There's nothing I love more in music than a perfect single. Give me an A-side I want to play over and over with another hit on the flip, and I'm a happy camper. I was a very happy camper the moment I first experienced The Lemon Drop Gang's new Rum Bar Records release "Sweetie Pie." I played the lead track four times in a row because I couldn't get enough! While the format is not vinyl but rather compact disc, the effect is the same. This is a bite-sized piece of punky pop goodness from one of the best bands out there. These are the first new tunes from The Lemon Drop Gang since they unveiled their debut long player I'm Not the One! seven years ago (Rum Bar released the album on CD in 2020). And they do not disappoint! "Sweetie Pie" and "The Party's Over" will delight anyone craving more of The Lemon Drop Gang's wonderfully weird, fiercely original, and intoxicatingly tuneful desert garage pop.
"Sweetie Pie" is vintage Lemon Drop Gang fare. It will make you want to dance and sing along even as it brandishes a sharp knife's edge. In this disdainful kiss-off of a jerky suitor, dynamic lead singer Steph O'Halloran holds back nothing. Both her lyrics and the way she chooses to emphasize them are pure gold. I love that the song is sharply humorous but also deeply profound in what it has to say about gender inequality. In typical Lemon Drop Gang fashion, this tune brings together all the best elements of garage rock, girl groups, '60s pop, and punk rock in a novel and unique way. Johnny O'Halloran's guitar playing is a true thing of beauty! On the virtual B-side, "The Party's Over" feels like a requiem for pre-pandemic times. The song reflects on our collective loss of innocence in a way that's truthful yet not entirely hopeless. I'm struck by the perfect harmony between Johnny O'Halloran's melodic guitar and Danny Walker's dancing bass. Steph O'Halloran, who has a gift for taking a classic pop song and twisting it into something truly haunting, is in top form on this track. Once the music stops, I find the song's melody and vocal lingering in my head.
The first great single of 2023 comes from The Lemon Drop Gang! I can think of few bands with a better grasp on how to accentuate the contrast between a pure pop melody and a classic punk rock vocal. Then again, there just aren't many living punk singers who can match the guts, power, and sheer personality of Steph O'Halloran. If these tracks are a sign of what's to come from The Lemon Drop Gang, we are definitely in for a treat with the next album. This single was recorded by Matt Rendon, and I don't think there's ever been a more perfect marriage of a band and a recording engineer. For a while, I've considered The Lemon Drop Gang one of the most underrated bands on the Rum Bar roster. If you find "Sweetie Pie" to your liking, do yourself a favor and acquire I'm Not The One! ASAP!
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