Music Review: Dashboard Confessional - "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most"

There was not much to like on Dashboard Confessional's debut album, but I forged onward into their catalog to see if and when they turn things around in the formula. This second album called "The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most" is my worst Dashboard Confessional fear come true: it's pretty much the same as the first album, even features two of the same songs. Here is my song by song, note jotting critique.

"The Brilliant Dance": In this emo moment one can imagine the singer has a sneer to go with his heartache. This song blends soft observation with irritation driven angst. This song meanders on for too long.

"Screaming Infidelities": This song was also featured on their first album. It is kind of annoying, but can easily get stuck in your mind as well. This is the first song I think of when I think of Dashboard Confessional.

"The Best Deceptions": The strength of Dashboard confessional at his point in their release history relies on clever wordplay and the lyrical connection made with an audience primarily made up of people aching from failed relationships. This song is another notch on the belt, but it doesn't spank. I do like the part where he points out "I guess I should have heard of that from you." Production value has improved slightly on this second studio release.

"This Ruined Puzzle": This song is the same as all of the other guitar strumming mope-fests, only he sings quieter.

"Saints and Sailors": Easier on the ears than many of his other vocals, but still stuck in the same holding pattern as far as the material over all.

"The Good Fight": As with Saints and Sailors I find this tune better than the early tracks of the album, but it's still not covering any new ground in terms of content or delivery. Sure, there is a lot of substance to all of the music accompanied poems, but it's not getting conveyed in a manner befitting of entertainment or true emotional connection for me.

"Standard Lines": Maybe the pace of this song was a bit different than others, he takes a longer breath between stanzas and lets the music play for a bit, but then right back to whine-whine-whine.

"Again I Go Unnoticed": This is another song carried over from their first album. It was filler there and it feels like filler here as well, even with the title that probably once upon a time spoke out to a teen audience.

"The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most": The female background vocal accompaniment was a good move on this one, sells the chorus and title of the song above and beyond the rest of the album. Such a simple thing makes such a big impact due to lowered expectations I suppose. The lead dude's cry baby wailing in the last portion of the song though is dreadful.

"The Bitter Pill": This song is a bitter pill, cure nothing that ails you, though when it ends so to does the album, and I guess that is an ailment soothed. The singer lets his voice crack on this song that I supposed is meant to convey how into it he really is, but it's is pathetic, an awful sound.