The Lemon Twigs, aka Long Island-bred brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, have made a musical career out of mining the best of twee power pop from the 60s and early 70s. Borrowing from The Zombies to The Beatles to The Raspberries and The Association, they have a gift for melodic turns and twists while perfecting layering angelic harmonies that only sibling duos can do.
The brothers D’Addario have kept that power pop magic alive through many albums, with Everything Harmony being their pinnacle. With their latest, Music For Your Mind!, they dig into twee, sugary 60s pop radio with very mixed results.
With all the best power pop bands there’s always a bit of a wink and nod, adding a bit of humor to the melodic intricacy. Bands like XTC, Jellyfish, Red Kross, and Wondermints made their 60s/70s pop leanings shine a little brighter by smart and slightly ironic lyrics. There’s a playfulness, but also something that keeps the music relevant for modern ears. The Lemon Twigs seem to have no irony at all here. It’s less art and more pre-packaged song structures, as if they’re auditioning for That Thing You Do 2.
Something like “I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You” sounds like a ‘Oneders’ song. You can almost see Tom Hanks tapping his foot as it plays. Perfectly orchestrated but no meat on the bone. “Mean To Me” is the Lemon Twigs’ Beach Boys entry, complete with Brian Wilson vocal turns and sad introvert leanings. Want a sock hop rocker? Look no further than the Jan n Dean-esque “Bring You Down”. Any real personality? Not really. “You’re Still My Girl” is as sappy and saccharine as the title implies. We’ve heard this many times over as better songs. “Joy” is a lesser version of a fantastic Zombies song.
If you’re a Lemon Twigs fanboy or fangirl I’m sure you’ll find something here to love. But the brothers seem to have done this dance better on previous albums. Look For Your Mind! just feels stale and by-the-numbers. Check out Brian D’Addario’s solo album Till The Morning if you want quality Twigs.
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