CD Review: Dashboard Confessional – Dusk and Summer

Dashboard Confessional became the emo darlings of the TRL generation after the release of "Screaming Infidelities" in 2001. Lead singer Christopher Carrabba is at the heart of the band. He is joined by bassist Scott Schoenbeck, guitarist/pianist Johnny Lefler, and drummer Mike Marsh. It was the band's contribution of the hit single "Vindication" to 2004's Spiderman 2 Soundtrack that introduced them to a wider audience. The song peaked on the charts at number two.

One of the main characteristics of Chris Carrabba's music is his commitment to chronicling young love and its inevitable end. He seems to give his heart to the worst woman available each and every time. However, there are occasions on Dusk and Summmer when Carrabba and producer Don Gilmore seem to try and change the musical style by adding a loud acoustic guitar and yelling vocals to a track.

The song "Don't Wait" is one such track where Carrabba sings over all of the noise and distortion. "Don't wait/ The road is now a sudden sea/ And suddenly you're deep enough to lay your armor down." Unfortunately, the lack of vocal variety on each of the tracks makes it difficult to point out differences from song to song. Regardless, when Carrabba is able to connect with the listener, he does so in a memorable and powerful way – either through his gut-wrenching delivery or his deep emotive angst.

It is the quieter tracks that allow Carrabba to express himself without worrying about making the sound bigger. The title track, "Dusk and Summer," enables Chris to utilize his clear vocal style without being drowned out by heavy guitars or overblown instrumentation. Unlike many of the album's other tracks, "Dusk and Summer" replaces the usual theme of romantic failure with one of regret and nostalgia. With lyrics like, "Some things tie your life together/ In slender threads of things to treasure/ Days like that should last and last and last," the emo feel Dashboard fans expect is present, but in a more mature form.

Article Author: Rebecca Wright

Rebecca is a freelance writer, concentrating in the areas of film, television and music criticism. Her B.A. is in the Humanities with an emphasis in film and writing.She holds an M.A. in American and British literature with an emphasis in dystopian …

Visit Rebecca Wright's author page — Rebecca Wright's Blog