A Dream Is All We Know

Last updated

A Dream Is All We Know
A Dream Is All We Know.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 3, 2024 (2024-05-03)
Genre Power pop [1]
Length34:23
Label Captured Tracks
Producer The Lemon Twigs
The Lemon Twigs chronology
Everything Harmony
(2023)
A Dream Is All We Know
(2024)
Singles from A Dream Is All We Know
  1. "My Golden Years"
    Released: January 2, 2024
  2. "They Don't Know How to Fall in Place"
    Released: February 7, 2024
  3. "A Dream is All I Know"
    Released: March 13, 2024
  4. "How Can I Love Her More"
    Released: April 9, 2024

A Dream Is All We Know is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Lemon Twigs, released on May 3, 2024, through Captured Tracks. [2] The album's songs were all written, performed, and produced by the two D'Addario brothers themselves, although one of the tracks was co-produced with Sean Ono Lennon and features him on bass guitar. [1]

Contents

The album, which was released to favorable reviews from critics, draws sonic inspiration from late-1960s power pop and progressive rock. [1] The brothers released four singles in early 2024, leading up to the release of A Dream Is All We Know.

Composition and recording

According to band member Michael D'Addario, A Dream Is All We Know is "more whimsical" than their previous album, Everything Harmony . [3] Despite the more upbeat tone, the lyrics also reference fears of not achieving one's potential and the elusiveness of dreams. [3] Musical styles of the album's songs include power pop ("My Golden Years") [4] and doo-wop ("In the Eyes of the Girl"). [3] The D'Addarios cited the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Association, Sagittarius, and Tages as some of their 1960s pop inspirations for the album. [5] Brian cited Roy Wood's mid-1970s albums Boulders and Mustard as inspiration to perform his own horn and string arrangements on A Dream Is All We Know. [6] [1]

A Dream Is All We Know was recorded in the band's small studio in north Brooklyn, using tape and other analog effects like spring reverb. [7] [8] Sean Ono Lennon recorded and co-produced the track, "In the Eyes of the Girl" at his upstate New York studio. [9] Ten of the 12 tracks on A Dream Is All We Know were recorded after Everything Harmony; "Ember Days" was recorded during the Everything Harmony sessions, and "If You and I Are Not Wise" dated back several years. [8] [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 80/100 [11]
Review scores
SourceRating
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Far Out Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
The List Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
The Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
The Telegraph Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]

A Dream Is All We Know received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 13 critics' reviews, which the website categorized as "generally favorable". [11] NME characterized the album as "much sunnier" than its predecessor and based around "Beach Boys harmonies and off-kilter melodies (think the Beatles when they were starting to get weird)", though also showing glimpses of "a future way beyond their influences". [12] Far Out praised it as "a firm and fully realised album executed with certainty. It might not be absolutely perfect, but overall, the stunning performances eclipse any blemishes." [13]

The Guardian listed A Dream Is All We Know as one of their best albums from the first half of 2024. [17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by the Lemon Twigs. All songs produced and mixed by the Lemon Twigs, except track 6 produced by the Lemon Twigs and Sean Ono Lennon.

A Dream Is All We Know track listing
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."My Golden Years"Michael3:13
2."They Don't Know How to Fall in Place"Brian3:33
3."Church Bells"Michael2:07
4."A Dream Is All I Know"Brian3:43
5."Sweet Vibration"Brian2:48
6."In the Eyes of the Girl"Michael3:04
7."If You and I Are Not Wise"Brian and Michael2:41
8."How Can I Love Her More"Michael2:48
9."Ember Days"Brian2:55
10."Peppermint Roses"Michael2:32
11."I Should've Known Right from the Start"Brian2:36
12."Rock On (Over and Over)"Michael2:21
Total length:34:23
7" flexi-disc bonus track [18] [19]
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
13."Gifts"Brian3:13

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for A Dream Is All We Know
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Japanese Hot Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [20] 82
Scottish Albums (OCC) [21] 9
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [22] 24
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [23] 7

Related Research Articles

<i>John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band</i> 1970 studio album by John Lennon

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band is the debut solo studio album by English musician John Lennon. Backed by the Plastic Ono Band, it was released by Apple Records on 11 December 1970 in tandem with the similarly titled album by his wife, Yoko Ono. At the time of its issue, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band received mixed reviews overall, but later came to be widely regarded as Lennon's best solo album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Lennon</span> British-American composer and musician (born 1975)

Sean Taro Ono Lennon is a British-American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and half-brother to Julian Lennon. Over the course of his career, he has been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, The Claypool Lennon Delirium and his parents' group Plastic Ono Band. He has released two solo albums: Into the Sun (1998) and Friendly Fire (2006). He has produced numerous albums for various artists, including Black Lips and the Plastic Ono Band.

