Most people see Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional in one of two ways. With his heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics and distinct vocal stylings, he either annoys the hell out of listeners or solidifies his status as a genuine rock 'n roll-poet sex god. Either way, Carrabba's latest endeavor, the 11-track Dusk and Summer, can appeal to either camp, showing a more mature side of the emotional singer.
The album, released this past June, features sounds that are heavier than those of Dashboard albums past. While more in the vein of 2003's A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar than his Swiss Army Romance days, Carrabba's latest is a welcome advance for the group's heartfelt sound. A departure from the expected subtlety of acoustic guitars, Dusk and Summer rocks with amped-up vocals, guitars and drums, but still manages to present the sweetly delicate feelings Dashboard Confessional fans have come to know and love.
The album opens with "Don't Wait," a single that is already infiltrating radio waves and quickly becoming this summer's anthem. Carrabba's voice gets a bit whiny toward the middle of the song, reminding listeners of the overplayed and, it can be disputed, grating sounds of James Blunt. Overall, though, the song's energy and soul overcome any slightly annoying qualities. This energy continues with "Reason to Believe" and "The Secret's in the Telling," two tracks that use driving rhythms and melodies to strongly supplement Carrabba's raw lyrics and vocals.
"Stolen" reins in the album with a softer, breathier feel. Exhibiting an almost desperate quality in his voice, Carrabba sings "I watch you spin around/ In the highest heels/ You are the best one/ Of the best ones … You have stolen my heart," resulting in a song that most girls wouldn't mind the emotive vocalist singing to them.
The highlight of Dusk and Summer is, without a doubt, "So Long, So Long," featuring the unmistakable voice of Counting Crows front man Adam Duritz. The song is catchy without being annoying, heartfelt without the sap and strong without pretentiousness. The unique vocals of both singers meld seamlessly, making their collaboration one of Dashboard's best songs, period.
Carrabba takes a political stand with "Slow Decay," a song he described to Rolling Stone magazine as "less about war than it is … about a soldier." Carrabba claims to be "just as fed up as anybody else," and the song serves as a conversation between a soldier and his father. "It's the simple things Dad/ I'm not hurt, I'm not dead … And I didn't hate those that I killed/ But they're all dead now and I'm here alive/ With satellites and Friday nights and no one to judge me … So how can I live with that?" The album's driving sounds are highlighted in the sentiment of the song's lyrics, a welcome deviation from Dashboard's usual songs about unrequited love and the ones that got away.
That's not to say this newest addition to Dashboard Confessional's résumé isn't filled with its share of songs about heartbreak and relationships. With lyrics like "And I will leave under the cover/ Of summer's kiss upon the sky/ Like the stone face of your lover/ Just before she says goodbye" and "My capillaries scream … My heart is sturdy but it needs you to survive," the emo side of Carrabba still shines through the album's tracks.
If there is a fault with Dusk and Summer, it can most easily be found in the album's length. Despite being a normal 11 tracks, the CD is only 40 minutes long, ending just as listeners really start to feel its groove. However, in its defense, Dusk and Summer is seamless, providing an impressive smoothness that keeps listeners gliding from track to track without uncomfortable breaks or choppiness.
Dusk and Summer is an admirable and welcome step forward for Chris Carrabba and the rest of Dashboard Confessional. The effort provides Dashboard's staple components of poetic lyrics and pounding vocals and mixes them with a stronger and edgier sound. This new style will only serve to benefit the group, as it is just different enough to reel in new fans while keeping current fans hooked. It is not to be missed.
4 out of 5