With their first two offerings -- the cassette-only What We Know, their first widely released full-length Do Hollywood, their Of Destruction follow-up EP -- 20-something brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, A.K.A. The Lemon Twigs, offered their vision of pure power pop exuberance, with the vintage trappings of ‘60s and ‘70s pop opulence besides. The comparisons were evident at the outset -- Beatles (natch), Beach Boys, Badfinger, Wings, and 10cc, all for starters -- combined with the chamber stringed ambition of bands like the Left Banke and the Zombies as an essential additive as well. To more cynical observers, the results might have seemed fey, twee or simply the work of poseurs and pretenders, but those with a knowing ear for essential ambition recognised that this duo were on to something. Not only were they talented multi-taskers, given the fact that they play all the essential instruments between them, but they have the knowing imagination needed to sort out the kind of songs that once had radio programers taking notice and other devotees fascinated by their sumptuous trappings.
The fact that the duo were emulating a sound that was popular and plentiful well before they were even born made the Lemon Twigs’ arrival all the more auspicious, adding plenty of cool and credibility besides
With Go To School, the Lemon Twigs up the ante with a widescreen concept album about an ape named Shane who is adopted by a childless couple, sent to school and subsequently subjected to the bullying of his classmates and rejection by the girl of his dreams. Embittered and humiliated, Shane strikes out the only way he knows how -- by burning down the school and returning to the wild. A mesh of Tommy, Quadrophrenia, The Wall, and the Sissie Spacek character in Carrie, the plot may seem simplistic at first, but there’s also an attempt at suggesting some sort of social meaning and tie to today’s overall lack of civility at play here as well.
Similarly, the band’s full throttle embrace of the traditional rock opera precepts -- the oversized anthems, ornate arrangements, stirring melodies, etc. -- reflects an obvious attempt to elevate the album to the status of a big event of near monumental proportions. The sumptuous sounds invested in each of these story songs add both connection, complexity and consistency to the effort overall. 'Rock Dreams,' 'Never in My Arms, Always in My Heart','Small Victories,' 'Lonely,' and 'The Bully' are among the standout songs, all shifting melodies and sweeping suggestion, but there’s not a single selection here that doesn’t add to the overall enticement. It might be tempting to label the Lemon Twigs as over eager upstarts simply intent on proving their prowess, much like that brainy kid in class who takes every opportunity to show his intelligence and prove his school mates are simply stupid by comparison. But having old masters like Todd Rundgren. Big Star’s Jody Stephens and even the lads’ mum and dad in critical cameo roles suggests a certain seal of approval. Clearly the D’Addarios are on to something special, and one only wonders if they’ve haven’t set their bar too high so early on.
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Go To School by The Lemon Twigs is released worldwide on 24 August.
