Dumbing Up Explained

Dumbing Up
Type:	studio
Artist:	World Party
Cover:	Dumbing Up World Party.png
Released:	30 October 2000
Genre:	Rock
Label:	Papillon Seaview^[1]
Producer:	Karl Wallinger
Prev Title:	Egyptology
Prev Year:	1997
Next Title:	Best in Show
Next Year:	2007

Dumbing Up is the fifth and final studio album by World Party, released in 2000 on Karl Wallinger's own record label.^{[2] [3]}

Release and promotion

The album was supported by the single "Here Comes the Future" which included non-album b-side "Nothing Lasts Forever".

The album was re-released in 2006 with new track listing and bonus DVD with the music videos. In addition to changing the song sequence, the 2006 release of Dumbing Up drops the tracks "All the Love That's Wasted" and"Little Bit of Perfection", and replaces them with "'Til I Got You" and "I Thought You Were a Spy".

The re-release was supported with a new single "Best Place I've Ever Been" with non-album live tracks as b-sides.

Reception

The album peaked at No. 64 on the UK Albums Chart.^[4]

NPR wrote that "with great melodies and astute lyrics, Dumbing Up is cause for celebration."^[5] The Guardian wrote that the songs, while tuneful, "display a dogged determination to ignore the last 30 years of pop."^[6] The Washington Post thought that "once again [Wallinger] revels in Have a Nice Day-era sounds."^[1]

Track listing

2000 Release

All songs written by Karl Wallinger, except "Here Comes the Future" written by Wallinger, Somerset, Gorman & Burnett.

1. "Here Comes the Future" – 4:44
2. "What Does It Mean Now?" – 4:59
3. "Another 1000 Years" – 5:29
4. "High Love" – 6:51
5. "Best Place I've Ever Been" – 3:31
6. "You're a Hurricane, I'm a Caravan" – 4:00
7. "Who are You?" – 5:08
8. "See the Light" – 5:19
9. "Santa Barbara" – 4:17
10. "All the Love that's Wasted" – 4:33
11. "Little Bit of Perfection" – 5:26
12. "Always on My Mind" – 8:34

2006 Release

1. "Another 1000 Years" – 5:30
2. "What Does It Mean Now?" – 4:59
3. "'Til I Got You" – 3:42
4. "Who Are You?" – 5:06
5. "Here Comes the Future" – 4:44
6. "I Thought You Were a Spy" – 3:32
7. "High Love" – 6:50
8. "Best Place I've Ever Been" – 3:26
9. "Santa Barbara" – 4:23
10. "You're a Hurricane, I'm a Caravan" – 4:02
11. "See the Light" – 5:19
12. "Always on My Mind" – 8:34

Notes and References

1. Web site: WORLD PARTY "Dumbing Up" Seaview - The Washington Post.
2. Web site: World Party | Biography & History. AllMusic.
3. Web site: The 70s Shall Rise Again! Grizzly Bear's Shields, World Party, and Classic Pop-Rock’s Resurgence. Bruce. Handy. Vanity Fair.
4. Web site: WORLD PARTY | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company. www.officialcharts.com.
5. Web site: World Party and Allison Moorer in Concert. NPR.org.
6. Web site: Pop roundup | The Guardian | guardian.co.uk. www.theguardian.com.