The Lemon Twigs are 19-year-old Brian D’Addario and 17-year-old brother Michael, prodigious multi-instrumentalists with an insane 1970s musical knowledge.
Take the weirdest elements of the Beach Boys and mix it with Wings, Todd Rundgren, baroque, power pop and of course, circus carnival music and you’re close to the ball park.
They are also products of the short attention span generation with tempos shifting regularly, chord progressions dependant on sharp left turns that are undeniable, and overwrought fake endings to most songs. In songwriting, singing and drumming style Michael plays like songs are meant to be one long, loose drum fill while Brian is a little more measured and precise. They balance one other while both being stunning writers and performers.
I saw The Lemon Twigs play Amoeba in Hollywood earlier this month, and I’ve never seen so many high kicks in my life. I’d also like to thank outgoing editor Cara for offering Beat to be invoiced for all travel expenses in order to write this review. The Lemon Twigs may burn out before they make an ongoing career but for now, they are the most exciting and unpredictable band out there.
By Nick Hilton
