The Lemon Twigs channel '70s rock'n'roll bliss with their new record, 'Songs For the General Public'
By Kylie Warrix
(PC: Michael Hili)
Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by music from the 1960s and ‘70s. My first introduction to this era of music was through my parents—they would play it all the time when I was younger, and when I was about 10-years-old, I started finding more artists on my own. So, it’s safe to say that this period of music has impacted me immensely.
I’m not alone in that aspect, either. You may have even heard people say, “They just don’t make music like they used to,” in reference to this time period. To that, I strongly disagree: there are so many modern artists out there who are influenced by older music, and who take their own spin on that era’s charm—you’ve just gotta look.
The Lemon Twigs are just one of the many bands bringing the classic rock’n’roll sound to the 21st century, and their latest album, Songs For The General Public, flawlessly does just that. I had heard some of their songs before recently, and I would listen to them here and there, but this record has completely drawn me in. I kid you not—if someone put this on without telling me the artist, I would’ve just assumed it was a record from a band from the ‘70s I hadn’t checked out before. It’s that good.
Before we dive deeper into the album, though, here’s a basic run-down on The Lemon Twigs. The band consists of brothers Michael and Brian D’Addario, who hail from Long Island, NY. Music, as well as acting, have been a part of their lives since childhood, and when they were in high school, the eclectic, past-meets-present goodness of The Lemon Twigs was born. Songs For The General Public is their third album, which follows Go to School and Do Hollywood. All set? Let’s get into this thing.
Originally scheduled to release on May 1, Songs For The General Public was well worth the wait. The record, as a whole, takes you on a whimsical journey, and though, at times, it can get strange (I’m looking at you, “Ashamed”), it’s incredibly fun to listen to. There aren’t any tracks that I’d skip over, honestly and truly. Once I got done listening to this album in full, I felt dumbfounded. How did I even live before this record came out? Was there life?
The opening track, “Hell on Wheels,” does an incredible job of giving a taste of what’s to come. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it certainly got my attention. As I continued going through the tracklist, I found myself falling more and more in love with this band. It felt like I had struck gold.
Want to experience the musical embodiment of sunshine? Listen to “Live in Favor of Tomorrow.” Going through a breakup and want to dance to let all those feelings out? Listen to “Fight.” Looking for a song to blast through your car’s speakers with all the windows down? Listen to “Moon.”
I could go on.
I am genuinely so impressed with this album (if you couldn’t already tell). I’ve been telling everybody I know to give it a listen, and I strongly encourage you to do the same. I feel as though this could be the record that reels in more fans for The Lemon Twigs, and I’m proof of that. Like I said earlier, I used to be a casual listener. Now? Songs For The General Public is all I want to listen to at the moment. I am completely obsessed.
While it’s clear that the D’Addario brothers are heavily influenced by the sounds of the 1970’s, what I’m not going to do is compare them to other artists. Doing this can definitely be a compliment, but it can also create a restrictive box to toss them into. The Lemon Twigs are doing something special, and I believe they have the capability to shake up the music industry, so they should stand on their own, apart from comparisons. They’re coming into their own sound more and more, and I am beyond excited to see how they evolve.
Make sure to listen to Songs For The General Public and check out the music video for the track, “The One,” below. Additionally, make sure to check out The Lemon Twigs on their socials, also listed below!