The term “pop music” may be more slippery than ever, but it finds a classic expression in the songs of The Lemon Twigs. With a guitar-forward sound recalling the British invasion of the 1960s, the sugar rush generated by brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario recalls what Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson once described as “teenage symphonies to God.”
That much is apparent on A Dream Is All We Know, the Long Island duo’s fifth studio album. Its layered harmonies and hooks are smudged with fingerprints of 20th century pop-rock influences — including The Beatles, Raspberries and the duo’s longtime friend, Todd Rundgren.
For Brian D’Addario, the latest album was a chance to pick up the tempo after the more restrained, ballad-heavy feel of the band’s 2023 project, Everything Harmony.
“We kind of wanted to make something a little less sullen, something a little bit more joyful,” Brian, 27, says. “It was really kind of just leaning into the more fun aspects of what we do.”
From the layered falsetto harmonies and generous dollops of Wurlitzer driving “They Don’t Know How to Fall in Place” to the wistful A.M. radio ballad “I Should Have Known Right from the Start” and the psychedelic glam-rock of “Peppermint Roses,” The Lemon Twigs’ latest offering finds the rising outfit taking up residence at a crossroads that feels at once like familiar terrain and bold new territory.
‘A dynamic show’
The Lemon Twigs are so accomplished at their craft that the aforementioned soft-rock royalty Todd Rundgren performed a duet with the brothers during his Coachella debut in 2017. The following year, he lent his vocals on the duo’s concept album, Go to School, with the D’Addarios returning the favor and appearing on Rundgren’s 2022 LP, Space Force.
Then came the opportunity to take the stage with Colin Blunstone, frontman of legendary English psych-pop band The Zombies, at the 2023 South by Southwest festival — an invitation the brothers were quick to accept, despite having to scramble to rise to the occasion.
“We were there playing our own shows anyway, so we agreed,” Brian recalls. “I brought the Wurlitzer electric piano into the hotel rooms when we were on tour on our way to Austin. I just learned those songs because I guess [keyboardist-vocalist] Rod Argent couldn’t make it, so I practiced doing that solo on ‘She’s Not There.’
“I just had to learn something that was close to what was on the recording,” he continues. “Because I obviously couldn’t touch Rod.”
Standing on the shoulders of giants, the band’s growing catalog of original material promises a thrilling collision of past and present when The Lemon Twigs take the stage at Boulder’s Fox Theatre on May 18.
“It’s a dynamic show,” Brian says. “There’s a good amount of fast-paced stuff — some rockers and a good serving of ballads toward the end of the set. It’s just a four-piece group playing a fun, harmony-laden rock ’n’ roll show.”
‘Do the unexpected’
The D’Addario brothers spent their early years growing up on Long Island as aspiring musical theater actors, but rock stardom called from an early age. They both started playing drums at age 5 before moving on to other instruments at the encouragement of their parents — including father Ronnie D’Addario, former backing musician for Irish folk singer Tommy Makem and sound guy for storied Manhattan venue Folk City, whose mentorship guides The Lemon Twigs to this day.
“Whenever we did a song that was close to the melody of another song, he’d always [point it out],” Brian says. “We were always encouraged to tweak melodies to avoid plagiarizing other people’s material — and [he] also [imparted] the idea of not doing the most common thing. Just when you think a melody is about to resolve, do the unexpected.”
As for the future, listeners can expect another Lemon Twigs record in 2025. In the meantime, Brian has just released his debut solo album, Till The Morning, featuring his brother Michael on vocals. For the siblings who continue to carve their place in the ever-shifting pantheon of pop, it’s as much about the journey as the final product.
“It’s just the most satisfying thing when it’s finished,” Brian says. “It’s not unlike when we were arranging the vocals for ‘In the Eyes of the Girl,’ which was really difficult because we were trying to get some interesting harmonies going that weren’t just triads, but including notes that are difficult to suss out. When that was finished, I felt very happy and proud.”
ON THE BILL: The Lemon Twigs with Honey Blazer. 8 p.m. Sunday, May 18, Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $35