Extremely Accurate Retro Pop: Look For Your Mind! - The Lemon Twigs

The Lemon Twigs nearly self-sabotaged their own career when they went too creative with their sophomore album Go To School, a musical about a monkey. This comes as a surprise to many because the vast majority of their works, like a solid but simple table, are well-crafted but nothing experimental.

Harkening back to the rock sounds, sonic vibe, and production techniques of bands like The Beatles and Beach Boys, you could throw this album on any mixtape of oldies summer hits, and no one would bat an eye. As much as you can give the credit to the recording process, being tracked in an analog fashion and recreating tones of past decades, it is the songwriting that secretly ties it all together in a surprisingly deceptive way. Even knowing the history and release date, your brain goes back to a summer 30 years ago, perhaps even before you were born, living vicariously via the tracks and a mental montage compiled from various motion pictures.

The guitar-driven tracks are a treat, but sadly, the piano tunes do not hold up quite the same. Our first taste of this ‘Gather Round’ sticks out next to the surrounding hits like ‘I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You’, which has an equal amount of venture from the source material, yet does it in a natural way that perfectly represents what a song from that era could have sounded like. This is a departure from their 2023 album, Everything Harmony, where the opposite was true; their track ‘Any Time Of Time’ was a beautiful piano ballad that was my favorite from the project.

If you enjoy soaring vocal harmonies, happy-go-lucky strumming, and perhaps a bit of Brit-pop jangle, these tracks do deliver. Keep in mind that these tracks are not inspired by the past in a way that many modern pop songs are; these are accurate replicas, treating the pop industry like we never left the days of British Invasion and the first boy bands.

Depending on the style from The Lemon Twigs you prefer, this album may be their strongest in a while, and certainly is consistent with quality, making for a great listen all the way through.

Perhaps this is your first time hearing of the band, and if so, check out their music here and their site here. Thanks for reading!