4/5 stars
Fronted by brothers Brian D’Addario and Michael D’Addario, from Long Island New York, The Lemon Twigs are the latest glam-baroque power-pop band you should not miss. Along with Danny Ayala on keyboard and Megan Zeankowski on bass, the band has just released their sophomore EP Brothers of Destruction, comprised of original unreleased songs left over from their Do Hollywood sessions. The album is just 6 tracks long, lasting only 18 minutes, but still showcases a range of musical influences that The Lemon Twigs draw from in their unique fusion of classic 60s rock and 70s pop sounds.Opening with ‘Intro’, one is reminded of Sgt Pepper’s welcoming track – circus like and comical. The tempo picks up for the more cheerful ‘Why Didn’t You Say That?’, followed by ‘So Fine’ – similar in tune to Bob Dylan’s ‘I Want You’,with romantic, longing lyrics. The track ‘Beautiful’ stands out amongst the others on this EP. With nihilistic lyrics “I am nothing, I am no one” and “Life is just destined for pain”, it would seem as though the band have taken a page out of Elliot Smith’s songbook. The song climaxes with a melodic chorus, and a sense of hopeless optimism whispering “It’s wonderful”. This sporadic journey continues into the ‘Night Song’ which speeds up into high-pitched samples and multiple gunshots. Dramatically contrasting with these violent noises, haunting vocal harmonizations introduce the final track ‘Light and Love’ – reminiscent of a campfire singalong song about peace and unity. In comparison to the vintage synths on Do Hollywood, this EP is more lo-fi with warm acoustic guitars and crooning vocals. The band consider this EP ‘the last chapter’ of the Do Hollywood era of The Lemon Twigs, so enjoy and stay tuned for their next eclectic innovation!
Image: Annette Lee, 4AD