WATCH: Secret Monkey Weekend Shares ‘Walking Between Raindrops’

New album from acclaimed family band, Lemon Drop Hammer, out June 6

May 27, 2025May 28, 2025 Ron Hart 0 Comments Brian Yamamoto, Don Dixon, Durham, Ella Brown-Hart, Jefferson Hart, Lila Brown-Hart, North Carolina, Secret Monkey Weekend

Secret Monkey Weekend (Image: Secret Monkey Weekend)

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.”

Rock & Roll Globe is excited to premiere the video for the album’s latest single, the jangly “Walking Between Raindrops,” today on the site.

Secret Monkey Weekend Lemon Drop Hammer, Secret Monkey Records 2025

“This is one I wrote in ‘92 in a more jazz meets Pet Sounds Beach Boys approach,” explains Jefferson. “I was playing with Chris Stamey’s band the following year and we played it a few times as a duo in some other shows. It was originally on my ‘93 Love You Long Time EP (cassette only), but I rescued it and put it on my 2011 Ghosts of the Old North State solo album.”

For the girls, Hart explains it was their interest in playing his earlier material that prompted him to revisit the tune.

“Ella and Lila have long been wanting to play or record some of my old songs and this is one I suggested,” he says. “We changed the key and made it a straight ahead power pop type song. We’re really happy with how it turned out and Lila says it’s her favorite of the new album songs to play live. Don Dixon’s slide guitar solo and Brian Yamamoto’s lead guitar (he’s a longtime collaborator of mine in Ghosts of the Old North State) and rhythm guitar really add a nice punch to the overall feel.”

Listen to “Walking Between Raindrops” below and pre-order this trio’s excellent new LP here.