All Of It with WNYC – The Lemon Twigs (Live from Five)

Date: March 20, 2024
Guest: The Lemon Twigs (Brian and Michael D’Addario)
Host: Tiffany Hansen (in for Alison Stewart)

Episode Overview

This special "Live from Five" episode of All Of It features Long Island’s sibling duo, The Lemon Twigs (Brian and Michael D’Addario). The conversation centers on their forthcoming album A Dream Is All We Know (out May 3, 2024), their creative process, influences from the '60s and '70s, collaboration, the impact of family and theater, and their philosophy on songwriting. The episode is interspersed with intimate live performances, including a debut of a new song, and discussion of their participation in WNYC’s Public Song Project.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction and Latest Work

• The Lemon Twigs perform their new song, “My Golden Years,” from their upcoming album.
• The duo’s retro sound has been compared to the Beach Boys, Beatles, and Bee Gees.
• Their career began as high schoolers; they've since grown as musicians and performers.

Defining "Mersey Beach"

• Both brothers are credited with coining the term “Mersey Beach” to describe their sound.

  • Brian: “It'll go on our Wikipedia page. It'll say it on my tombstone, hopefully.” (05:36)
  • The term combines Merseybeat (Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers) with Southern California’s harmony pop (Beach Boys, Jan and Dean).
  • Michael: “It's New York's the Lonely Town harmony sound…that wonderful, all-encompassing stereo harmony sound.” (06:01)

• There’s a playful admission that “Mersey Beach” is as much a marketing phrase as an organic description of their influences.

  • Brian: "It's as much a marketing phrase as it is a real thing." (06:30)

The Influence of 1968 & Studio Craft

• The liner notes reference 1968, but the brothers clarify this is more a guide than a strict homage.
  • Michael: “I don't know that it's meant to be taken so literally or seriously…They ask you to come up with some way to kind of present it so that…people know what they're getting into before they listen.” (07:05)
• Sonically, '68 means heavy compression, "bussing" (grouping) tracks, and a slightly limited fidelity compared to later eras, but more sophisticated than early '60s.
  • Brian: “'68 allowed for overdubbing. Like, we record our records playing all the instruments and doing one track at a time. But it also didn't have quite the fullness in frequency that the mid-70s, say, had.” (08:39)

Family Influence: Their Father’s Legacy

• Their father, Ronnie D’Addario, is a musician whose love of '60s pop shaped the brothers’ musical upbringing.
  • Brian: “Things had to be sort of interesting, you know, to get his attention. So they had to be kind of uncommon. They had to go in a way that you didn’t necessarily expect—which is also what the great, you know, Beatles or Beach Boys songs do.” (09:35)
  • Michael: “We had tunnel vision...we really only listened to what my dad and mom played and oldies radio, and kind of shunned modern music, really.” (10:12)

Relationship with Modern Music

• Modern bands that resonate tend to "sound like the '60s and '70s."
  • Michael: "...there's lots of bands that we like. They're typically indebted to the '60s and '70s..." (11:01)

Acting Background and Theatricality

• Both brothers have Broadway experience (Les Misérables, Little Mermaid, All My Sons).
  • Brian: “We definitely turn on when the camera’s on or whatever...get into sort of a performance mode, I would say.” (11:46)
  • Performing live and acting have blended to make them comfortable on stage, but their band roots are equally formative.

On Concept Albums and “Go To School”

• Their 2018 album was a musical concept album.
  • Brian: “In that case, I was way more into the story than Michael was...I think it’s more healthy and creative to write without that aim of, like, having to tie songs together in a conscious way. It’s better to just sort of let the song be a vehicle for your subconscious.” (12:43)
  • Not planning more concept albums soon.

Songwriting and Recording Process

• The gap between their last two albums is less than it appears; much time passed between completion and release of Everything Harmony.
  • Brian: “We’re writing, like, way more than that...It’s way easier to write the songs for us than to record them and produce them.” (18:41)
  • Songwriting is individually driven but enhanced by mutual arrangement ideas.

Impact of Pandemic on Creativity

• Pandemic forced logistical changes (moving out of their parents’ house and away from their home studio).
• Isolation during Everything Harmony led to a more subdued, introspective sound, while playing shows recently inspired more "upbeat" material for the new album.
  • Michael: “The last record was pretty down because…it was just…we were in our rooms with, you know, acoustic guitar and stuff, singing quietly.” (21:28)

Importance of Live Performance & Audience Feedback

• Touring directly influences their music; live reactions encourage more energetic songs.
  • Michael: “You might want to...do like a little rock and roll song or something like that as opposed to a ballad just because people fall asleep standing up.” (21:50)

Collaborations & Creative Partnerships

• Sean Ono Lennon co-produced and played bass on “Eyes in the Eyes of the Girl.”

