The Lemon Twigs’ Brian D’Addario tells us about his favorite songs by Beach Boys collaborator Stephen Kalinich

The Lemon Twigs‘ Brian D’Addario just released his first solo album, Till the Morning, which comes just a few months after the band’s fifth album, A Dream is All We Know. Musically, this is firmly in Lemon Twigs territory (early-’70s post-Beatles pop) if a little more twangy than usual, and his brother and bandmate Michael D’Addario both co-produces and plays on the album. “These were tunes that piled up over the years but when I started putting the album together, it really hung together musically and thematically,” Brian says. “It’s country baroque.” Read our review here.

Till the Morning is also notable as LA poet and longtime Beach Boys collaborator Stephen Kalinich worked with Brian on two songs on the album, “What You Are is Beautiful” and “Song of Everyone.” With that in mind, Brian made us a list of favorite Kalinich songs from over the years,  including songs by The Beach Boys and more. Check out his list and commentary below.

Till the Morning by Brian D’Addario

BRIAN D’ADDARIO (THE LEMON TWIGS) – 5 FAVORITE STEPHEN KALINICH SONGS

“Little Bird”

Like many people, my introduction to Stephen’s work was the Beach Boys’ Friends album. Stephen wrote the lyrics to two of the first songs Dennis ever wrote on a Beach Boys record, and they’re also standout tracks. “Little Bird” is one of my favorite Beach Boys songs. It’s a collection of beautiful images relating to nature that has a playful mystery to it. The opening line is “Little Bird up in a tree looked down and sang a song to me of how it began.” Brian’s contributions to the song in terms of arrangement and production are apparent, the song really feels like a collaboration between the three of them. The production’s amazing, like a lot of Dennis’s songs it has a funkier feel to it than a lot of other Beach Boys stuff at the time, but Brian’s jazzy harmonies throughout and inclusion of his Smile era “Child Is The Father Of The Man” arrangement really elevate the song.

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“Be Still”

Many of Stephen’s collaborations with The Beach Boys seem to relate to nature, and being in harmony with one’s own nature. They’re very positive messages, this one about being still and finding inner peace deep within. It’s a message you can find in a lot of songs of the era, but there’s something about the simplicity of the words and Dennis’ delivery that feels more vulnerable and sincere than a lot of flower power lyrics of the period. And the way it’s laid bare in the production with just Dennis singing with Brian’s organ without any reverb or effects is beautiful and also unusual for the time.

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“California Feelin'”

This went unreleased for a while, but feels like an unofficial signature Beach Boys song. It’s a great reflection of the California Dream. My favorite version is Brian Wilson’s original demo from 1974. I love the freeness of the vocal and piano. The Beach Boys later recorded it during the sessions for LA Light. I also love the version by The Honeys.

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“The Magic Hand”

The whole record’s worth checking out but this track is my favorite on A World of Peace Must Come. My favorite lines are:

“from ancient histories of the past
through destructions and nuclear blast
the only the breath that one sees last is the breath of love
through its nostrils clean it breathed clear air
till man put hate and impurities there”

Stephen and Brian Wilson produced the album in 1969, and Brian it’s singing at the top. The production on this is so cool!

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“A Time to Live in Dreams”

Beautiful Dennis / Stephen collaboration! Another one that went unreleased for years somehow. It’s a delicate song about the true nature of love. Really nice chords and sparse production. I love the descending chimes or whatever they are at the first break. Whenever Stephen was involved, they always came up with something good!

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