Part of me wishes Chris Carrabba was still with Further Seems Forever. But another part of me is happy that Dashboard Confessional is doing so well. Actually "so well" doesn't even seem to begin to explain how well Chris's Dashboard Confessional is doing. Starting out on Fiddler Records, then moving onto Drive-Thru Records (MCA) then finally ending up on Vagrant Records, Dashboard has something everyone seems to want. That something is the songwriting and passionate vocals of Chris Carrabba. Chris has what is probably one of the most powerful and emotional voices in indie rock today.
On this release Dashboard introduces full-instrumentation (bass, drums and acoustic guitar) for the first time on quite a few songs. Two of the songs, "Screaming Infidelities" and "Again I Go Unnoticed" also appear on the first full length. But the versions on this release, in my opinion, are the better versions.
The one thing that kind of gets to me, but that also probably gets Dashboard many of its fans is the fact that a majority of the songs revolve around the same topic...that being "lost love". Relationships gone bad seem to be Chris's specialty and he does a great job at relating the feelings and emotion involved with relationships, especially those that don't work out, across to his listeners. It seems like everyone can relate to these songs in some way or another, and if you can't then you're probably only going to be annoyed by the songs. But the way things seem to be going a lot more people are relating to the songs as opposed to being turned off by them.
Probably a little more upbeat than Pedro the Lion and Denison Witmer, a lot less folk than Damien Jurado and a little less innovative than Elliott Smith. Dashboard still has that something that the kids just can't get enough of. If you're not already familiar with Dashboard Confessional by the end of this summer I guarantee you will be if this kind of thing is up your alley. My opinion is that everyone needs to give this album a listen and come to their own conclusions.
A-
Other coverage for this album
The Rebel Base 2001Reviewed by AmberDashboard Confessional is basically one guy with a guitar and some extra "background" people added in, which makes this an excellent solo effort. You may recognize Dashboard's main man, Chris Carrabba. He broke away from emo/punk band Further Seems Forever and this is what resulted, Dashboard Confessional. This album is mainly based on love and heartbreak. The album starts with "The Brilliant…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by Nate BaileyThe follow-up album to "Swiss Army Romance," this newest release from Dashboard Confessional is fantastic. If you haven't heard Dashboard Confessional before, it's the project of one main guy Chris Carrabba and is predominately acoustic guitar. This time around the music features more drum and bass accompaniment than the first, but if you think that changes things negatively, think again. The…Decapolis 2001Reviewed by JamesIf there is one thing that sets this disk apart from the last four thousand acoustic-driven albums that have come out in the last hour it is this: Carrabba shatters the assumption that "acoustic" means "folk music". Bravo! Dashboard Confessional's latest full-length is testament to the fact that you don't have to emulate Bob Dylan (eat that David Gray) to write stuff that would do well on MTV…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Ken MuellerHave you ever had your heart ripped out and stomped on? Have you ever been dumped big time? Have you ever had someone you are deeply in love with cheat on you? Ever been told "I only want to be friends, I'm not ready for a relationship?" If so, then you will either love this disc or want to stay away from it at all costs. Chris Carrabba, the driving force behind Dashboard Confessional, has…Similar sounding releases
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