| A Dream Is All We Know | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 3, 2024 | |||
| Genre | Power pop [1] | |||
| Length | 34:23 | |||
| Label | Captured Tracks | |||
| Producer | The Lemon Twigs | |||
| The Lemon Twigs chronology | ||||
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| Singles from A Dream Is All We Know | ||||
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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]
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.
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 and Sagittarius 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] The experimental nature of Swedish pop group Tages' 1967 album Studio was additionally cited as a strong influence in the recording of the album. [5] [7]
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. [8] [9] Sean Ono Lennon recorded and co-produced the track, "In the Eyes of the Girl" at his upstate New York studio. [10] 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. [9] [11]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 80/100 [12] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| NME | |
| Far Out | |
| The List | |
| The Times | |
| The Telegraph | |
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". [12] 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". [13] 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." [14] The Guardian listed A Dream Is All We Know as one of their best albums from the first half of 2024. [18]
"My Golden Years", the album's first single, drew particular critical praise. Anthony Fantano ranked "My Golden Years" at number 13 on his year-end list of best singles from 2024. [19] In December 2024, James Poniewozik wrote in the New York Times that the song was "the soundtrack of my year". [20]
| Publication/critic | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOJO | 75 Best Albums of 2024 | 8 | [21] |
| Rough Trade UK | Albums of the Year 2024 | 39 | [22] |
| Anthony Fantano | Top 50 Albums of 2024 | 39 | [23] |
| Paste | 40 Best Rock Albums of 2024 | 20 | [24] |
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..
| No. | Title | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Golden Years" | Michael | 3:13 |
| 2. | "They Don't Know How to Fall in Place" | Brian | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Church Bells" | Michael | 2:07 |
| 4. | "A Dream Is All I Know" | Brian | 3:43 |
| 5. | "Sweet Vibration" | Brian | 2:48 |
| 6. | "In the Eyes of the Girl" | Michael | 3:04 |
| 7. | "If You and I Are Not Wise" | Brian and Michael | 2:41 |
| 8. | "How Can I Love Her More" | Michael | 2:48 |
| 9. | "Ember Days" | Brian | 2:55 |
| 10. | "Peppermint Roses" | Michael | 2:32 |
| 11. | "I Should've Known Right from the Start" | Brian | 2:36 |
| 12. | "Rock On (Over and Over)" | Michael | 2:21 |
| Total length: | 34:23 | ||
Credits adapted from A Dream Is All We Know album liner notes. [27]
The Lemon Twigs
Additional work
| Additional musicians
|
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Hot Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [28] | 82 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [29] | 9 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) [30] | 24 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [31] | 7 |
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