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The Con Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 96 Ratings

  • Summary: The Canadian twins' latest album features members of Death Cab for Cutie and AFI.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 25
  2. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Lyrical wallowing is almost a required element for this genre, and ultimately even The Con's failings work in its favor, providing a macro version of what the best Tegan And Sara songs do, by stumbling along recklessly, then falling together.
  2. 82
    The Con is a startlingly dark, yet characteristically vibrant offering, featuring a band that’s learned to harness the energy-highs, while tempering pretty (even pastoral) pop-folk with a new, deeply-affecting brand of melancholy.
  3. Mojo
    80
    The Con rockets beyond even their own high standards. [Mar 2008, p.103]
  4. In general, the songs are indeed kept simple. The album is not absent of synths and effects, but it never relies on mere production alone. The excitement of The Con comes, instead of from loops and distortion, from earnest emotion and the versatile voices of the Quin sisters.
  5. Blender
    80
    They might sound like Girl Scouts, but these are tough cookies. [Aug 2007, p.117]
  6. Their vocals throughout the entire album are fantastic and they work together only like sisters could, even if they live across one of the largest countries in the world.
  7. A saddening case of brick production, paper soul--here the Quins are little more than twin airbags.

See all 25 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 39
  2. Negative: 3 out of 39
  1. JanieS.
    Jan 20, 2008
    10
    Exquisite. Perfect peaks and valleys, a joy to listen to, blah blah blah glowing review blah.
  2. RiccardoP
    Aug 6, 2007
    10
    best cd i;ve heard all year hands down. the production value is incredible and the songs are even better. i don;t know what user Lawrence H. best cd i;ve heard all year hands down. the production value is incredible and the songs are even better. i don;t know what user Lawrence H. is talking about - they;re voices are not annoying but rather beautifully tuned, the songs always go somewhere (specifically Sara's songs) and the lyrics are raw, elegantly written and enticing. All the songs just sound so freshly layered and intricate. It seems as though the Quin sisters just keep getting better and better at song writing. This album is the best album to hit record shelves all year long and will definitely go down as one of the best albums of the year. Expand
  3. EmD
    Aug 6, 2007
    10
    Simply an amazing album. T+S create a nostalgically beautiful landscape with their sweet harmonies and heavenly riffs. ps. anyone notice that Simply an amazing album. T+S create a nostalgically beautiful landscape with their sweet harmonies and heavenly riffs. ps. anyone notice that the majority of people who don;t like this album happen to be straight boys. (well i'm guessing that their straight) go listen to something lame like that new smashing pumpkins album. AND yes this album got higher ratings than White Stripes and Prince, because it is a better album!! Alhtough I do like the White Stripes, their latest effort was recorded in 3 weeks and the album sounds like it - very messy and ear splitting. and Prince is just some creepy jesus freak now... Expand
  4. AlekT
    Aug 4, 2007
    9
    It's a catchy, poppy little thing, and over before you know it, but it's also endearing and totally sincere. It belies its own It's a catchy, poppy little thing, and over before you know it, but it's also endearing and totally sincere. It belies its own complexity, but you can hear it; The Con just doesn't wear thin. Its kind of silly to say that they're coasting on buzz, and outright offensive to relate the critical praise to their sexuality. This album succeeds for one reason, and one reason only: it's just great music. Collapse
  5. BorisR.
    Feb 6, 2008
    8
    I own all 4 Tegan and Sara Albums, and this one is still good, yet none have ever been to par with the first, i believe.
  6. boiledp
    Aug 11, 2007
    8
    Not as consistently catchy as So Jealous, but weird and wonderful.
  7. James
    Oct 2, 2007
    0
    Awful music. I agree with Pitchfork this is crap tampon rock with turds for lyrics.

See all 39 User Reviews