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Aug 29, 2017 By Christopher Roberts Matthew Dear

Matthew Dear has shared a new song, “Bad Ones,” that features the vocals of Tegan and Sara (as well as his vocals). The song is out now digitally via Ghostly International. It follows “Modafinil Blues,” a moody new single Dear released back in late June. It’s not the first time Dear and the Quin sisters have teamed up, in 2013 they all covered Tears For Fears’ “Pale Shelter.” Check out the new song below.

Tegan and Sara’s Sara Quin had this to say about the collaboration in a press release: “I heard the piece of music Matthew sent through while driving to get a haircut in West Hollywood. I always feel like an interloper on that side of town and the phrase ‘freaking out and paralyzed’ was suddenly looping in my head. I couldn’t stop thinking about how finding someone who loves the more complicated parts of you is a relief, especially when they’re not turned off by your socially awkward insecurities or tendencies to retreat inward. Matthew’s music has always been my go-to for late night bus rides in headphones and I still geek out that we made this together!”

Matthew Dear had this to say: “I have been a fan of Tegan and Sara since first hearing ‘Walking With a Ghost.’ My interest was greater piqued with their album Heartthrob. I sent a message that I loved it to find out they were fans of mine. This led to a remix and a collaboration on a Tears For Fears cover in 2013. The connection was made, and we discussed future collaborations. When working on new songs I had them in mind. I had a loop for ‘Bad Ones’ and thought they’d be great on it. Tegan and Sara eagerly accepted the challenge to write more, so I sent it over. Practically overnight, they returned with the verse and the chorus, written from scratch over my loop. I spent the next month working on it, turning a demo into a full-fledged song. Working with Tegan and Sara reminds me the best songs are born from an open and free process. Often times, we need to get out of our own way to let the magic happen, and this song is a bold reminder of that.”

It’s been five years since Matthew Dear’s last album under his own name, 2012’s Beams, although he released a second album under his Audion alias last year. There’s no word on if and when a new album from Dear is on the way.

Tegan and Sara, meanwhile, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their album The Con with a tour and The Con X: Covers (an album due out October 13 in which other artists cover each song on The Con, with all net proceeds going to the Tegan and Sara Foundation, which works in support of LGBTQ girls and women).

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