they've produced their best album, they prove me wrong. Tegan and Sara are amazing and versatile musicians. They are not afraid to try new sounds, or to take their music in new directions. I love Tegan and Sara because they are not afraid to grow. I think, though, what I love best about Tegan and Sara are their lyrics. How do they say what they say? It seems as if their hearts, ripped from their chests, serve as the pen they continue to use to write the most compelling songs.

My favorite song from this album is "Dark Come Soon". Dark, somber, and complex are words used to describe this song. Yet, I don't find this song depressing. The sheer honesty lifts it up till, it sings like a love song (it's actually and anti-love song). They somehow put into words exactly how I feel, and when you come across an album that speaks to you, or an artist that speaks FOR you, you can not walk away.

In addition to "The Con", there is also "So Jealous" (which was their previous release) and before it the brilliant "If It Was You" (**Please pick this album up first. This album is the start of the Tegan and Sara we know and love now. Their first album This Business of Art, is a little different, though it does have it's high points).

If you have an open ear, and are looking for something to drown out the white noise of today's popular music, pick up some Tegan and Sara. I sincerely feel that you will not be sorry!

This album is a must have! It has quickly become one of my favorite cds. I havent watched the DVD part yet but a friend of mine watched it and said its really interesting.

I don't remember how I came across lesbian twin sisters Tegan and Sara Quin (real lesbians, not just role-players like t.A.T.u.); I think their names just popped up one day when I was Google-ing for something else. Anyway, I picked up their latest album The Con, and it's not bad, but, well, it's just an acquired taste.

Just exactly what the ladies are singing about is anyone's guess (well, the first half of the album, anyway -- but the second half also features the confusing "Like O, Like H"), but the reason why I say the album has an acquired taste is because of their vocals. One of their voices sounds "normal" (for lack of a better term) while the other sounds like the kind of voice you'd hear from a voice actor. That, and the final track "Call It Off" is pretty off-key. But the ladies do still have good harmony and rhythm.

Another thing, though, is that even though the songs don't carry any electronic beats or anything, somehow it seems like they'd only really attract attention if you were heading to the dance floor. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Tegan and Sara are talented musicians but their vibe is pretty one-sided (and I'm not talking about their orientation), so if you're not big on the club circuit, B.I.F.

Anthony Rupert

This is my favorite album of 2007 and heck my favorite of the 00's.
The highlights for me:

The Con
Back in Your Head
Hop A Plane
Soil, Soil
Burn Your Life Down
Nineteen
Dark Come Soon

So much passion and depth to all of the songs. You will be blown away I swear!

I'm a 41yo male (with twin girls myself), and though it could be argued that this album is marketed to a younger, female, demographic....it has quickly worked it's way into my 'top-10' list of favorite albums from the last several years.
They're harmonies, melodies and chemistry are haunting.
No over-zealous flashy guitar leads or fancy guitar chords - this stuff is from the heart. It's addictive and it gets it's 'hooks' in you.
Same applies to their previous album 'So Jealous'. I'm looking forward to more great stuff from T&S.

It's interesting comparing the 1 and 5 star reviews for this album... I really liked it. I actually think it's quite experimental, yet still rocks, which makes it work in my book. Yes, it captures a certain "generalized experience of emotion" that one tends to have in their twenties... I'm still processing mine, so the music still spoke to me... and I like that you can't "genre-ize" it. I think they took some risks, weren't afraid to be different or weird, and still remained honest. Hats off...
Punk Cookery, The Punk Rocker's Cafe Cookbook, Vegetarian Specialties

I love this new album. This is definitely more pop than their other albums, but it does not disappoint. The production on this album is amazing. Please check it out!

Yeah, I really struggled on the title. I apologize for that. I thought I already wrote a review for this CD. Anyway, it's an incredible CD. Tegan and Sara both dig deep in their songwriting with catchy melodies to match. One song on the CD is so powerful I cannot listen to it.
If you already own anything by Tegan and Sara- you will love this and if you are looking for something new to check out- this is a good choice.

this album is so good, that if asked to pick a favorite song from it, i couldn't. i could try, but i'd end up changing my mind roughly 14 times (coincidentally the number of tracks on the cd). each song gives you a different look and feeling into the creative genius of tegan and sara. no matter what mood you're in, you'll find a song to match it on "the con". and definately spring for the deluxe version with the dvd. the twins are hilarious and entertaining. one of the segments on the video asks people what song they would cut on the album if they had to, no one could come up with an answer. i can't either.

