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For a few years now, The Lemon Twigs have locked themselves into a time machine, and gotten to work studying the musical zeitgeists of the 1960’s and 70’s. The old-soul brothers, sons of power pop legend Ronnie D’Addario, have already had a leg up in this venture. Beginning as some sort of cross between the harmonically rich progressive pop of legacy acts like Wings and Supertramp, and early power pop pioneers like Big Star and Raspberries, this lineage has only branched out and strengthened itself even further. The arrival of 2023’s ‘Everything Harmony’ was both a solidification of their influences, and a cementation of their talents. Tightly-knit soft rock ballads and string-kissed pop warmth made up the entirety of this record’s body. It was the first time the band sounded truly irresistible, but it was far from a one-off. The following ‘A Dream Is All We Know’ refined their established songwriting formula into a taut 12 songs, now pulling from a generous dose of Beach Boys sunshine and Beatles psychedelia.
A band that feels content with rummaging through every closet and cranny of these bygone eras surely must know they’ve got an endless supply to work with. This is where their latest release steps into the frame, an album that sticks its spider legs into several different burrows simultaneously. There’s still more of the same, but that familiarity is surrounded with a necessary urge to reframe. Not only does this record contain some of their most excitable material, it rips the plaster off the frames of their usual bliss to reveal a truly vulnerable interior. Some of their most pensive pieces to date are executed with just a measured guitar line, only ever coloured in with the faintest of embellishments (see the song “Mean To Me”). Others in this vein, like “Joy”, employ a kind of storybook whimsy to emphasise the ecstasy of the love they’re describing. To return to the more visceral work for a second though, “Bring You Down” uncharacteristically flicks on the overdrive and rocks out to a vibe that feels reminiscent of something like “Surfin’ USA”, even down to how the chorus melody resolves, only the content of this one speaks to a frustration with a workforce that leaves no room for breath. “I know that the man was made just to bring you down” sounds like it could’ve been written 60 years ago, yet feels equally as apt on a song being released in 2026. The driving energy then reads more like a desperation to stay awake and see the end of the day, if only to regain just a bit of agency back.
The more typical Twigsisms land just as sweetly as they always do. “2 or 3” is perhaps their most potent earworm yet, a Byrds-esque piece of jangle pop with a set of vocal lines that are ribbed for any ears’ pleasure. “Nothin’ But You” channels The Kinks as its chorus melody spirals downward into a one-track minded lust. “I Just Can’t Get Over Losing You” is brief, yet amazingly packs one of the most delicious punches on the entire album. They make miraculous use of its length, working in multiple bridge sections, as well as some deceptively dense chord changes. It is the only correct way to treat a song of this duration, simply pack it full of fucking heat! The regretful “I Hurt You” brings more jangly guitars to a soft rock backdrop, toning down the constantly winding melodies for something more straightforward, yet still technicolor in its applications of synth and other orchestration. Additionally, the use of major 7th chords gives it a very subtle depth beyond the otherwise standard romanticism.
I think this might be their best album yet. It is handily their most versatile, and as a plus, they don’t pull their focus away from the basic tenets of their songwriting in their explorations. There is even quality across the board, making this a surprisingly holistic listen given its diversity. The attention to detail hasn’t been forfeited either, showing their capacity to juggle multiple influences and pull them off in a beyond satisfactory manner. ‘Look For Your Mind!’ is a culmination of what The Lemon Twigs have been building over the last few years. As the title suggests, it feels like a thorough deep-dive into their own subconscious as a duo. Mining these recesses in order to pull together a project that is far greater than the sum of its various parts. It is only a little terrifying to witness two brothers, time after time, demonstrating that their skills as musicians and songwriters know precisely zero bounds. Yet, that is the sauce that keeps flavouring each release. Given their penchant for reviving classic eras of music, I can’t wait for the inevitable Led Zeppelin-style hard rock album…
Dan Will Review 