*REVIEW* The Lemon Twigs- Do Hollywood

6.5/10

The 4AD label has a pretty good track record when it comes to signing artists. Iron and Wine, Beirut, Ariel Pink among others.

One of their new signees, The Lemon Twigs have just released their debut album "Do Hollywood". At first you could be mistaken that this was a reissue of some obscure power pop band from the 70's given the washed out feel of the front cover photo.

Also listening to the sounds on this, could conjure up the same feels. However, this is indeed a new group whose members are basically just out their teens.

We have their sound basically paying homage to 70's acts, their are a lot of callbacks on this one. It's almost like spot the influence, it's pretty easy to do throughout this thing.

The opener "I Wanna Prove To You", signals that this will be a nostalgia soaked affair. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, if they didn't do it in a way that is so boring and derivative. There are a few moments when some awful moog sounds creep in. It detracts from the overall quality of the instrumentation and song writing. 

"Those Days IS Coming Soon", goes along the same track, although we have some interesting time changes that are reminiscent of Pet Sounds era beach boys or early 10cc.  "These Words" has chorus vocals that immediately bring back those huge sounds heard on the best queen tracks from the 70's.

"Haroomata" is easily the most eye brow raising and unappealing track on Do Hollywood. It has more time changes than a Godley and Creme record. It's psychedelic slow intro leading into an Emerson Lake and Palmer style synth groove, morphing itself into a sped up circus waltz.... Gee glad that was only 3 minutes.

"As Long As We're Together", is another 70's pastiche sounding more like a Todd Rundgren b-side. It's overly sentimental lyrics seem so drab it's hard to get through.

The thing is, I don't mind nostalgia in music. You hear remnants of the past in all forms of art. It's the past that informs the future. But I can't seem to get any kind of stimulation from The Lemon Twigs, it's definitely something I should like, but for some reason it hasn't clicked with me. 

A lot of acts that are around now, that are doing similar things. But I think the difference is, in some way it is being contemporary without sounding too novel. Best Coast, Wavves, Ariel Pink among others are the kind of artists who are able to make something modern with something old. 

The Lemon Twigs seem like they are hopping in a time machine, coming back with the sounds of the 60's and 70's, and creating carbon copies of it, masquerading as a throwback indie group. 

Don't get me wrong, the D'addrio brothers have great talent, and can write some nice hooks. But until there's something more palpable than bygone era worship, they will just feel like another indie throwback group.