On a couple of singles released in 2023, Tucson’s The Lemon Drop Gang cemented their very retro sound on tracks that melded garage rock with surf, and roughly hewn 60s pop with an obvious love of Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound. Nobody would ever have called the results perfect, but to expect perfection from a band such as this would be to miss the point, since The Lemon Drop Gang champion a fun aesthetic and they deliver a raw sound that – if you’re into it – can thrill purely because of its imperfections.
…And this continues to be the case with this long overdue two track release. If anything, ‘Leave The World Behind’ aims for something even more retro by opening with a speed driven rumble of drums that captures the surf rock of Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, before applying an even sharper edged surf/garage rock guitar. Unlike a few previous Lemon Drop tunes, though, this one doesn’t actually stray from its classic surf roots once the vocal arrives. It continues to hit the listener with relentless riffs that capture a near perfect slice of 1961, with the ghost of Dale propping up a classic hook. The repetitive nature of the chorus, too, results in one of the band’s most infectious performances, and here, more than ever, the slightly flat vocal feels better suited the chosen melody…and far more fun. In short, if you want to check out The Lemon Drop Gang’s homage to the past in its most confident guise, this is a superb introduction. If you’re already familiar with the band, this’ll be a favourite in no time at all.
With something that great to lead things off, it’s only natural that ‘Let The World Stay’ mightn’t hit the mark on the first couple of spins. With a more melodic backdrop, the vocals feel more…wayward, and the overall melody isn’t quite as sharp. Bend your ears past the flaws, however, and like older Lemon Drop works, you’ll find a few points of interest. Firstly, there’s a classic rhythm guitar part, throwing out hard edged chords as if they’ve been lifted off a couple of old Paul Revere records; there’s also a perfectly pitched lead break, where the twang of Duane Eddy lifts the late 50s elements considerably. If that’s not quite enough, listen just a littlemore intently and you’ll uncover a pleasingly busy bassline that’s clearly pumping the heart of the band beneath the bluster. There’s little doubt this would have felt the benefit of a stronger vocal in places, but the arrangement is smart enough to please garage rock fans.
Like most Lemon Drop Gang works, this release is rough around the edges, but there’s enough here to love, and more than enough that sells the band’s own love of an old school sound. There’s a lot of familiar elements here for anyone who’s already picked up the earlier releases, but the lead number’s pure surf approach takes the band’s retro charms to the next level – and that alone is enough to make this a recommended digital purchase!
November 2024