By Tatum Jenkins, Music Coordinator
Bandmates and twin sisters Tegan and Sara have recently shared “Yellow,” the second track from their upcoming record Crybaby.
DIVING INTO THE LYRICS AND MEANING OF “YELLOW”
Layered over syncopated, bright synths, Tegan and Sara sing of healing from past scars, with the bruises of those memories turning from blue to yellow. At its core though, “Yellow” is a pop song. Tegan and Sara show that music, especially upbeat music, can be a sort of treatment for pain.
The colors assigned to pain and healing in this song truly make it a vibrant track. The chorus states, “This bruise ain’t black, it’s yellow. My sweet heart breaks, so be careful. But this pain ain’t red, now it’s a yellow.” I especially love that this song has that silver lining lyrically and musically.
Rather than being a melancholy song with an upbeat instrumental, it’s a track that tells Tegan and Sara fans that“Everything is going to be alright.” That sense of assurance comes through, and after many years of making music and building a dedicated fanbase, they’ve earned that sense of confidence.
They’ve really honed their sound on “Yellow.” It almost leans into a more indie sensibility with the sparse synths and vocal layering. Tegan and Sara have reached an emotional and sonic maturity, and I can’t wait for the other stories they’ll share on their upcoming record.
THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR YELLOW
The video put out alongside the track’s release pays homage to “Yellow” by Coldplay. Tegan and Sara walk a cloudy, gloomy-looking beach, wearing colorful raincoats and lip-syncing along to their song.
In the Coldplay version, it’s a much stormier picture with Chris Martin’s face barely visible in the dark. Tegan and Sara give it a much lighter look— the sun peaks through the clouds, the ocean is a beautiful grey-blue, and you can read every expression on the sisters’ faces. They seem as though they’re walking towards something promising, not walking towards darkness.
It’s a quietly stunning video and goes perfectly with the understated, yet empowering sound of the track.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR TEGAN AND SARA?
Three years ago, Tegan and Sara wrote a memoir called High School that’s now being turned into a TV show. The series will be out this fall.
Besides that, their tenth record, Crybaby, will be released October 21st and they’ll also be going on tour. Their second date on the tour, on October 28th, will be a performance in Boston at Royale.
Every Monday, our music staff brings you a new Pick of The Week, detailing some of our favorite songs. Check out our previous Picks of the Week here, and make sure to tune in to WERS 88.9FM!
