Hey, I'm Just Like You
Hey, I'm Just Like You is the ninth studio album by Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara, released via Sire Records on September 27, 2019.[3] The album contains re-recordings of unreleased demo songs that the duo recorded as teenagers, and marks a partial return to their original rock-influenced sound.[4] The lead single, "I'll Be Back Someday", was released on July 25, 2019.[2] The second single "Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)" was released on September 20, 2019. It was released three days after the publication of their memoir, High School. Upon release, the album received generally favorable reviews.[5]
Hey, I'm Just Like You | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 27, 2019 | |||
Recorded | April – May 2019 | |||
Studio | Vancouver | |||
Genre | Synth-pop[1] | |||
Length | 38:08 | |||
Label | Sire | |||
Producer | Alex Hope | |||
Tegan and Sara chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hey, I'm Just Like You | ||||
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Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Pitchfork | 7.1/10[1] |
Background
While working on their memoir High School, the duo found dozens of cassette recordings of songs they wrote between the ages of 15 and 17. From April 2019, they began rewriting parts of the lyrics but kept the "essence" of each song, and said: "This is the record we never could have made as teenagers, full of songs we never could have written as adults."[4] With the announcement, the duo said the album would contain elements of their "rock and punk roots, with a punch of pop production",[6] and that it is the first "Tegan and Sara album produced, performed, engineered, mixed, and mastered by a team of all women".[7]
Promotion
Tegan and Sara announced the album on July 9, with a trailer showing home videos of themselves as teenagers playing guitar mixed with new footage of them working on the new versions of the songs.[4]
On July 22, the first single from the album, "I'll Be Back Someday", was announced. It was released on July 25.[8] The second single released was the title track, on September 6, along with a lyric video consisting of footage of the two as teenagers.[9]
A tour in support of the album and their memoir High School was announced on July 24. It will consist of largely acoustic renditions of songs from the album, as well as older songs and clips of the two in high school.[10]
Reception
Hey, I'm Just Like You was met with generally favorable reviews noted at review aggregator Metacritic. The album received a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 14 critic reviews.[11] Aimee Cliff, writing for Pitchfork, gave the album a score of 7.1 out of 10, describing the songs as "poignant synth-pop gems".[12] Rolling Stone described the release as "the prequel to a gratifying coming-of-age story about pop girlhood".[13].
Rachel Aroesti of The Guardian was less positive, calling the song titles "laughably melodramatic", and criticizing the "workaday synth" genre which "struggles to make much of an impact based purely on its sonic appeal".[14]
Track listing
Adapted from Apple Music.[15] All tracks produced by Alex Hope. All tracks written by Tegan Quin and Sara Quin, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hold My Breath Until I Die" | 3:42 | |
2. | "Hey, I'm Just Like You" | 3:08 | |
3. | "I'll Be Back Someday" | 3:12 | |
4. | "Don't Believe the Things They Tell You (They Lie)" |
| 3:05 |
5. | "Hello, I'm Right Here" |
| 3:07 |
6. | "I Don't Owe You Anything" | 3:24 | |
7. | "I Know I'm Not the Only One" |
| 3:00 |
8. | "Please Help Me" | 3:10 | |
9. | "Keep Them Close 'Cause They Will Fuck You Too" |
| 3:14 |
10. | "We Don't Have Fun When We're Together Anymore" |
| 3:17 |
11. | "You Go Away and I Don't Mind" | 2:53 | |
12. | "All I Have to Give the World Is Me" | 2:54 | |
Total length: | 38:08 |
Personnel
Adapted from Instagram.[7][16][17]
Musicians
- Tegan Quin – vocals, guitar
- Sara Quin – vocals, guitar, glockenspiel
- Alex Hope – guitar, keyboards, piano, synths, programming, backing vocals
- Carla Azar – drums
- Catherine Hiltz – bass
Production
- Alex Hope – producer
- Rachael Findlen – engineer
- Beatriz Artola – mixing
- Emily Lazar – mastering
- Annie Kennedy – assistant engineer
Design
- Emy Storey – art direction
- Trevor Brady – photography
Charts
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[18] | 21 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] | 43 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[20] | 23 |
US Billboard 200[21] | 154 |
References
- Cliff, Aimee (September 27, 2019). "Tegan and Sara: Hey, I'm Just Like You Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- @teganandsara (July 22, 2019). "Our first single off Hey, I'm Just Like You is coming out this week! I'll Be Back Someday will be streaming and available for download WORLDWIDE on ALL platforms, Thursday at 7am PST" (Tweet). Retrieved July 23, 2019 – via Twitter.
- "Pre-Save Tegan and Sara's New Album!". Topsify. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- Daw, Stephen (July 9, 2019). "Tegan and Sara Announce Ninth Album 'Hey, I'm Just Like You'". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- Hey, I'm Just Like You by Tegan and Sara, retrieved 2020-05-22
- Rettig, James (July 9, 2019). "Tegan And Sara Announce New Album Hey, I'm Just Like You". Stereogum. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- "Tegan and Sara on Instagram: 'The new Tegan and Sara album Hey, I'm Just Like You, Out September 27. Last year while writing our new memoir, we came across two cassette...'". July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "Tegan and Sara on Instagram: "Our first single off Hey, I'm Just Like You is coming out this week! I'll Be Back Someday will be streaming and available for download WORLDWIDE on ALL platforms, Thursday at 7am PST. You can pre-save it now at the link in bio💥🌈👽👀"". Retrieved July 23, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "Tegan and Sara – "Hey, I'm Just Like You"". Spin. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- "Hey, I'm Just Like You: The Tour". Tegan and Sara. July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- Hey, I'm Just Like You by Tegan and Sara, retrieved 2020-05-22
- "Tegan and Sara: Hey, I'm Just Like You". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- Spanos, Brittany; Spanos, Brittany (2019-09-30). "Tegan and Sara Come of Age on 'Hey, I'm Just Like You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- Aroesti, Rachel (2019-09-27). "Tegan and Sara: Hey, I'm Just Like You review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-05-22.
- "Hey, I'm Just Like You by Tegan and Sara". Apple Music. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
- "Emy Storey on Instagram: "Designed the cover for @teganandsara incredible new album Hey, I'm Just Like You. Coming out September 27!"". Retrieved July 12, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "Trevor Brady on Instagram: "I'm honoured to have worked with this stellar team on @teganandsara new album. Thank you!"". Retrieved July 12, 2019 – via Instagram.
- "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. October 7, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- "The Beatles Chart In A Post Malone World". FYIMusicNews. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – {{{year}}}. {{{week}}}. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- "@teganandsara's 'Hey, I'm Just Like You' debuts at No. 154 on this week's #Billboard200". Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved October 8, 2019.