"Dumb it Down" is the fifteenth solo LP by Eric Copeland of Black Dice, released in 2020 by Post Present Medium. Nimble, persuasive, and brisk, these ten songs bounce along with a charm and directness that's entirely unprecedented in Eric's 20+ year career. The evocative, carnival loops that have defined his solo work for the past decade are joined here by the organic warmth of a nylon string guitar and breezy vocals that make no attempt to hide the laughter behind the words. It's captivating, and Eric's sense of catching and holding attention has truly never been stronger than on this record - he's chatty and sly, direct yet never exposed. Rooted in everyday life, these songs dart between enthusiasm and resignation, a deeply relatable contradiction of spirit. While this tension could derail a lesser record, Eric uses it to his advantage, constructing songs that feel casual and unrelenting in equal measure. It's the balance found in "Louie Louie" and Flipper's "Sex Bomb" that make this a wonderful Outsider Pop Music gem.