Let's be brutally honest for a moment. This music is very cheesy. More specifically, its melodramatic, sentimental, and irritatingly precious. Worse still are the pretensions toward poetry and Tegan's tendency to lionize her own artistic talents. As easily as these melodies can lull the listener into a stupified ersatz bliss, they can just as easily dull the ear to much more challenging forms (eg jazz or classical). This is the worst kind of commodified, commercialized cheese, spewed forth not by some faceless record company (that would be forgivable) but by the singer/songwriter himself! Tegan and sara succesfully did to rock and roll what twinkie did to foodstuffs, what the A-team did to theater and what Vanila Ice did to hip hop.

I really love "So Jealous", but with "The Con" Tegan and Sara take their game up several notches. "The Con" is their "White Album." With each listen this album grows in my psyche, and all I can say is Wow!

I love this music. The tight rhythms and solid guitar work are wonderful. "Floorplan" blew me away. Remind me of Metric somewhat, another great band. Kudos to the Con!

I was scared at first, after having loved So Jealous so much. However, Tegan and Sara have not let me down! I am majorly looking forward to hearing them in concert this November, as this CD is now my favorite, over all, of theirs!

I had never heard of Tegan and Sara but kept reading these raving reviews for their new CD THE CON. So I decided to purchase it- the version with the DVD. I haven't been the same since. I'm almost old enough to be their mother but I truly admire these twin sisters. At 27, THE CON is their fifth CD and shows much growth since their previous, SO JEALOUS, though SJ is a great CD too. You must see the DVD that goes along with THE CON to truly appreciate the CD. The Quins are wickedly funny. Very talented playing a variety of insturments as well. Tegan and Sara have two distinct personalities. While Sara writes of her need for independence, Tegan writes of her emptiness of losing a lover. This review should be longer as I could go on forever about this CD and the DVD but I will end it by saying- GO OUT AND BUY IT!!

Awesome but WAY too short. C'mon T&S, Give us at least an hour of awesome songs on a CD!

This album clocks in at a VERY lean 35ish minutes, and I was disappointed at first, but then realized in short order there was a very good reason. Listen to the lyrics, read the songs - In the end I have no doubt that each song stands as a brilliant story, more than in any of their other albums. So much is told in so short a period of time. Prior to The Con, I never believed anything could match up to what they did on So Jealous, and the first listen I was iffy, however every listen after that, including the two listens live, made me realize that this was such a growth, and so much was told - It's pretty amazing. Chris Walla really helped make an emotional journey for these girls. To give that in-depth a look into themselves, it's not something you hear often enough these days.

I am really enjoying the newest album by the Canadian twin duo. After listening to it non-stop for the past few days, I can confidently say that 'Nineteen', 'Relief Next to Me', 'Call it Off', and 'Back in Your Head' are my favorite tracks.

"I felt you in my life
before I ever thought to
felt the need to lay down
beside you
and tell you
I feel you in my heart,
and I don't even know you"

Great stuff.

Tegan and Sara's new CD is a great collection of songs which builds on the power pop sound they forged with their previous brilliant effort. Their guitar-driven rock is as infectious as ever. I particularly like "The Con", an emotional meltdown performed with a compelling force.

Interestingly on some cuts it's either Tegan alone or Sara alone performing, though with overdubs it is not easy to tell which is which.

Kaki King's guitar is nice addition on a couple of cuts.

not only is the cd wonderful itself, but the shipping was on time, in EXCELLENT condition for used. Would definatly go through same person again!!

this is a great CD if you like Cydi Lauper or Jewel. I'd say its kinda a mix of both...cant stop listening to it.

Amazing CD and DVD combo brought to us by the lovely Tegan and Sara Quinn. Christopher Walla also puts his outstanding ear and production skills to co-create song after song of listening bliss. Quirky interactions and the "Forest Fone" show the side of Sara and Tegan that you wouldn't take from listening to their heart felt melodic/lyrical geneousity. The special edition is definatly worth the extra money and check them out if they come to a city near you!!!

....been a Tegan and sara fan for a while now and i have to say this is No "sell out" downhill album! this is one of the best things i have heard in a LONG time! not only is the album intelligent......it is also adorable! maybe you cant understand that but thats what it is! ...hehe....in conclusion........i want to hug tegan and sara.....theyve done such a brilliant job on this thing..........................

love

I couldnt stop myself from writing this interview on the Con..Tegan & Sara.So Jealous was an album i kept on play so often..almost every other day.So Jealous is such an amasing album.Then here come's The Con.The Con tops So jealous in so many ways,but almost a left off from So Jealous.I am so amased by the lyrics and beats from the con.I'm so blown away..Every song on the album is out of this world..and i can listen to the whole album without skipping any songs.This is one of the BEST albums of the summer..thank god for tegan & sara cant wait for more music from them!

