The Lemon Twigs : Everything Harmony

Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, aka The Lemon Twigs, hail from New York and since their first album in 2016 have made a name for themselves as the preeminent purveyors of 60s/70s power pop. Combining elements of garage, psych, power pop, and 70s AM these brothers have built a discography that looks and sounds as if it was pulled right out of the Nuggets vault.

Besides looking the part in Ronnie Wood haircuts circa 1971 and wearing a wardrobe that seems to have come from the set of the Partridge Family, the Brothers’ D’Addario know their way around in the studio. Both sing, are multi-instrumentalists, and can expertly man the mixing board. The Lemon Twigs are the real deal.

The Twigs’ newest album is Everything Harmony. It’s a 13-track tour-de-force of 70s AM gold, touching on everything from the Raspberries, late 60s-era Bee Gees, Big Star, and even Donovan. But they add their own songwriting touches, making the influences and inspirations just an afterthought. At times Everything Harmony can get a touch saccharine, but mostly it’s bittersweet.

“When Winter Comes Around” opens with finger-picked acoustic and a Simon and Garfunkel sound. Folksy, melancholy, and soon enough the brothers ‘D’Addario harmonize beautifully over a lushly layered arrangement. “In My Head” lays on the Big Star vibes with Chilton/Bell beauty. Jangly guitars and power pop clarity make this track soar. “Corner Of My Eye” is ghostly and power pop perfection. The Lemon Twigs lock into Zombies territory, building ethereal harmonies into longing and late night wistfulness. “What Happens To A Heart” is chamber/baroque pop at its finest. Gorgeous arrangement and perfect vocal delivery. “Born To Be Lonely” has Brill Building vibes. I could hear Burt Bacharach turning this into a hit if it was 1971.

There are some spots where it gets a little to AM-heavy, like on “Any Time Of Day” where the Twigs build some great harmonies but the song feels a bit stale before its time. “Every Day Is The Worst Day Of My Life” has touches of Elliot Smith which isn’t a bad thing, but with the lush arrangements that came before the song doesn’t really stand out.

The hits outshine the few misses here, as The Lemon Twigs are amazing songwriters and arrangers. All the string and horn arrangements were done by the brothers, as well as mixing duties. The Lemon Twigs made an album with all the bells and whistles, without a care whether it can be pulled off live or not. This is a studio album in the spirit of odessey and oracle, Abbey Road, and Radio City

Everything Harmony is a near perfect vintage power pop album that fans of classic 60s/70s pop rock will savor for years to come.