The Lemon Twigs, the duo of Long Island retro-rockin’ brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, are always busy. Last year, they released their album A Dream Is All We Know. This year, we got Brian D’Addario’s solo debut Till The Morning. Now, the Lemon Twigs have a very fun new two-song single. They’re also getting ready to head out on tour, and they made an entire album with their father, veteran New York songwriter Ronnie D’Addario.
Let’s go with the new single first. Today, the Lemon Twigs released two songs, “I’ve Got A Broken Heart” and “Friday (I’m Gonna Love You).” They’re new, but they don’t sound new. Well, technically the Lemon Twigs have been playing “I’ve Got A Broken Heart” live, so it’s not new new. That’s not what I’m talking about.
Both of the Lemon Twigs’ new songs work hard to evoke the moment, right around 1966, when garage rock bands started playing around with jangly guitars and psychedelic effects. These new songs are convincing as hell. You could easily convince me that they were previously undiscovered local-label obscurities that somehow never made it onto a Nuggets box set until now. That’s an extremely fun sound, and the Lemon Twigs really bring it to life here. Even the cover art looks just right. Listen to both tracks below.
In addition to their own music, the Lemon Twigs have been helping their dad lay a record down. The D’Addario brothers’ father Ronnie spent decades playing guitar with the Clancy Brothers’ Tommy Makem. He’s got a handful of his own records and compilations out in the world, and he’s helped out on the Lemon Twigs’ music, as well. As part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday promotion, Ronnie D’Addario is about to release a new album called Written By Ronnie D’Addario, a collection of newly recorded version of the songs that he’s written over the years.
Ronnie D’Addario recorded all the songs on Written By Ronnie D’Addario with the Lemon Twigs, and the record also has appearances from luminaries like Todd Rundgren, Mac DeMarco, Sean Ono Lennon, Matt Jardine, and the Wondermints’ Probyn Gregory. Here’s what Brian D’Addario says about the project:
Growing up, I always loved my dad’s music. The recordings he made at that time were never properly released and only came out in limited quantities. We had the idea of re-recording some of his more recent songs with some guest artists to shed more light on his great back catalogue. Over the years, we met a lot of the amazing musicians who lent their voices to this project and gave the songs new life. I’m happy with how the record turned out, and I hope it’ll turn more people onto his records and beautiful songwriting.
That’s about the nicest thing I ever heard. The sheer wholesomeness is genuinely overwhelming. Ronnie D’Addario’s single “Not Today,” which came out last month, is some prime ’60s sha-la-la music, just like those two new Lemon Twigs songs. Below, check out that song and the Written By Ronnie D’Addario tracklist.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Intromental”
02 “A Very Short Dream”
03 “Be Like Him” (Feat. Darian Sahanaja)
04 “Not Today”
05 “I See The Patterns” (Feat. Todd Rundgren)
06 “5th Of July”
07 “Love’s Won Me Over” (Feat. Mac DeMarco)
08 “Don’t Wait For Yesterday” (Feat. Matt Jardine)
09 “My Old Self Again”
10 “So That’s How It Is” (Feat. Sean Ono Lennon)
11 “Tree Stumps”
12 “Heavenly Night”
13 “If I Were You”
The Lemon Twigs will play a few shows in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York next January.
“I’ve Got A Broken Heart” b/w “Friday (I’m Gonna Love You)” is out now on Captured Tracks. Vinyl copies of Written By Ronnie D’Addario are out 11/28, Black Friday, on Omnivore, with CD and digital release coming 12/5.
