Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba Enjoys Working At Fast Pace

Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba wasn't talking to us when he toured through Canada a while back. But that was due to a cold that kept him quiet until he hit the stage. So instead we went 21st century and got some email time with Carrabba to talk about new album The Shade Of Poison Trees and his style of music.

ChartAttack: The Shade Of Poison Trees was written, recorded and released fairly quickly. What sparked the decision to get it out so fast, and did it feel rushed?
Carrabba: The recording and release of this album is the most natural process I have ever been through while making an album.

What caused the return to the stripped-down sound that you've been moving away from in other albums?
I found my way back to that naturally, which is what set the tone for the album's production and release. I never wanted to rush back to this style of songwriting. I was patient and I waited until it felt inviting again. It was very nice to return to it.

How do you feel The Shade Of Poison Trees fits in with the albums you have created? How do you feel about this disc?
I feel like it fits quite nicely with the rest of my albums, maybe even better than the last one.

I also saw that you say you are already well into writing yet another album. Should we expect a new Dashboard Confessional album in 2008? Do you enjoy the fast pace of constantly writing and recording?
I do enjoy the pace of it. I always have. I have always enjoyed working at this pace. The only time I find it difficult is when I am told to slow down.

As you get older and more experienced, how do you feel your songwriting and music is changing?
It's harder than you might think to assess those kinds of things in your own writing. It's like when you see your nephew for the first time in a month and notice how much he has grown, while his parents don't notice it because they are with him every day.