Dashboard Confessional

Item: The Swiss Army Romance
Author: Josh Hurst

The Swiss Army Romance

(2000)

Reviewed by Josh Hurst

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify

Label Drive-Thru Records / Fiddler RecordsThe Rebel Base2002

acoustic emo singer-songwriter

If you are an amateur singer/songwriter/guitarist who has ever aspired to hit the big time, Dashboard Confessional should prove to you, once and for all, that it can be done. If Dashboard can do it, anyone can do it. That's not to say that Dashboard Confessional is not talented. In fact, he's extremely talented. His success is amazing due to all of the factors at work against him.

For one thing, Dashboard Confessional is not a band. It's one man. He sings. He plays the acoustic guitar. That's all there is throughout most of his first album, The Swiss Army Romance. He occasionally brings in a keyboardist or a background singer, but most of his music is literally just him and his guitar. Yet Dashboard Confessional has a hit video on MTV ("Screaming Infidelities"), and his popularity is growing everyday. Skeptics said that such a simple, stripped-down sound would never catch on. But it obviously did.

Another thing working against Dashboard was... his own doubts. I don't think Mr. Confessional ever dreamed that he would be even remotely popular. The man put his own, personal Hotmail address on the lyrics insert of the CD. You don't catch U2 or P.O.D. doing that, now do you?

Having said all that, I'm immensely thankful that Dashboard did make it. Most music these days is pretty gimmicky. Too many bands are worried about making political statements, or trying to get a piece of the current fad of the month, or laying down so many hip-hop beats and cool samples that the actual music is hard to get to. The Swiss Army Romance is not like that at all. It's not about scoring radio singles, or religious propagandizing, or any of that. It's about the music. Emotional vocals. Simple acoustic guitar strumming. Poetry. Melody.

Dashboard's real name is Chris Carrabba. If you recognize that name, it's probably because he used to be the lead singer for emo/rock band Further Seems Forever. I'm not a big emo-maniac, and I've never even heard Further Seems Forever, but from what little I do know about emo, Chris' music is the cream of the crop. Sure, this album lacks the sonic diversity of The Juliana Theory, and the songs aren't quite as catchy as Jimmy Eat World, but Dashboard Confessional certainly gets the emotion down. Isn't that what emo is all about - emotion? Well, after hearing Chris Carrabba play, The Juliana Theory may seem downright sterile. Chris puts more of himself and his emotions into his music than any other artist I know of, with the possible exceptions of U2, Luna Halo, and perhaps a handful of others. It's evident in his voice, his lyrics, and his guitar.

The closest comparison I can make to The Swiss Army Romance is Jars of Clay's first record. The two CD's don't have a whole lot in common, but they're both entirely acoustic. Dashboard Confessional's music is not quite as musically adventurous - he doesn't include the drum loops, strings, and chanting monks on his record. Fortunately, his sparse sound works for him. It puts the focus on his incredible lyrics and his voice - right where the emphasis should be. And just when things start to get a little bit repetitive, Chris shakes things up a bit with some help from backing vocalist Jolie Lindholm (who also has her own band, Rocking Horse Winner). There is also room for a keys player on a song or two.

The real attraction here is Chris Carrabba's strong lyrics. Any serious Dashboard Confessional fan will tell you how moving Chris' lyrics can be. While the songs are mostly about breakups and love lost, which is a huge emo cliche, they're just so compelling! I can't really explain it, but, more than any other lyricist I know of, Dashboard Confessional's lyrics seem undeniably genuine and honest. He really has been there, and he really has done that. And though some may find his songs to be a little bit too melancholy, they're also somewhat inspiring. Listening to Chris work through his problems makes it easier, somehow, to work through your own problems.

Side note: Though most of Dashboard's lyrics are fairly "serious," he also has a good sense of humor. My favorite lyric on the CD is, "I'll sit alone and wonder how you're making out/ and as for me, I wish that I was anywhere, with anyone, making out."

It may be a little repetitive for the more impatient listeners among you, but The Swiss Army Romance is an absolutely fantastic CD. It's brilliantly understated, it's dripping with raw emotion, and it's creative and deep. I only wish I'd heard of the album sooner (I didn't get it until it was two years old). I hope you'll give it a listen. And as for me, I wish that I was anywhere, with anyone, making out...

Josh's Score: 4.5/5