Only in Dreams (Dum Dum Girls album)

Only in Dreams is the second album by Dum Dum Girls,[1] released on September 27, 2011 by Sub Pop.

Only in Dreams
Studio album by Dum Dum Girls
Released	September 27, 2011
Recorded	2011
Genre	Indie pop
Length	36:30
Label	Sub Pop
Producer	Richard Gottehrer and Sune Rose Wagner
Dum Dum Girls chronology
He Gets Me High (2011) Only in Dreams (2011) End of Daze (2012)
Singles from Only in Dreams
"Coming Down" Released: September 27, 2011 "Bedroom Eyes" Released: September 26, 2011

Two singles were released from the album. "Coming Down" was issued for streaming on July 19, 2011, and then a 7" was given away with pre-orders and first pressings of the album, on September 27.[2] [3]

"Bedroom Eyes" was issued for streaming on August 30, 2011,[4][5] followed by a promo single distributed on September 26.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Consequence of Sound	[7]
The Guardian	[8]
musicOMH	[9]
New York Times	Positive[10]
NME	[11]
Pitchfork	7.6/10[12]
PopMatters	[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]
Spin	[15]

The album received generally positive reviews upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 74 based on 26 reviews, which indicates "Generally favorable reviews".[16]

Spin awarded the album a rating of 8 out of 10, writing, "Gundred's richer-than-you-expect voice is the key to these jagged little pillows, whether dryly noting that a guy's 'Just a Creep,' soaring on 'Coming Down,' or lacing her echoes with sorrow on 'Hold Your Hand,' a reflection on her mother's death."[15] In Lindsay Zoladz's 7.6-out-of-10 review, Pitchfork lauded the album's melodic risks within the genre of garage rock revival, "Only in Dreams isn't a perfect record, but a little while down the line it might end up looking like the beginning of something-- the first steps forward for the band, or perhaps a raising of the bar for this entire revival. I wouldn't put it past Dee Dee to be the leader of the pack."[12] The New York Times echoed this viewpoint in Jon Caramanica's positive review, which stated, "Only in Dreams ... seethes with a beautiful, raging confidence, louder and fuller than anything they’ve done before, and better than the onetime peers they’re leaving behind."[10] musicOMH's Gareth Ware's 4-out-of-5 review also agreed that "[Only in Dreams] showcases a remarkably assured collection of songs."[9]

AllMusic was more critical of the Dum Dum Girls' new direction: "All this realness could be a deal breaker especially since Only in Dreams isn’t a fun and immediately enjoyable album like I Will Be was."[6] PopMatters wasn't impressed with the overall sound of the album, saying, "Everything is layered and burnished into an eardrum-blasting sameness. There are no standouts or outright bombs, just 10 Dum Dum Girls songs; no more, no less.".[13] Joe Marvilli from Consequence of Sound, in a negative review, felt thatOnly in Dreams needed more variety, stating, "You can only take so many variations of the same theme."[7]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dee Dee.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Always Looking"	2:21
2.	"Bedroom Eyes"	3:58
3.	"Just a Creep"	2:56
4.	"In My Head"	3:48
5.	"Heartbeat (Take It Away)"	2:51
6.	"Caught in One"	3:44
7.	"Coming Down"	6:28
8.	"Wasted Away"	3:39
9.	"Teardrops on My Pillow"	2:49
10.	"Hold Your Hand"	3:56

iTunes bonus track[17]

No.	Title	Length
11.	"Crystal Baby"	2:22

Sub Pop bonus 7" vinyl[18]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Coming Down" (Edit)	3:56
2.	"Crystal Baby"	2:22

Personnel

• Dee Dee – vocals, guitar
• Jules – guitar, vocals
• Bambi – bass, vocals
• Sandy – drums, vocals

Engineered by Alonzo Vargas, with assistance from Justin Smith. Mixed by Alonzo Vargas. Mastered by Joe LaPorta.

Release history

Country	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	September 26, 2011 (2011-09-26)	CD, digital download, LP record	Sub Pop
Canada	September 27, 2011 (2011-09-27)
United States

The first 1,900 copies of the LP version of the album were released on light pink vinyl as a "Loser Edition".[19]

References

1. "RECORD L-U-V". Retrieved 2011-08-26.
2. https://pitchfork.com/news/43228-new-dum-dum-girls-coming-down/
3. "COMING DOWN MP3". Retrieved 2011-08-26.
4. "Dum Dum Girls new single "Bedroom Eyes"". Retrieved 2011-08-26.
5. https://pitchfork.com/news/43842-new-dum-dum-girls-bedroom-eyes/
6. Tim Sendra. "Only in Dreams, Dum Dum Girls, AllMusic". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
7. Joe Marvilli (22 September 2011). "Album review: Dum Dum Girls: Only In Dreams: Consequence of Sound". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
8. Maddy Costa (22 September 2011). "Only in Dreams, Dum Dum Girls - review, Music, The Guardian". London. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
9. Gareth Ware. "Dum Dum Girls, Only in Dreams - musicOMH". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
10. Jon Caramancia (3 October 2011). "New Albums by Dum Dum Girls". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
11. Ben Hewitt. "NME Album Reviews - Album Review: Dum Dum Girls: Only in Dreams". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
12. Lindsay Zoladz. "Dum Dum Girls: Only in Dreams, Album Review, Pitchfork". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
13. AJ Ramirez. "Dum Dum Girls: Only in Dreams, PopMatters". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
14. Jon Dolan. "Only in Dreams, Album Reviews, Rolling Stone". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
15. Joe Gross. "Only in Dreams Review: Spin". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
16. "Only in Dreams Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More at Metacritic". Retrieved 21 October 2011.
17. "iTunes Store: Dum Dum Girls - Only in Dreams (Bonus Track Version)". Retrieved 2011-09-22.
18. "Sub Pop Record: Dum Dum Girls: Only In Dreams". Retrieved 2011-09-22.
19. "Sub Pop records: Loser Edition FAQ". Sub Pop. Archived from the original on 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2011-09-18.