Dumbing Up

World Party

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 2, 2006)
• Original Release Date: May 2, 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Seaview
• ASIN: B000EWBKF8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,976 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Another Thousand Years

2. What Does It Mean Now?

3. Til I Got You

4. Who Are You?

5. Here Comes the Future

6. I Thought You Were a Spy

7. High Love

8. Best Place I've Ever Been

9. Santa Barbara

10. You're a Hurricane, I'm a Caravan

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. [DVD]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After being given only a limited UK release four years ago, Dumbing Up has been expanded and is finally available in the US. 2002 was also the year that Karl Wallinger's longrunning, critically lauded and commercially successful World Party fell apart. With this album out and a return to touring, a new generation can be fully exposed to the resonant powers of Wallinger's songs. The first few bars of the opening "Another Thousand Years" make his love of pop smarts, and specifically The Beatles (with its shades of "Baby You're a Rich Man") readily apparent. Elsewhere, there are evident strains of the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and other pillars of well-crafted songs. What makes World Party -- essentially Karl Wallinger -- so compelling is that fact that those influences blend into a singular identity. The references are incorporated into a whole, absorbed, but not hidden. --David Greenberger

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reissue yes, with added limited edition DVD loaded with videos!, May 31, 2006

By	D. Sloan (PORTLAND, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First, this CD is great on it's own, as good as anything in the World Party catalog. It loses a bit of steam toward the end but finishes with the epic 8-1/2-minute "Always On My Mind." Wonderful.

As an "old" fan (I loved World Party back in the late 80's and early 90's), this US release of their 2000 album is welcome, because it caught my eye, whereas I had completely missed the original release. Not only that, but this includes a DVD containing over two hours' worth of material, mostly videos made for songs from all the studio albums, 1987 up through 2000. I suppose the "true" fan who kept up to date by getting this CD on import would have appreciated the DVD being sold separately, but for me, it's a 2-for-1 deal that's quite welcome.

Karl & gang have been away far too long. I'm so glad he's recovered from the aneurysm in 2001! Scary stuff. World Party is on tour this summer (2006) and hopefully we can all say "welcome back" to new songs soon!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars old or new, borrowed or blue - great CD, July 1, 2006

By	Glennrock (ny) - See all my reviews

Whether you refer to this CD as a reissue or a new release matters not, the songs are great. If I missed it the first time around, I am glad I found it this time around. This CD is as good as any in the World Party stable. Welcome back.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, January 16, 2007

By	R Smith "R Smith" (chicago, il) - See all my reviews

The best way to describe World Party is they sound like the Beatles if Bob Dylan and Prince were band members.

There is not a bad or mediocre World Party, although out of the five this one is probably their 2nd best (after Goodbye Jumbo). If you are new to World Party, this is a great place to start - highly recommended.