It’s always a big risk when a band member goes solo. The Long Island rock group The Lemon Twigs (who I’ve previously written about), are known for their consistent output and musical workmanship, so it was initially a surprise for many fans that member Brian D’Addario now had enough solo songs for a new record, “Till the Morning.” D’Addario (who makes up the band with younger brother Michael) says he’s had these songs piling up since 2017, and that he felt they had enough connective tissue to release them as a standalone work.

While this is a solo affair, behind the scenes there is still some brotherly love: Michael is a co-producer on the record and sings on five of them. This is the first album released by the brothers’ own independent label, Headstack Records.

This album covers a variety of moods and themes, including loneliness, spiritual exploration, loss, and romance. The range of feelings is no surprise here: one emotion D’Addario (and the Twigs) have always been adept at capturing is longing. The same is true on “Till the Morning:” these songs yearn and reach for a higher emotion, and sound incredible doing it. “Till the Morning” is a gorgeous “country baroque” (as the musician describes it) album that underlines D’Addario’s already impressive contributions to the music world and points in exciting new directions of where he will go next with his music. 

One thing I have always appreciated about the Twigs is their ability to keep things concise—their songs are usually tight, condensed verses in a certain song structure. The same is true on this record—the songs often are under three minutes and rarely go over four, with the last two tracks as exceptions.

The first and only single released for this album is the opener “Till the Morning,” which upon repeated listens is unfortunately one of my least favorite songs on the record. While I like the lyrics about finding contentment with your lover amid everyday life, the repeating melody started to feel tired and put the song in stasis. However, with an album this good, being the least impressive track means it is still a decent one. I do enjoy the ending on this one, with a nice organ melody and fadeout.

I quite like “Song of Everyone,” an easygoing and charming acoustic ballad. This song is the first of two collaborations on the album with Stephen Kalinich, a poet and erstwhile collaborator of Brian and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys. The brothers have noted their influence from and reverence for The Beach Boys, so this collaboration makes perfect sense for their sound. “Nothing On My Mind” is probably the most “Twig-y” track on the album, with more tight harmonies and a pop-rock sound that reminded me of The Monkees or The Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” era. It is also a great feature of his storytelling lyrics, chronicling the life of someone who is neglected and ignored at home, at work, and in love, which leads to his perceived meaningless existence.

“One Day I’m Coming Home” is D’Addario’s big country ballad moment, with a mournful instrumental and some of his best vocals yet. “Only to Ease My Mind” is another slow song, with the brothers’ harmony soundtracking a devastating but amicable breakup; he declares that “For I am but a fool who often can be cruel / When I’m needing a kiss from you…I’ll become a false tattoo as time moves slowly by”

“Flash in the Pan” is my favorite song on here, with winning harmonies, punchy melody, and another great vocal performance. It is an incisive character study of the narrator, who is cruel and realizing his mistakes while at the same time asking for a second chance. It has one of my favorite little moments on here, with the line “Forgive me father for I know I’ve sinned / I’ve thrown your grace inside a garbage bin,” at which point we hear an accompanying thud. The song also has a few tricks up its sleeve: the harpsichord sound on the bridge is actually a piano being recorded at half speed.

“Company” is characteristic of D’Addario’s sense of song structure, starting off with simple piano and vocals, until the electric guitar and Moog synthesizers rush in, buzzing and full of energy.

This one is another great portrait, with a narrator who is saddened by the state of his life, but is grateful to share community with someone else. Brian hands the mic over to his brother Michael on “This Summer,” which has a nice juxtaposition between its happy melody and dark lyrics. This track features Michael on bass as well as Daryl Johns on drums. However, I felt this song ended rather abruptly and could have used a proper finish.

Kalinich again provides the lyrics on “What You Are is Beautiful,” a beautiful guitar ballad with some of my favorite vocals on the record. D’Addario reaches into his divine falsetto to serenade his lover: “Through your eyes of sadness I see meadows and flowers of yellow gold / Fields of daffodils and roses / All that nature exposes / In a quilt of orange.”

The tracklist gets its sole political moment on “Useless Tears,” a pointed reflection on how issues of class and poverty continue no matter the era. The strings, provided by The Friction Quartet, provide a mournful lament as D’Addario excoriates those in power exploiting others. That the music has such a “vintage” feel only underlines how these social issues have been a problem from the beginning of time.

The final song of the record is “Spirit Without A Home,” a melancholy, heartfelt tribute to D’Addario’s uncle, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. It begins with a light piano melody, then grows in power with drums and guitar. The expression of emotion and grief is poignant, and the song provides a beautiful closer to the album.

“Till The Morning” is a great first showing for Brian D’Addario as a solo artist and emphasizes his status as one of the best songwriters working today. While I was not as enchanted by this album as the most recent Lemon Twigs record, I still think this is quite the achievement and a promising step forward. D’Addario’s country baroque sound is different enough from his other work with the band that it doesn’t feel like The Lemon Twigs, but it is still similar enough that new and veteran fans alike will enjoy it. I am eagerly awaiting for whatever D’Addario and the band do next.