Dumbing Up [ENHANCED] [IMPORT]

World Party

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 31, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B00004VVHZ
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #177,758 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Karl Wallinger is the man to contact if you misplace your Beatles "Blue album" and need a quick '60s-like adult-pop fix. Dumbing Up, World Party's fifth album and the first since Robbie Williams stormed the charts with Wallinger's "She's the One," reaffirms his Lennonesque knack for memorable melodies and a hopeful perspective, exemplified by the "Dear Prudence" musicality and post-millennium apprehension of "Another 1000 Years." Bob Dylan fans, meanwhile, will be tickled by the tragicomic "Tombstone Blues"-style "Who Are You." The guitars of "What Does It Mean Now" will have Neil Young saying "no trespassing." Even Rolling Stones' fans needn't feel excluded, for "Always on My Mind," a show-stopping eight-minute plea for eco-awareness, peace, and spirituality, showcases Wallinger's best Mick Jagger vocal affectation. --Kevin Maidment

Product Description
Long awaited fifth album from alternative act featuring Karl Wallinger (ex-World Party). Includes the first single 'Here Comes The Future'. Past releases include the 1990 album 'Goodbye Jumbo' (featured in Q's 100 best British albums ever and in Mojo's best 1000 albums in the world ever) and their last album release 'Egyptology' (1996) which includes the original version of Robbie Williams' huge hit 'She's The One'. 2000 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the One, February 13, 2004

By	"playloudrepeat" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

The only problem with World Party's music is the leisurely pace at which new material emerges. I have read all of the previous reviews of Dumbing Up, and here is my take.

First, I agree that the single Here Comes the Future does not mesh with the rest of the tracks. All of the World Party CDs after Private Revolution have a track or two that heads into Motown/soul/Prince territory with the falsetto singing. Those are not necessarily the tracks that I hit repeat on either.

But downgrading this CD because it does not measure up to the classic Private Revolution or Goodbye Jumbo is just crazy. What other artists out there are making music this good in the pop genre? I listen to tons of music, World Party has few equals.

Just for the record, on Dumbing Up, there are three songs that are as good as anything World Party has done, and that's saying a lot in my book: What Does It Mean Now, the very prescient Who are You, and See the Light. The rest of the CD is merely terrific. Take it off your CD player for a month or so (I did too), then put it back on after you're done with Radiohead and Verve Pipe and Starsailor and whoever else you are fancying these days. Five stars all the way.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A welcome World Party return..., November 16, 2000

By A Customer

This album has some very strong performances from Kurt, and a welcome return back to the form of 'Goodbye Jumbo' and 'Bang'.

I felt on 'Egyptology' he really had nothing to say...good, safe melodies with absolutely no lyrical depth. This album finds him back to true form. Inspired Lyrics, strong melodies that grab you from the very first listen.

Don't be thrown off by the opening track...the rest of the album is nothing like it. In fact, after the first few listens I've programmed out the 1st and last song, which seem a little out of place with the rest of the album.

This album should be well received by critics and loyal fans, and should gain him some new ones along the way.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tunesmith Karl Wallinger Comes Through Again, September 16, 2000

By	"andyofdg" (Downers Grove, IL United States) - See all my reviews

World Party's new release features the catchy tunes, the soulful vocals and the often insightful lyrics of Karl Wallinger. The heavy Beatles influence on Wallinger is nothing he needs to apologize for. The arrangements are very modern and World Party albums are loaded with innovation.

The opening song, "Here Comes The Future" has you humming along after the first listen and is further augmented with a few rap verses. "Another 1000 Years" instantly brings the Beatles "Baby You're A Rich Man" into your mind. Karl Wallinger is also heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. Another favorite of mine from "Dumbing Up" is a song called "Who Are You?", which is done in a style reminiscent of Dylan in his "Highway 61 Revisited" era.

In the song "Who Are You?", Wallinger asks: "Are you the problem or the answer? Who are you?" Wallinger is clearly the answer for the person who loves leading edge rock music with real melodies, great individual vocals and harmonies, innovative studio work and meaningful lyrics. No one is doing a better job satisfying the person who appreciates these things today than Karl Wallinger and World Party.