The Lemon Clocks are one of the many side projects from Michigan artists, songwriter, and producer Jeremy Morris.
Morris is the founder of JAM Records and has utilized that unlimited studio access to the fullest by producing a massive discography of solo projects and musical collaborations. His music catalog is pretty astounding, primarily inspired by the Psychedelic 60s' - that transitional period as Doo Wop, rockabilly, and those 'malt shop memory' artists like Dion & The Bellmonts, Ruby And The Romantics, Ricky Nelson, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper gave way to the British Invasion, psychedelic and acid rock, and a flood of 'one hit wonder' garage rock bands from across the nation.
Slipping "Now Is The Time" into the CD player is like activating the controls of a Time Machine, transporting one back to the Summer Of Love. A flood of American garage rock bands immediately sprang to mind - The Gentrys, Shadows Of Knight, Count Five, The Seeds, and The Standells. And lets not forget The Beatles and The Byrds - similarities to both are glaringly apparent throughout the recording.
The line-up for The Lemon Clocks includes: Jeremy Morris (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums), Stefan Johansson (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums), and Todd Borsh (vocals, guitar, bass).
Morris channels the spirit of George Harrison on the tracks "It's All Too Much" and "Bright Side", while "Rainbow Bridge", "Catch You When You Fall", and "Not Your Puppet", could well have been archival studio sessions during the recording of "Revolver".
And on the tracks "The Man Who Lost The Time" and "Built To Last" Morris does his best Roger McGuinn impersonation. This is vintage Byrds, with echoes of "8 Miles High" and "Mr Tambourine Man".
"Gum On My Shoe" is a quirky Grateful Dead sort of number... catchy and fun.
The short instrumental track "Lemon Clock Land" is the type of mind expanding psychedelia that put Pink Floyd on the map during their early years with "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" and "Saucerful Of Secrets" - complete with processed drums recorded backwards, and wicked fuzz guitar feedback. Best examples of that great guitar sound would be from The Fever Tree's 1968 hit "San Francisco Girls", or that classic The Amboy Dukes track "Journey To the Center Of The Mind". Great guitarwork - but impossible to single out any one musician since they all share guitar credit.
The Lemon Clock's 2012 release "Now Is The Time" is a virtual time capsule incorporating elements of bands like The Beatles, The Byrds, The Kinks, Pretty Things, The Grateful Dead, Small Faces, The Great Society, The Electric Prunes, The Easybeats, Status Quo, and dozens of other artists who made the 60s' one of the most exciting decades in pop music. The songs are short, upbeat, and catchy.
So slip into a pair of tight hip hugger bell bottoms - preferably lavished with stars and stripes - and a tie-dyed or boldly colored paisley shirt, then kick back and experience the 60s' on your 21st Century sound system.
Not progressive rock by any stretch of the imagination - but I can imagine a younger version of myself slipping a handful of quarters into the jukebox for any one of the 13 tracks back in the day during the Summer Of Love.
Reviewed by Joseph Shingler on March 9th, 2014
