Dashboard Confessional's Dusk and Summer: A Great CD!

If you were a fan of Dashboard Confessional when they released their first album, you think one of two things about them now. Either you hate, or you love the fact that few of their new songs are acoustic. Anyone will admit that was a large part of their original style, but their last album "A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar" marked a transition, and many of the original fans will be pleased, or saddened to learn "Dusk and Summer" isn't any different.

The lead singer and creator of Dashboard Confessional, Chris Carraba, started the band on the side of his full time gig "Further Seems Forever" as a full acoustic band. He had drums, and other acoustic guitars, but never electric. Later he released "Swiss Army Romance" with a few electric, and in the next album went to mostly electric. It's really a matter of taste, but overtime his music really has evolved, and Dusk and Summer takes it up a notch.

If this is your first time listening to Dashboard Confessional, a word of warning. It takes time to get used to. All the albums do, and if you don't like this one, I really recommend getting A mark, A mission, A brand, A scar. It really is their best album to date. I really enjoy DC, but their newest album did take me some time to get used to. I really wasn't that impressed when I first listened to it, but I went to one of their concerts, and heard them live, and really liked them. I went back and listened to the CD over again, and really enjoyed it. It's not as "emo" as the kids like to call it, so over all it's a much more desirable CD, especially to new listeners.

The lyrics have improved over time, and Chris still has his knack for painting pictures and stories with words, and he puts real emotion into his singing to back it up. The songs range from very complex, to beautifully simple in Dusk and Summer, one of my favorite (and acoustic!) songs from the CD. It still amazes me how they put so much feeling into their songs, and that's what has really made them so popular. He may not have the best voice, but once you get used to it, you really don't care. His style just works and it's something you won't be able to find in another band.

In the end, nothings really been lost by going mostly electric. DC has always been about the emotion, and that still shines through clear in this album. If your a fan of DC at all, you'll want this album, and if your not, still take a look at it or one of their older ones. Download a few of their songs, but make sure you play them a few times. Its slower music, but it won't put you to sleep. If you pay attention, you can see how complex the music really is. Dashboard confessional is all about the details, and that's what makes their music so great.