Dashboard Confessional — Dusk And Summer

More than a year ago, Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba announced that his band would re-record their fourth full-length album, saying that the original version would only appeal to hardcore Dash Con devotees. Those same fans were panicked that Carrabba would abandon his signature songwriting formula (metaphors about struggling + overuse of the word "summer" + the girl who got away = hit) for an even more cliched style. In actual fact, the new Dashboard isn't very different from its forerunner. Sure, the guitars are a little distorted on "Reason To Believe" and there's more of an emphasis on the backing band on the rhythm-heavy anti-war cry, "Slow Decay." Carrabba's lyrics are still sometimes embarrassing ("You have stolen my heart" is the chorus of "Stolen") and he still can't really hit those high notes, but there's something for everyone here. Dusk And Summer is both accessible and personal.

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