  • Brian: “He has a really good ear for harmony and melody, and he wouldn't suggest something that harmonically didn’t work. You know, he’s like a true musician.” (22:32)
  • Enjoy collaborating with high-caliber musicians who bring ideas but also take direction well.

• Dream collaborations include Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood.

• Past guest: Todd Rundgren—another “musician's musician” who’s easy to work with.

  • Michael: “He’s famous for if you don’t know what you want, he’ll figure out what you want anyway, so...he’s the consummate professional.” (24:03)

Escapism and Instrumentation

• Their music, especially earlier concept albums, leans towards escapism.
  • Brian: “We tend to fall back on this sort of thing that’s just more like joyful...Our lyrics sometimes are...about something true...but...the way it’s all packaged...is just supposed to give you a good feeling.” (25:03)
  • Michael: “The instrumentation is a big part of that...It's pretty ornate with a lot of harmonies and stuff, which...seems escapist.” (25:35)

WNYC’s Public Song Project

• The Lemon Twigs contribute a newly recorded public domain song, “Tired of Me,” inspired by a Henry Burr version from the 1920s.
  • Brian: “I got into Henry Burr through Tiny Tim, who I'm a big fan of.” (30:48)

Live In-Studio Performances & Notable Segments

• [02:27] “My Golden Years” – debut performance; melodic, reflective song about appreciating fleeting youth.
• [13:55] “Corner Of My Eye” – live rendition from their last album, Everything Harmony; explores emotional longing.
• [26:45] “How Can I Love Her More?” – debut of an upbeat, Turtles-style single from the new album.
  • Michael: “It’s kind of like an upbeat Turtles type tune...I wrote that pretty much alone.” (29:53)

Memorable Quotes

• “It’ll go on our Wikipedia page. It’ll say it on my tombstone, hopefully.”
  — Brian (re: “Mersey Beach”), (05:36)

• “It’s as much a marketing phrase as it is a real thing.”
  — Brian (on “Mersey Beach”), (06:30)

• “We had tunnel vision...we were presented with...we didn’t know really what was going on in the outside world. Musically, we really only listened to what my dad and mom played and oldies radio...and kind of shunned modern music.”
  — Michael (10:12)

• “We definitely turn on when...the camera's on...get into a sort of performance mode.”
  — Brian (11:46)

• “It’s better to just sort of let the song be a vehicle for your subconscious.”
  — Brian (on songwriting vs. concept albums), (12:43)

• “We’re writing, like, way more than that...It’s way easier to write the songs for us than to record them and produce them.”
  — Brian (18:41)

• "He [Sean Ono Lennon] has a really good ear for harmony and melody...he’s like a true musician.”
  — Brian (22:32)

• "Our lyrics sometimes are...about something true...but...the way it's all packaged...is just supposed to give you a good feeling."
  — Brian (25:03)

Notable Timestamps

• [01:13] Intro, latest single debut (“A Dream Is All We Know”)
• [02:27] “My Golden Years” (live performance)
• [05:31] Discussion of “Mersey Beach”
• [07:55] The “1968” sound
• [09:35] Their father's influence, musical upbringing
• [11:20] Influence of theater/acting background
• [13:30] Discussion of concept albums
• [13:55] “Corner Of My Eye” (live performance)
• [17:27] Releasing music at a rapid pace
• [20:03] Pandemic impacts
• [21:20] How live shows shaped new music
• [22:32] Collaborating with Sean Ono Lennon
• [24:45] Past work with Todd Rundgren
• [25:03] Escapism and musical philosophy
• [26:45] “How Can I Love Her More?” (live debut)
• [30:48] Public Song Project contribution (“Tired of Me”)

Conclusion

This “Live from Five” episode gives listeners a blend of insightful dialogue, playful banter, and rich live performances, illuminating The Lemon Twigs’ creative process, vintage influences, and growth as artists. Their commitment to authentic, harmony-driven pop, passion for music history, and joy in songwriting shine throughout the conversation. The episode is punctuated with the debut of a new single, discussions of collaboration with musical icons, and a heartfelt participation in WNYC’s Public Song Project—a testament to their active role in both musical innovation and community engagement.