Album Review: Brain D’Addario - 'Till The Morning'
Brian D’Addario of The Lemon Twigs releases debut solo album ‘Till The Morning’, and it's positively divine.
Elder Twig Brian D’Addario takes a solo endeavour in his album debut ‘Till The Morning’ but Lemon Twig fans needn't fear as younger brother Michael is all over this record, earning a co-producing credit and the album being released under a new record label created by both brothers, Headstack Records.
According to Brian, the album is a kind of amalgamation of songs that have been kicking around his head for quite some time: “These were tunes that piled up over the years but when I started putting the album together, it really hung together musically and thematically. Its country baroque.”
The record commences with the title track ‘Till The Morning’ the first and only single released back in February, a cosy and comforting little love song about living in the now and enjoying those fleeting moments of pure bliss and delight you experience in a relationship amidst the chaos of day to day life - and realising that sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better.
It is imperative to mention that LA poet, legend and collaborator with Brian and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, Stephen Kalinich is co-writer of two tracks on the record: ‘Song of Everyone’ and ‘What You Are Is Beautiful’. Brian said of the collaboration: “I met Stephen in 2017 after playing some of our first shows in LA. I was such a fan of his work and was struck by his dynamism and personality/For a while he was sending me poems and asking me to put music to them.” Both songs are very stripped back and acoustic and of course have beautiful lyrics and Kalinich’s magnificent imagery, which when matched with D’Addario’s musicality result in a pure stroke of genius.
The album follows themes of loneliness, isolation, loss and spiritual longing which are mainly explored in the songs ‘Nothing On My Mind’ and ‘Company’. Both tracks are reminiscent of one's youth and are some of the darker songs on the record, conveyed through painfully truthful lyrics of the narrator's misfortunes and missed opportunities in the past. ‘Company’ seemingly being told by an older version of them, sort of like the listener striking up a conversation with an older gentleman at a dingy bar as he tells you about his life; melancholy but grateful for the conversation.
The darkest point of the album however is awarded to the politically fuelled ‘Useless Tears’, dubbed by Brian as “a real-life Halloween horror song” combined with lyrics of social responsibility and eerie strings evocative of ‘Eleanor Rigby’. The track sheds light on the dangerous individuals that hold the power and how the innocent are the ones that are subjected to the acts of violence and injustice that could be prevented if we lived in a world that directly addressed things like mental health and poverty. With lyrics such as ‘His anger is turned on another broken promise by the trembling hands of fate’ holding particular poetic importance.
Despite the bleak, darker themes on the album there are glorious rays of light where you really hear the country influence on the record, specifically on ‘One Day I’m Coming Home’, ‘Flash In The Pan’ and ‘This Summer’ with the latter having younger half of the Twigs Michael taking the reins on lead vocals. The three tracks really channel the wonderful whimsy Brian and Michael radiate in their music and their unmistakably charming lyrics that are truly delightful. ‘One Day I’m Coming Home’ is about the light at the end of the tunnel and finding comfort in the knowledge of better days ahead, the pedal steel guitar sound heard on the track was actually created by a slide guitar and faders on the recording console. While the harpsichord sound on the bridge on ‘Flash In the Pan’ is actually a piano recorded at half speed, and has the rather cruel narrator admitting their mistakes and realising they’re a bad guy, all while asking for forgiveness.
‘Only To Ease My Mind’ is a destined fan favourite and a tune that has been floating around the internet since 2020, after The Lemon Twigs performed it at a show shortly after the release of the D’Addario’s third studio album ‘Songs For The General Public’. A rather sorrowful number which has both Brian and Michael singing together with Everly Brother type harmonies, which are also showcased on the records closer ‘Spirit Without A Home’. The track is a heartbreaking tribute to the brothers' late uncle after a long battle with Alheimer’s, Brian shared “It felt unjust that such a dynamic, charismatic guy should have to leave his body in such a poor state. It’s a tribute to him, trying to make something good out of a bad situation.” Accompanying the gorgeous harmonies of the brothers is a piano and some delicate strings towards the end, as well as the lyrics, both poignant and touching, that propel the song to hymn-like heights - resulting in a beautiful end to a shimmering debut.
‘Till The Morning’ is a stellar album from Brian D’Addario and another feather in his cap of an already impressive discography and career. The record is officially out and being released on Brian and his brother Michael’s new record label Headstack Records, it is marvelous, majestic, essential listening.
Words by George Venus
