Review:

on 2008-04-07 ellesandra Said:

After five years of waiting since Life is Full of Possibilities, Dntel, or James Tamborello, released Dumb Luck in 2007 on Subpop Records. Beating Life is Full of Possibilities was hard to do, and it seems as though Dumb Luck may have not come as close as expected by fans and critics alike. The album is not a disappointment, just somewhat hard to depict. Listeners may find it more meaningful after several good, hearty listens, in the first few listenings emotions feel almost muddled together. However, emotions surface as though they were trapped beneath the dream-esque, layered, and dense drumbeats and sequences that seem to control the album. Dumb Luck has a mix tape feel to it, as though it was crafted and put together piece by piece, with one track leading directly into the next, yet is still very unpredictable.

Songs are hard to find meaning in, even in the opening track, entitled Dumb Luck, its hard to tell if its all about feeling as though Tamborellos success in bulk is just that - dumb luck - or if hes going for a more apathetic view on the music industry itself, as some stumble upon it, get eaten alive in it, or somehow make it out without a scratch&or if its reminiscent on the music industry at all even. Tamborello has once again brought together a varied and talented group of appearances on Dumb Luck, including: Conor Oberst, Lali Puna, Mia Tai Dodd, Jenny Lewis, and lead singer of Grizzly Bear. In Roll On it seems as though Tamborello had little to do with the making at all, he seems to have fallen into the background music while letting Jenny Lewis take control of the track, as is in Breakfast in Bed, but this time with Conor Oberst. This doesnt qualify tracks with appearances as a failures&it just almost feels as though the songs lack what truly makes Dntel& and thats Jimmy himself.
Rating: 6/10