"America’s coolest family band, Secret Monkey Weekend, is back with a new album called Lemon Drop Hammer that’s out on June 6th. Made up of Durham, NC rock luminary Jefferson Hart and his two stepdaughters, Ella (bass/vocals) and Lila Brown-Hart (drums/vocals), exhibit a sparkling pop chemistry on par with The Bangles and The dB’s across these 10 new tracks produced by the legendary Don Dixon (The Smithereens, R.E.M.). Their heartwarming story is the focus of an Emmy-winning PBS documentary in 2023. “I wasn’t prepared for Jefferson’s tremendous talent as a writer, player and singer,” said Dixon. “These three individuals have combined to make something I love [and] grown, literally and figuratively, in front of my eyes.” - Ron Hart, Rock and Roll Globe 

 "Harnessing timeless Beatles/Kinks melodic instincts to fairy-dust power-pop guitar jangle, authentic first-person lyrics, and three contrasting voices that harmonize as only family can, it’s a record at once instantly classic and, with a teen and 22-year-old aboard, innately contemporary ... Buoyant album opener “So Much Joy” evokes heyday Yardbirds; it’s “woo-ooh” backups framing textured co-ed vocals." 

- Robert Ross, Music Tap

“The nine original songs on ‘Lemon Drop Hammer’ are gems that find a happy meeting place between a variety of feels like ‘60s psychedelic pop, ‘80s jangle, exuberant power pop, psychobilly, rustic Americana, Stones-y grit, etc. all with a consistent Southern twang in the mixture. And the one cover on the record – a workup of ‘Na Na Na Na,’ an ‘80s song originally done by Athens, GA’s Squalls – is played so well that it about made me jump off the sofa and dance around the living room the first time I heard the SMW version.” - Brian Green, It's Psychedelic Baby Magazine“So Much Joy is a contagious poppy song for which Jefferson says, “Ella had the lyrics. Often Ella will come to me with something that is almost finished and I will help her finish it up. With this one Ella had lyrics and I got to work on it right away. I kind of knew (immediately) what I wanted to do. I wanted it to sound mid-sixties, about ’65 to ’66. That is what I was shooting for. I think the guitars did that. I think the backing vocals did that and I almost had the arrangement in mind right from the start. If somebody said they had a movie in 1965 –’66 and I want you to write a song for it (that would be it).” - Joe Montague , Riveting Riffs

 “Lemon Drop Hammer  reminds me of the time The Kinks had kids with The GoGos. Wait, did that happen? Ella, Jefferson, and Lila have created a collection of songs that make me want to shout, dance, and shimmy up the flagpole!” -Don Dixon -  (producer of REM, Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw)

 “The new album picks up where All the Time in the World left off in 2022, showing the kind of progress more veteran artists would be well advised to aim toward. Ella, Lila and Jefferson have a firm grasp of melody, harmony, energy and arrangement savvy on display here. Lemon Drop Hammer shows a band on its way to greatness.” - Peter Holsapple - (The dB’s, Continental Drifters, REM, Hootie & The Blowfish)

 “Fantastic group, love them!.” - Eric “Roscoe” Ambel - producer, The Del Lords, The Yayhoos

 “In a time honored tradition going back to the beginnings of rock and roll, a band was born right at home.  Sisters Ella and Lila Brown Hart are the rhythm section, while their Step-Dad Jefferson Hart plays the guitar.  They all share singing duties.  A highlight of their new self released album is the track ‘Na NaNaNa’ was written by my spouse Bob Hay of Squalls. The harmonies are perfect in only the way siblings can make them.” - Vanessa Briscoe Hay - Pylon, Pylon Reenactment Society

 “This record had me with those opening chords of the first song, So Much Joy. That’s gonna be on some future international NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL POWER POP compilation. With a perfect jangly album opener, Lemon Drop Hammer is pure sonic catnip for powerpop devotees like me. “We Can Be Friends,” with its seamless guy/gal harmonies and the “ba ba ba ba” vocals and, you guessed it, more gorgeous jangledom. And keep an ear or two for the sneaky, but instantly familiar vintage psych riff that closes out the appropriately titled “Way Way Out.” I almost typed “Wah Wah Out” there, but I’ll leave it to you to figure out why. All this and Don Dixon behind the board? To steal the title of a classic UK pop/garage compilation, Here Comes The Weekend, It’s already here.” - Fred Mills, Biohazard Informae, Blurt, Creative Loafing, Magnet

 “I love this record.  The songs collectively are a distillation of everything I’m hoping to hear when I “spin” a record for the first time and a reminder of “the thing” that spurred me at a young age to take up the guitar and later try my hand at songwriting.  Awesome!” - Mike Connell, The Connells

 “With Lila's solid beat and mystery-inducing vocals, Jeff's guitar slinging, and Ella's slinky bass lines, Lemon Drop Hammer is an infinite confection. This 2nd album is a solid progression from the first, with hooks galore and memorable melodies.“ - Will Rigby - The dB’s

“With infectious tunes and harmonies galore, Lemon Drop Hammer reflects highlights of decades past (60’s jangle, 70’s power pop, 80’s college rock) in developing its own timeless sound.”- Glenn Boothe - Promoter, A&R / Marketing at Epic, Sony, Merge

"The best rock and roll is made by kids. Elvis was 18 when he recorded “That’s All Right”. Paul McCartney was 16 when he wrote “Love Me Do”.  Tommy Stinson was 14 at the time of The Replacements’ debut. There is something to be said about the innocence and idealism we all had at that age and Secret Monkey Weekend have captured that spirit, harnessed and put it all on tape, with the help of legendary producer and musician Don Dixon. 

I never thought I would hear a band that sounded like a teenage girl fronting NRBQ but this is it and wow did I need this in my life! Fascist Blood Baby, Honey Num, and Greater Mind To Walk Away are all songs that I hold close and I have a feeling you will too. It’s that good! Rock and Roll made by teenagers (and Jefferson) for the world is as beautiful as you can imagine. Like ABBA once sang, “Thank You For The Music." - Jonathan Scott - The Doleful Lions