I'll admit that at first I wasn't crazy about this album. I missed the simple upbeat and pop sound of So Jealous and initially The Con isn't that. It isn't this because it is so much more. The lyrics take more time to sort out. The melodies are more diverse. It is altogether a much more mature.

But, some songs - such as "Hop a Plane" "Back In Your Head" "The Con" "Burn Your Life Down" etc - do have the pop sound that can be found in their previous So Jealous album. While other tracks seem to have the folk influence of their even earlier albums.

It wasn't until I had some peace and quiet to really listen to the entire album that I fell in love with it. It's nearly impossible to make an accurate decision on if you like a song or not if you're doing seven other things while attempting to listen to The Con.

Over produced. No real thought. A weak version of previous work. I want my money back.

A LITTLE MORE ELECTRONIC KEYBOARDS THAN I LIKE THIS TIME AROUND, AND LOSE THE DRUM MACHINE! HOWEVER, THE GIRLS STILL VERY MUCH HAVE IT. I RECOMMEND THE ALBUM, BUT I ALSO RECOMMEND THEY USE A DIFFERENT PRODUCER NEXT TIME AROUND. SO I GIVE IT 4 STARS INSTEAD OF 5. GET THIS VERSION WHICH INCLUDES THE DVD. IT TAKES YOU THROUGH THE MAKING OF EVERY SONG ON THE ALBUM!

This is Canadian duo Tegan and Sara's fourth full-length album. The album is produced, but not over-produced and has some unpolished, lo-fi aspects. The songs are mostly short with somewhat catchy power-pop melodies, and Tegan and Sara's strong, emotional vocals are prominent in every song.

The title track "The Con" (3) is a full-on sound forceful track with lots of guitar, and some electronic sounds near the last minute. "Hop On A Plane" (7) has a similar layered sound. My favorite track, "Are You Ten Years Ago" (5) is electronic sounding with beats and somewhat sweeter vocals. "Back In Your Head" (6) also has sweet vocals and is kind of poppy with some keyboards. "Like O, Like h" (12) is an interesting track with prominent drums and keyboards. "Dark Come Soon" (13) is melodic and soaring. "Relief Next To Me" (2) has a lot of guitars but also has instruments/sounds that come and go throughout. There are softer tracks like "I Was Married" (1), "Knife Going In" (4), "Soil, Soil" (8), "Floorplan" (11), "Call It Off" (14).

It wasn't so long ago that I was turned onto Tegan and Sara. I loved them upon first listen but hesitated to share my newfound joy with any friends because they--and this isn't necessarily a bad thing cause I love their older records--can sound like little girls in some instances. So Jealous offered some escape from that but the girls' newest offering, The Con, practically eliminates that stigma. As many reviewers before me have clearly stated, T&S have matured greatly and it shows quite clearly throughout The Con's runtime...thus making The Con T&S's most accomplished work to date.

From the first track it's pretty clear that Tegan and Sara are beyond comfortable doing what they do now. Vocal experimentation, ambitious guitar melodies, and even an amazing guest guitar player in Kaki King are all sure-fire signs. However, as much as the girls have matured they've kept that playful quality that made them so much fun to listen to before. The best thing about this CD, arguably, is the lyrical content though. Sara's lyrics have always been deliciously ambiguous but Tegan's always seemed to be too straight forward. Now though, Tegan shows just how good she truly is with words.

Force any fan to pick between Tegan's songs or Sara's and I'm willing to bet most will join Sara's camp. I'm guilty of this as well. I can honestly say that Tegan is responsible for some of my favorite songs this time around though. Sara still has the better of the songs but with tracks like The Con, Are You Ten Years Ago, and Dark Come Soon it's impossible to say that Tegan hasn't raised the stakes. Sara's meets expectations again with Relief Next To Me, Knife Going In, Back In Your Head, and Like O Like H.

Tegan's best song: Are You Ten Years Ago. This track deserves special mention simply because of how eery it feels, complete with dual vocals, pounding basslines, and a very catchy chorus.

Sara's best song: Back In Your Head. I don't know if it's the fact that it feels kind of like a shout out to they're older records or the insanely awesome opening but this song works.

My favorite tracks are I Was Married, Knife Going In, Are You Ten Years Ago, and Like O Like H. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if this was the CD to bring them a ton more fans. With every CD, The Con is accessible yet it doesn't seem like a cash in in any way. Our girls are growing up!

It wasn't so long ago that I was turned onto Tegan and Sara. I loved them upon first listen but hesitated to share my newfound joy with any friends because they--and this isn't necessarily a bad thing cause I love their older records--can sound like little girls in some instances. So Jealous offered some escape from that but the girls' newest offering, The Con, practically eliminates that stigma. As many reviewers before me have clearly stated, T&S have matured greatly and it shows quite clearly throughout The Con's runtime...thus making The Con T&S's most accomplished work to date.

