The Quintessential Indietronica Album
Or maybe it’s just Dumb Luck
One of the most annoying things in the world is talking to someone about music who loves to point out that they listen to bands/artists you’ve never heard of and hold it over your head…unless you’re the person that’s being a pretentious douche, in which case it’s awesome. Either way, this week’s quintessential album will give you some ammo to combat the other side. That’s because the average music fan hasn’t heard of Dntel. It is far more likely, however that the name Jimmy Tamborello will ring a bell. Yes, the same guy that collaborates with Ben Gibbard to form The Postal Service.
In listening to Dntel’s work, you can definitely hear similarities between this and The Postal Service. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the two are one in the same, though. Dntel is distinctly different in that the songs are much more subtly layered with electronic effects. Also, the vocals aren’t as prominent as in The Postal Service. Dumb Luck is easily my favorite of Dntel’s three albums because it leans away from the random noise and beat elements of electronica just enough to let some indie rock come through for a mix that isn’t distinctly indie or electronica. Granted, the beats are still there, but the mix isn’t as…well…annoying as electronica can be at times.
Weighing in at nine tracks and just over 40 minutes, Dumb Luck never gets repetitive. Each track is a distinct musical offering and all but two of the tracks feature guest performers…including Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst. Each track seems to be tailored to fit the style of the guest performer. “Roll On” for example, which features Jenny Lewis, lets a simple acoustic guitar accompany the vocal track, while building a landscape of 8-bit chirping, subtle percussion and even what sounds like a xylophone.
Dumb Luck is a perfect album for two different occasions. You’ll want to play this one when someone is talking about how good The Postal Service is, because it shows that you know music and will give you some indie kid street cred. Also, it shows that you’re better than them because you listen to Dntel. The album is also a great listen in the fall, when you don’t feel like listening to something fast and upbeat. The mellow tone is fantastic for those days when you just want to veg out and listen to some music.
Posted by Cory Roop on Oct 24, 2008 @ 12:00 am
