Review of The Con

The Calgary-born Quin twins, now split between Vancouver and Montreal (we got Sara), were impressive enough back when their palette was limited to roots music and Neil Young. But this is their fifth album, and the 26-year-olds have moved on to a melting pot of pop, rock and electronic sounds that’s happily hard to pin down. Produced by Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla, there are ballads, ’80s anthems and a smidgeon of bubblegum rock, the latter leaving an unpleasant, Avril-ish after-taste. But the bulk of the record is powerful enough to draw a mainstream crowd, with enough of an edge to please indie-pop connoisseurs.

8/10