A Dream Is All We Know Explained

A Dream Is All We Know
Type:studio
Artist:the Lemon Twigs
Cover:A Dream Is All We Know.jpg
Border:yes
Alt:A plain photo with stark lighting of two adult brothers playfully posing against a white wall by leaning camera left while one does a headstand.
Genre:Power pop
Length:34:23
Label:Captured Tracks
Producer:
Prev Title:Everything Harmony
Prev Year:2023

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.[1] 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.[2]

The album, which was released to favorable reviews from critics, draws sonic inspiration from late-1960s power pop and progressive rock. 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. Musical styles of the album's songs include power pop ("My Golden Years")[4] and doo-wop ("In the Eyes of the Girl"). 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]

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] Sean Ono Lennon recorded and co-produced the track, "In the Eyes of the Girl" at his upstate New York studio.[8] 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] [10]

Critical reception

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". 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". 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."

The Guardian listed A Dream Is All We Know as one of their best albums from the first half of 2024.[11]

Personnel

The Lemon Twigs

Additional work

Additional musicians

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[12] 82

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Lemon Twigs Share New Song "My Golden Years": Listen . January 2, 2024.
  2. Web site: Teder . Camryn . The Lemon Twigs' reference points on their new album Interview . The Line of Best Fit . May 2, 2024 . May 2, 2024.
  3. News: Chick . Stevie . 'Who wants to stare at a computer?' Pop duo the Lemon Twigs on the joys of analogue life . May 6, 2024 . The Guardian . May 2, 2024.
  4. Web site: Chelosky . Danielle . The Lemon Twigs Share New Song "My Golden Years": Listen . Stereogum . May 7, 2024 . en . January 2, 2024.
  5. Web site: Campbell . Eric . The Lemon Twigs Are Broadening Their Imaginations . Paper . May 7, 2024 . February 7, 2024.
  6. Web site: The Love In My Mind: CLASH Meets The Lemon Twigs . Clash Magazine . June 21, 2024 . June 20, 2024.
  7. Web site: Friedman . Gabe . The Lemon Twigs sound like your favorite '60s band. They're fine with that . Brooklyn Magazine . May 6, 2024 . May 3, 2024.
  8. Web site: NYC Duo The Lemon Twigs Release Latest Album "A Dream Is All We Know" Featuring Sean Lennon . NYS Music . May 7, 2024 . en-us . March 6, 2024.
  9. Web site: The Lemon Twigs talk with Shindig!'s Jon 'Mojo' Mills about 'A Dream Is All We Know' . YouTube . May 14, 2024 . en . May 2, 2024.
  10. Web site: I Interviewed The Lemon Twigs! . YouTube . May 14, 2024 . en . May 3, 2024.
  11. News: Ahmed . Aneesa . Beaumont-Thomas . Ben . Petridis . Alexis . Clements . Andrew . The best albums of 2024 so far . June 12, 2024 . The Guardian . June 12, 2024.
  12. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of May 8, 2024. Billboard Japan. ja. May 8, 2024.