<i>Imagine</i> (John Lennon album) 1971 album by John Lennon

Imagine is the second solo studio album by English musician John Lennon, released on 9 September 1971 by Apple Records. Co-produced by Lennon, his wife Yoko Ono and Phil Spector, the album's elaborate sound contrasts the basic, small-group arrangements of his first album, John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (1970). The opening title track is widely considered to be his signature song.

<i>Rock n Roll</i> (John Lennon album) 1975 studio album by John Lennon

Rock 'n' Roll is the sixth solo studio album by English musician John Lennon. Released in February 1975, it is an album of late 1950s and early 1960s songs as covered by Lennon. Recording the album was problematic and spanned an entire year: Phil Spector produced sessions in October 1973 at A&M Studios, and Lennon produced sessions in October 1974 at the Record Plant (East). Lennon was being sued by Morris Levy over copyright infringement of one line in his Beatles song "Come Together". As part of an agreement, Lennon had to include three Levy-owned songs on Rock 'n' Roll. Spector disappeared with the session recordings and was subsequently involved in a motor accident, leaving the album's tracks unrecoverable until the beginning of the Walls and Bridges sessions. With Walls and Bridges coming out first, featuring one Levy-owned song, Levy sued Lennon expecting to see Lennon's Rock 'n' Roll album.

<i>Double Fantasy</i> 1980 studio album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Double Fantasy is the fifth studio album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and the final one before his death. Released in November 1980 on Geffen Records, the album marked Lennon's return to recording music full-time, following his five-year hiatus to raise his son Sean. Recording sessions took place at the Hit Factory in New York City between August and October 1980. The final album features songs from both Lennon and Ono, largely alternating between the two in its track listing. Other tracks recorded by Lennon from the sessions were compiled by Ono for release on Milk and Honey in 1984.

<i>Walls and Bridges</i> 1974 studio album by John Lennon

Walls and Bridges is the fifth solo studio album by English musician John Lennon. It was issued by Apple Records on 26 September 1974 in the United States and on 4 October in the United Kingdom. Written, recorded and released during his 18-month separation from Yoko Ono, the album captured Lennon in the midst of his "Lost Weekend". Walls and Bridges was an American number-one album on both the Billboard and Record World charts and included two hit singles, "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" and "#9 Dream". The first of these was Lennon's first number-one hit in the United States as a solo artist, and his only solo chart-topping single in either the US or Britain during his lifetime.

<i>Live Peace in Toronto 1969</i> 1969 live album by Plastic Ono Band

Live Peace in Toronto 1969 is a live album by the Plastic Ono Band, released in December 1969 on Apple Records. Recorded at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival, it was the first live album released by any member of the Beatles separately or together. John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono received a phone call from the festival's promoters John Brower and Kenny Walker, and then assembled a band on very short notice for the festival, which was due to start the following day. The band included Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, and drummer Alan White. The group flew from London, and had brief unamplified rehearsals on the plane before appearing on the stage to perform several songs; one of which, "Cold Turkey", was first performed live at the festival. After returning home, Lennon mixed the album in a day.

<i>Wedding Album</i> 1969 studio album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Wedding Album is the third and final in a succession of three experimental albums by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It followed Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins and Unfinished Music No. 2: Life with the Lions. In Britain, the album was released credited by "John and Yoko", without last names mentioned. In the United States, it was released credited by "John Ono Lennon & Yoko Ono Lennon."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic Ono Band</span> Rock band

The Plastic Ono Band was a rock band formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969 for their collaborative and solo projects based on their 1968 Fluxus conceptual art project of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Happy Xmas (War Is Over)</span> 1971 single by John Lennon and Yoko Ono with the Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir

"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is a Christmas song released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. It was the seventh single release by John Lennon outside his work with the Beatles. The song reached number four in the UK, where its release was delayed until November 1972, and has occasionally re-emerged on the UK Singles Chart, most notably after Lennon's murder in December 1980, when it peaked at number two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Love (Beatles song)</span> 1979 song by John Lennon

"Real Love" is a song written by the English musician John Lennon, formerly of the Beatles. He recorded six demos of the song in 1979 and 1980 with "Real Life", a different song that merged with "Real Love". In 1988, the sixth take was posthumously released for the documentary soundtrack Imagine: John Lennon. In 1995, his demo was completed by his former Beatles bandmates as part of the Beatles Anthology project, along with "Free as a Bird".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come Together</span> 1969 single by the Beatles

"Come Together" is a song by the British rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on the band's 1969 album Abbey Road. It was also a double A-side single in the United Kingdom with "Something", reaching No. 4 in the UK charts.

