On “Till The Morning” Brian D’Addario Takes a Load Off

the eldest lemon twig's debut solo album

When discussing music some Boomers are quick to pull the “music was better in the 1960s” card. It’s a clichéd and cringy statement, but the decade’s musical impact is undeniable. It’s astounding to imagine an audience that welcomed boundary-pushing innovations by artists that dominated the decade, though what they really did was draw from influences that date back centuries. The fact that those bodies of work transcend decades and generations to touch both new artists and those who buy their records proves their enduring power. 

Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, better known as The Lemon Twigs, are among a group of prominent modern musicians who channel a bygone but still relevant musical style. Their previous album, 2024’s A Dream Is All We Know, is best described in four words: paisley-tinged power pop. Of their entire discography, that one was the duo's most direct effort referencing their influences, tracing a lineage back to bands like the Beatles, the Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, the Kinks, and Big Star. Eldest brother Brian D’Addario is now the first to break out with a solo album, Till The Morning, released on the brothers’ newly formed Headstack Records label. 

Till The Morning is a collection of material intentionally left off for years from previous Lemon Twigs albums, primarily due to stylistic differences. Once assembled, the album evokes a musical identity that Brian D’Addario describes as ‘country baroque,’ and he’s spot on with the characterization. “Nothing on My Mind” has a jangly feel reminiscent of a Michael Nesmith-penned Monkees tune, and the manipulated guitar tone on “One Day I’m Coming Home” resembles the ebbing and flowing of a pedal-steel guitar.

Otherwise, Till The Morning hews close to the “retro rock” stylings for which the Lemon Twigs are known. The opening title track is an optimistic slice of 1970s pop in which Brian allows his heart to romantically ramble after enduring a dose of life’s troubles. “Flash in the Pan” another highlight, features a similar sound and serves as a poignant plea for spiritual guidance. The baroque-inspired middle eight, featuring guitars, mandolins, and a sped-up piano emulating a harpsichord, is a stroke of compositional genius. An acoustic rhythm guitar leads the string section, dubbed the Friction Quartet, to carry out the socially-fueled “Useless Tears.” Lyrics that explore various degrees of despair, accompanied by brief moments of suspenseful dissonance prior to the choruses, make this track the album's dramatic climax. 

A life long Beach Boys obsession enabled Brian to work with Stephen Kalinich, a poet who both collaborated with Dennis Wilson on a handful of compositions and, along with Brian Wilson co-produced his long-unreleased album, A World of Peace Must Come. Kalinich employs a colorful, lyrical vocabulary on “Song for Everyone” and “What You Are Is Beautiful,” both of which feature the sparsest musical arrangements on the album. D’addario soars on the latter with sweet-sounding falsetto vocals that channel Brian Wilson in his Pet Sounds-era prime.

Solo albums generally serve as a means by which band members can step away from their familiar musical environments and explore new ideas with different musicians. 28 year old Brian D’Addario though, more accomplished and competent than many musicians his age, effortlessly serves here on some tracks as a one-man band covering all vocal and instrumental duties.

What makes Till The Morning an oddity compared to typical solo album stigma is the inclusion of younger brother Michael D’Addario. Not only did he handle co-production duties, but he also contributed to harmonies and instrumentation, including singing lead vocals on “This Summer.” The ability to vocally portray brotherly harmony puts the D’Addarios in great company alongside the Wilsons, Everlys, and Gibbs. Their voices mesh beautifully on “Only To Ease My Mind” and the hymn-like finale of the album closer, “Spirit Without a Home.”

Till The Morning seems to exist within the Twigsphere and not on a plane of its own, to the point where several of its tracks appear on the Lemon Twigs’ current tour setlists–the brothers have a means to exercise their chemistry, regardless of what umbrella it falls under.

Music aside, the album cover beckons an earlier time, featuring an infrared photo of Brian with a funky-shaped acoustic guitar. Even subtle details, such as the slight grain on the cover’s text, give it that vintage authenticity. Another infrared photo lends itself to the album’s foldout poster. A printed inner sleeve is included featuring lyrics, credits, and a contrasted black-and-white photo of D’Addario in front of an estate, giving off the vibe of the Beatles’ last photo session at Tittenhurst Park. The standard-weight vinyl comes with plain blue labels featuring the Headstack Records logo, which features cartoon renderings of the brothers.

The D’Addarios don’t manifest their time and energy just into their sound and looks. Their work embodies the analog aesthetic by excelling in all aspects of sound production and capturing its essence on tape. Till The Morning offers everything an analog purist seeks: warmth, definition, and no restraint without bleeding into fatigue. Even auxiliary mix elements, hard panned to either speaker, are clever Easter eggs that spice up the arrangements. “Company” maintains a natural quality between the piano and vocals, yet the track leaps into another sonic dimension with the Brian May-esque guitar orchestrations and Moog synthesizer. As mentioned before, “Song for Everyone” and “What You Are Is Beautiful” feature the sparest arrangements, consisting of vocals and nylon string guitar. The latter sounds full-bodied, and the overall performances come across as pure and intimate.

For as much as listeners can be in awe of the elaborate instrumental arrangements, Till The Morning unintentionally doubles as a vocal album. Whether it's down to basic melodies or exquisite harmonies, the vocals offer plenty of air and find themselves at the forefront. There’s a crunchiness to “Nothing On My End” that allows the harmonies to pop out of the mix when the whole band kicks in. The sterile vocal delivery on “One Day I’m Coming Home,” void of any embellishments or manipulation, is full of pure passion.

Till The Morning isn’t a case of emptying the cupboard and delivering an album full of fluff. Brian D’Addario is the type of artist who sees his craft through, from its genesis to completion. This material matches the ante that the Lemon Twigs have already set and is a worthwhile exploration.