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Tegan and Sara

I'll Take the Blame (2007)
Warner Music Group

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Thus_Spoke_Sean
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on December 7th 2007

Tegan and Sara’s digital-only (released exclusively via iTunes November 13th) five-song EP I’ll Take the Blame, is exactly what it seems: an excuse to release a couple B-sides. It is also a double single of sorts as well, beginning with the first single off the duo’s latest offering The Con, “Back In Your Head,” and ending with the video for the latest single, “The Con.”

The first of the three ‘new’ tracks is a dance remix of “Back in Your Head.” Tiesto’s remix of the track does its best to give the song a new feel (other than its obvious dance feel) by removing the piano line which gave the original its backbone. In doing so, the song feels quite empty, but when the piano kicks back in at the end of the chorus, the sense of relief is tangible. The two B-sides, “One Second” and “I Take All the Blame,” appear to have been abandoned early in the recording process, as each song features nothing but the girls’ voices and a keyboard backing. Not to say that “One Second” is a bad song, but it was left off the album with good reason. The song feels too much like Tegan and Sara’s old material, which would have only dimpled The Con’s wonderful flow. “I Take All the Blame” is very pretty, possessing the potential to be a lovely song once flushed out. The keyboard line is a little quirky, but works well with the vocal melody; the simple addition of acoustic guitar may have been enough to bring the song into its own.

The new tracks plus the video for “The Con” make I’ll Take the Blame a worthwhile purchase for fans, but should not be taken as any more than that: a little something extra for their existing fanbase.

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thus_spoke_sean (December 9, 2007)

I didn't intend for this to be interpreted as a negative review. For this kind EP I think that Three stars is pretty good, but more than that, fitting. The fact that it's not four stars doesn't make it BAD.

The song, I Take All the Blame is worth the whole price as far as i'm concerned, i've had that chorus in my head for fucking weeks.

Oh, and i thought i linked to the The Con's review, my bad (then again I thought i proof read too).

Jelone (December 9, 2007)

My boss played me "The Con" over the summer, and it really changed my mind about these gals. Up until then, all I knew by them was "Walking With a Ghost," which in my mind is just the song's title repeated over and over again, even if that isn't necessarily true.

Anyhooz, I like this EP. S'not that bad.

Ollywood (December 8, 2007)

Score is for "if it was you" haven't heard anything else

Holy_Balls (December 8, 2007)

Meg Frampton!

killabot (December 8, 2007)

hmmmm i think ill just download 2 of the songs, i don't think i need the whole EP. i am seeing them play on mon night at fremantle in australia. i can't wait!

i-hate-winnipeg (December 8, 2007)

i really liked both of the new songs (i liked Sara's better though)..

telegraphrocks (December 7, 2007)

I think this EP kind of sucks, but "The Con" is one of my favorites of the year.

Score's for "The Con".

skaboom (December 7, 2007)

It's decent, but the B-sides don't touch anything on The Con. I'm also fairly certainly they weren't recorded during The Con sessions, that they were recorded later (or earlier) on home equipment, hence the sparsity of the instrumentation. If you're a fan, I'd recommend buying the two new tracks for $1 each, but there's no need to get the whole EP.

GlassPipeMurder (December 7, 2007)

something about tom gabel being stoked.

hubitcherkokov (December 7, 2007)

I just picked up "The Con" about a week ago. I wasn't too stoked on it at first, but as I was listening to it last night I realized what a solid record it is.