<i>Season of Glass</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Yoko Ono

Season of Glass is the fifth studio album by Yoko Ono, her first solo recording after the murder of her husband John Lennon. Season of Glass, released in 1981, reached number 49 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, making it Ono's highest-charting solo album to date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whatever Gets You thru the Night</span> 1974 single by John Lennon

"Whatever Gets You thru the Night" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1974 on Apple Records, catalogue number Apple 1874 in the United States and Apple R5998 in the United Kingdom. In the U.S. it peaked at No. 1 on all three record charts: Billboard Hot 100, Cashbox, and Record World, and at No. 36 in the UK. It was the lead single for Lennon's album Walls and Bridges; in the UK the single was released on the same day as the album. "Whatever Gets You thru the Night" was Lennon's only solo No. 1 single in the United States during his lifetime, making him the last member of the Beatles to finally reach the top of the charts. In Canada, the single spent two weeks at No. 2, and became the 30th biggest hit of 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free as a Bird</span> 1995 single by the Beatles

"Free as a Bird" is a single released in December 1995 by English rock band the Beatles. The song was originally written and recorded in 1977 as a home demo by John Lennon. In 1995, 25 years after their break-up and 15 years after Lennon's murder, his then surviving bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr released a studio version incorporating the demo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him</span> 1980 song by Yoko Ono

"Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him" is a song by Yoko Ono from the album Double Fantasy with John Lennon. Other versions were released, including one released as a single where Ono's voice was removed, leaving what had been Lennon's backing vocal as the primary vocal.

"Grow Old with Me" is one of the final songs written by John Lennon. It was first recorded by Lennon as a demo while in Bermuda. A handwritten lyric sheet for the song is dated July 5, 1980 Fairyland Bermuda. The song was first released on the posthumous album Milk and Honey in 1984. It was also rumored to be among the songs planned as a possible reunion single by his former bandmates during the making of The Beatles Anthology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger</span> American-British band

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is an American-British band formed in 2008 by Sean Ono Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The couple have stated that they started the band as a way to spend more time together, and while they released a number of recordings and went on tours as a duo, they consider Midnight Sun, released in April 2014, their first real record. Their tour to support the release of the album in May and June 2014 included opening for Beck as he started the East Coast leg of his tour that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Lemon Twigs</span> American rock band

The Lemon Twigs are an American rock band from the Hicksville neighborhood of Long Island, New York. The duo consists of brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario. Both brothers are vocalists, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists. The band's music has been noted for its stylistic roots in 1960s and 1970s pop and rock music, ranging from power pop to glam rock, art rock, and jangle pop.

<i>Everything Harmony</i> 2023 studio album by the Lemon Twigs

Everything Harmony is the fourth studio album by American rock band the Lemon Twigs, released on May 5, 2023, through Captured Tracks. It was self-produced by the band and received positive reviews from music critics. Starting in January, the album was preceded by the singles "Corner of My Eye", "Any Time of Day", "In My Head", and "Every Day is the Worst Day of My Life".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Teder, Camryn (May 2, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs' reference points on their new album | Interview". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  2. "The Lemon Twigs Share New Song "My Golden Years": Listen". January 2, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Chick, Stevie (May 2, 2024). "'Who wants to stare at a computer?' Pop duo the Lemon Twigs on the joys of analogue life". The Guardian. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  4. Chelosky, Danielle (January 2, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs Share New Song "My Golden Years": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  5. Campbell, Eric (February 7, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs Are Broadening Their Imaginations". Paper. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  6. "The Love In My Mind: CLASH Meets The Lemon Twigs". Clash Magazine. June 20, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  7. Friedman, Gabe (May 3, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs sound like your favorite '60s band. They're fine with that". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "The Lemon Twigs talk with Shindig!'s Jon 'Mojo' Mills about 'A Dream Is All We Know'". YouTube. May 2, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  9. "NYC Duo The Lemon Twigs Release Latest Album "A Dream Is All We Know" Featuring Sean Lennon". NYS Music. March 6, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  10. "I Interviewed The Lemon Twigs!". YouTube. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  11. 1 2 "A Dream Is All We Know Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  12. 1 2 Bassett, Jordan (April 30, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know review: the D'Addarios reach for the stars". NME . Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Taylor, Tom (May 1, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs – 'A Dream Is All We Know' album review". Far Out. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  14. Shepherd, Fiona (May 2, 2024). "The Lemon Twigs: A Dream Is All We Know album review – Effortlessly catchy". The List. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  15. Schofield, Will; Hodgkinson, Blanca (May 3, 2024). "The best new music to listen to this week". The Times. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  16. McCormick, Neil; Shirreff, Lauren; Platt, Poppie (May 2, 2024). "Dua Lipa comes close to pop perfection – plus the week's best albums". The Telegraph. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  17. Ahmed, Aneesa; Beaumont-Thomas, Ben; Petridis, Alexis; Clements, Andrew (June 12, 2024). "The best albums of 2024 so far". The Guardian. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  18. https://www.discogs.com/release/30542206-The-Lemon-Twigs-A-Dream-Is-All-We-Know
  19. "A Dream is All We Know, by the Lemon Twigs".
  20. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of May 8, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  21. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  22. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  23. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 11, 2024.