SOUNDTRACK: THE LEMON TWIGS-Tiny Desk Concert #694 (January 17, 2018).
I first heard The Lemon Twigs on All Songs Considered and found their albums to be quite a lot of retro pop fun.
So it’s no surprise they wound up at a Tiny Desk Concert, although this one is in support of an EP which I haven’t heard yet.
Bob Boilen notes: It’s as if brothers Brian (20) and Michael (18) D’Addario fell from the sky, victims of a transporter beam gone awry in 1971, and landed here at my desk with guitars in hand. It was almost eerie seeing two young adults at my desk who look an awful lot like I and many of my friends did back around 1970. It’s uncanny, almost as if Brian and Michael have been somehow shielded from the 21st century
I really loved the production excess on The Lemon Twigs’ album, so I was a bit taken back at this stripped down version (no drums!).
At this Tiny Desk Concert, the layers of sound found in The Lemon Twigs’ recordings are stripped away, which makes the lyrics more noticeable, words that at times feel destined for a Broadway stage. It’s fair to say that the strength of The Lemon Twigs is in the songwriting and the way they layer their recordings with their multi-instrumental talents. I love what they do, not as nostalgia but for its explorations of melody, harmony and lyrics that are memorable. Even stripped down, they are a whole lot of fun.
After the surprise of the stripped down sound wore off, I really started to like these songs for what they are. Amusingly all three songs were written by Brian, which Michael is somewhat snarky about.
“Beautiful” is a delicate ballad with Brian singing and playing acoustic guitar. The addition of simple electric guitar licks and backing harmony vocals really elevates the song. Despite the pretty melody, the lyrics are rather dark
He concludes that it all is a dream
Can’t accept that sometimes a life is just destined for pain
I can’t do anything
I am nothing
Our lives are meaningless
Swim in the sunshine
But there’s a surprise twist at the end: I am nothing / I’m no one / It is wonderful
“Why Didn’t You Say That” is far more upbeat with bouncing piano. It sound s bit fuller with the piano chords and a full electric guitar (chords and a solo). The addition of some minor chords adds a dramatic twist to this mostly happy sounding song. I enjoyed him sliding his pick up the strings at the end for an extra bit of noise.
Because their album is called Do Hollywood, I had it in my head that they were from California. But hearing Michael talk, they are clearly from Long Island. Especially when he jokes that they’re doing another one of Brian’s songs. Brian says, “you’re the spokesperson.” Michael says, “You’re so quiet. Is something wrong?” Brain brightly responds, “everything’s right!” After some silence, Michael says, “No, I’m fine” to much chuckling.
“Light and Love” ends the set back on the acoustic guitar with some nice falsetto vocals. The ending is a bit sloppy, but in a charming way.
Evidently when they play live, they do have a full band. I’d be interested in seeing them live, but not as a stripped down project–I like their production too much.
[READ: October 5, 2017] “September All Year Long”
I have enjoyed many stories from Etgar Keret. This is the first one I’ve seen illustrated.
And to have it illustrated by Novgorodoff is pretty great too. She uses her watercolor and pen style to create a feeling of lightness within heaviness.
The story talks about NW: nice weather, the status symbol for wealthy families. As the ads say:
If you lived in Arctic Greenland and the snow and grayness were driving you crazy, swipe your credit card and they’ll set you up with ‘a perfect autumn day in Cannes’ on your balcony every day of the year
Novgorodoff illustrates this with a man drinking an umbrella drink on his balcony–a ray of sunshine beaming down on him while a blustery cold wind is blowing in the gray night sky. (more…)
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I feel like this show was announced about five days before it was cancelled. I hadn’t heard about it and I was certainly interested in seeing them.