From the first track it's pretty clear that Tegan and Sara are beyond comfortable doing what they do now. Vocal experimentation, ambitious guitar melodies, and even an amazing guest guitar player in Kaki King are all sure-fire signs. However, as much as the girls have matured they've kept that playful quality that made them so much fun to listen to before. The best thing about this CD, arguably, is the lyrical content though. Sara's lyrics have always been deliciously ambiguous but Tegan's always seemed to be too straight forward. Now though, Tegan shows just how good she truly is with words.

Force any fan to pick between Tegan's songs or Sara's and I'm willing to bet most will join Sara's camp. I'm guilty of this as well. I can honestly say that Tegan is responsible for some of my favorite songs this time around though. Sara still has the better of the songs but with tracks like The Con, Are You Ten Years Ago, and Dark Come Soon it's impossible to say that Tegan hasn't raised the stakes. Sara's meets expectations again with Relief Next To Me, Knife Going In, Back In Your Head, and Like O Like H.

Tegan's best song: Are You Ten Years Ago. This track deserves special mention simply because of how eery it feels, complete with dual vocals, pounding basslines, and a very catchy chorus.

Sara's best song: Back In Your Head. I don't know if it's the fact that it feels kind of like a shout out to they're older records or the insanely awesome opening but this song works.

My favorite tracks are I Was Married, Knife Going In, Are You Ten Years Ago, and Like O Like H. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if this was the CD to bring them a ton more fans. With every CD, The Con is accessible yet it doesn't seem like a cash in in any way. Our girls are growing up!

Going for the limited edition featuring the bonus DVD would be the way to go. It's truly not your typical bonus DVD material. It features in-studio footage of every single song being recorded plus some scenes where Tegan and Sara are doing phone interviews with random people that prove to be absolutely hilarious. It's not short either which is a nice treat. You also get four funny little tidbit kind of videos, most noteable is the one where Tegan explains her diagnosis with Ptosis (utterly hilarious).

Clocking in at a concise, overwhelming 36 minutes, Tegan and Sara's "The Con" delivers the goods like no other album I've heard so far this year. And that's what it is, an album - a rarity in this Ipod age - 14 songs that flow together in a fever dream of sound and beauty. Stylistically, T and S seem to have absorbed '80's power pop, New Wave, folk and electronica into their sisterly blood stream, creating a wonderfully coherent blend that sounds entirely their own. From the eerie opening sing-song of "I Was Married" to the glorious hooks of the title track, to...well, just about every song on the album, they manage to turn the little old three (or two) minute pop song into something capable of a very personal, riveting transcendence. My compliments and thanks to the sisters Quin. Now, if I could only stop playing the damned thing!

I just can't get into this album. The songs float through the listener - blink and the record is over. It's frustrating, then, that so many of the songs feel half-formed and bland. The stand-outs are "Hop a Plane," "The Con," and "Like O, Like H". The rest is nothing remarkable - uniquely Tegan and Sara, but nothing I can savor. Pieces throughout the record never form a cohesive whole.

This album is a first for me with Tegan and Sara. In fact, I haven't heard of them before. I only got it because Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie produced it and the sample music sounded good. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy this album. The lyrics aren't especially clever, however the music is good. The vocals sound something akin to Cindy Lauper doing alternative but not annoying. Song 3 is my favorite. It sounds something like a Killers song with female vocals. Many songs on this album are reminiscent of other songs and bands though I can't quite put my finger on them all. In general, "The Con" is kind of rock, pop, and alternative rolled into one. Chris Walla must have made all the difference. I wasn't too impressed with Tegan and Sara's earlier work by the samples I heard, but all in all, I truly enjoy this ablum. Great work girls!

The biggest key to deconstructing Tegan and Sara's The Con can be found in the line "I won't go my whole life telling you I don't need." It's a break-up album: a tale of love lost, and clearly one of the twins is blaming herself. In interviews with the duo, Tegan admits it was the dissolution of a five year relationship that is the basis of the lyrical fodder, and that she's not afraid to make her heartache poetically public.

The Con is an album about lies and confessions. The instrumental manages to be upbeat while at the same time being the perfect indie-pop accompaniment for the melancholy admitting of wrongdoings. And while Tegan and her sister sing about the demise of something that once was so good ("Nineteen"), they turn the self-sufficient suffering into a blissful break-up album that any ex-girlfriend can only find heartbreakingly honest.

It's quite obvious that the writing of The Con was a therapeutic experience for Tegan, and fans are only better off for it. It's the most captivating and best written album Tegan and Sara have released, and their maturity is emerging with lines like, "The pressure of this life is so/You can't be held accountable."