I told you it was coming, now I’m here to tell you what it sounds like. Several words come to mind after listening to this album: smooth, acoustic, emotional, real, and cultivated are just a few of them. The most fitting to me however, is unexpected. Get Along (Live) is Tegan & Sara as stripped down as they can get!

They’ve abandoned most of the electronic components to their sound, relying primarily on an unplugged guitar and piano for the entirety of their new album. It may sound simplistic, but the lack of technological harmonies dancing around on every track seems to breathe life back into these old hit songs. They’ve left behind their signature electro-echo trademark as well, inherently giving us the chance to see what these girls can really do vocally.

Get Along (Live) features old Tegan & Sara hits performed live in a completely different musical light. The track list is comprised of several carefully selected songs that range from their very first album all the way to their most recent. The new album was recorded at an intimate concert in their native Canada, where the duo performed for an audience of no more than 75 family members, friends, and fans.

The new record features the song “Divided” off the sister’s first album, 1999′s Under Feet Like Ours. The live version is more full sounding than the original, allowing us to hear when Tegan & Sara take complete control over those high notes in the refrain.

“Not With You,” also featured on the new album, is from the duo’s 2000 release, The Business of Art. “Monday Monday Monday” and “I Hear Noises” from Tegan & Sara’s third album released in 2002, If It Was You, also appear on Get Along, as does the track “I Hear Noises,” which takes on a more mellow sound on the live album. This new version of the track is far less rock than the original, and this time around, they’ve decided to utilize a sleek keyboard accompaniment, although it still remains as one of the more up-tempo songs on the record.

“I Know I Know I Know” and “I Won’t Be Left” make the cut from Tegan and Sara’s third album, So Jealous, released in 2004, which is when I personally began to listen to Tegan & Sara. I left that album on repeat for days, driving everyone around me to near insanity. The twin’s lose their electro-echo trademark on the live version of “I Know I Know I Know,” softening it up with an acoustic guitar and adding stronger vocal arrangements.

A good number of the tracks on Get Along (Live) are from Tegan’s & Sara 2007 release titled The Con. Songs from The Con include the hit single “Back In Your Head,” “Call It Off,” “Knife Going In,” “Nineteen,” and “Relief Next To Me.” A completely altered “Back In Your Head” loses its pop flare and embraces a slower tempo. The new version is emotional and personal, and the shift in vocals alone gives the impression that it’s a new song entirely.

The last remaining songs on the new record are off Sainthood, Tegan & Sara’s last album on which they released new songs. Off Sainthood songs include “Alligator,” “The Ocean,” “Night Watch,” and “Sentimental Tune.” “The Ocean” holds true to its fast pace even on the new album, and that sleek piano accompaniment appears once again on the track “Alligator.”

Get Along (Live) is surprisingly innovative. I know what you’re thinking… how can something be innovative if it has already been created? Well, that’s the thing, I don’t know how, but I assure you that it is. If I had to put my finger on it, I’d say Tegan & Sara’s sound is what is so unanticipated about this new album. They stepped out of their comfort zone, they thought outside of the box, and they created a novel album; Get Along (Live) is a manifestation of Tegan & Sara’s limitless musicianship!

The new record is out today, so I’m not sure what you’re waiting for. If you haven’t pre-ordered it, get to buying it! Also, there is a special CD/DVD package available that includes the new live album, as well as three short films: States, India, and For The Most Part. The films dive even deeper into Tegan & Sara’s personal lives, closely following their musical journey throughout the past years. The live performance in Toronto will also be featured in the package, our chance to witness the new album back when it was in the making!

Get Along (Live) Track List:

1. Alligator
2. I Know I Know I Know
3. Monday Monday Monday
4. I Hear Noises
5. Night Watch
6. Back In Your Head
7. Divided
8. Call It Off
9. Relief Next to Me
10. The Ocean
11. Nineteen
12. Knife Going In
13. Not With You
14. I Won’t Be Left
15. Sentimental Tune

For more info on Tegan & Sara and/or to purchase the new album, visit their official site.