SYNESTHESIA: NOW PLAYING IN THE SAVAGE JUKEBOX OCTOBER 2018

"GO TO SCHOOL"
THE LEMON TWIGS
Released August 24, 2018
NEW 2018 MUSIC: "No one I think is in my tree..."-The Beatles "Strawberry Fields Forever"

It opens with a miscarriage. It concludes in isolation. The centerpiece is a cataclysmic fire set within a high school that kills 100 people. And the star of the story is a chimp named Shane. Welcome to "Go To School," the second album from brothers Michael and Brian D'Addario, collectively known as The Lemon Twigs.

As you may have already guessed, The Lemon Twigs have boldly decided to take on the challenges of the mythical "difficult second album" head on by taking a wild swan dive directly into the deep end of concept albums, rock operas and stage musicals as "Go To School" tells the story of Shane, a chimp taken in and raised by the miserable couple Carol, an embittered school teacher who gave up her rock and roll dreams for an even more embittered stab at Motherhood (sung by the D'Addarios's Mom, Susan ) and her partner, failed actor Bill (sung by none other than Todd Rundgren!).

Captivated by innocuous school themed television programs, Shane becomes obsessed with the desire to go to school, a place in which, he soon discovers that he never fits into. Teased by some, fully ignored by others and misunderstood by everyone, Shane's life at school becomes gradually unbearable and the final straw occurs after being sexually humiliated by Daisy, the most popular girl in school. These events plus the revelations of all of the lies Bill and Carol have fed to him, Shane snaps, thus starting the cataclysmic school fire. Our story ends with Shane, now living in isolation in the woods, hoping to regain his sense of empathy and love.

Composed, produced and arranged entirely by The Lemon Twigs, and within their parent's basement at that, Michael and Brian D'Addario's musical aesthetic somehow seems to not extend beyond perhaps 1975 and it is astounding as to how authentic their vision actually is, despite not having even been alive during the time period this album magically evokes.

Performing essentially all of the instrumentation between the two of them, aside from the string and horn sections (which they arranged) and a guest spot from Big Star's Jody Stephens, "Go To School," much like their debut album "Do Hollywood" (released October 14, 2016), is bursting at the seams with musical ideas which run the gamut from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Who, Frank Zappa, The Kinks' "Schoolboys In Disgrace" (released November 17, 1975), the aforementioned Big Star and Todd Rundgren plus Stephen Sondheim, George Gershwin, Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as Gilbert O' Sullivan and sometimes all within the same song. Everything flows at light speed and yet, not one moment ever feels like a mess or morass of unconnected motifs and sounds and what results is an experience that is surprisingly moving despite the bizarre nature of Shane's story.

Because really, who else is Shane but every single kid who ever felt to be a misfit, or left out or who has been harassed and bullied to the point of tragedy? The Lemon Twigs' "Go To School" is an album of tremendous pain and empathy (even for the album's most despicable characters) and fearless vision as it allows its own freak flag to fly proudly, boldly and unapologetically, making for one of the most unique listening experiences of 2018.