2008 Woodie Awards
Newest Dashboard Confessional album
Charlotte Kyle
Issue date: 10/12/07 Section: College Life
- Page 1 of 1
Purchasing a new CD is like a religious experience for me. The CD booklet is my Bible, my Torah, my Quran - I look to it for answers and guidance.
After tearing through the plastic wrap and peeling off the stickers, I instantly remove the insert to peruse the lyrics. Sometimes, I actually wait to listen to the disc until I've chosen a favorite line.
Dashboard Confessional, however, is not my god. I have met plenty of people who elevate Chris Carrabba to such an honor, but, as much as I love "Hands Down," I don't consider him worthy of my worship.
Yes, Carrabba is a talented songwriter and his voice makes little girls cry.
Listening to his music does feel like watching an episode of "The O.C." (and remembering the show's cancellation makes little girls cry, too).
Dashboard Confessional was inarguably the first emo band to attract attention from the mainstream audience and I will never discredit Carrabba for that.
I will say this "The Shade of Poison Trees" is a disappointment, not only in comparison to previous Dashboard albums but also as a stand-alone production.
It begins solidly with "Where There's Gold," instantly claiming my attention and love. It draws the listeners in and engages them with what they think will be an amazing album. It is a false sense of security because "Thick As Thieves" starts two and a half minutes later, and it is all downhill from there.
Each track seems to sound the same. Without looking at the track number changes, it's almost impossible to recognize that a new song has begun.
Carrabba should have recorded a 33-minute song rather than 12 short songs.
I miss Dashboard's previously longer four-or-five-minute tracks, which have been replaced by a series of two-and-a-half minute songs in the new album.
Only one song exceeds three minutes, but a minute of that track could have been cut out and the listener would still get the same effect.
I don't feel anything when I listen to "The Shade of Poison Trees." Maybe I'll mumble lyrics along, since songs like "Fever Dreams" repeat lines several times in a row, and maybe I'll attempt to keep rhythm with my pen as I do my homework, but it doesn't evoke any emotions.
Imogen Heap sang, "Music is worthless unless it can make a complete stranger break down and cry." While I don't think this album is worthless, I definitely feel as if it is lacking what makes an album special.
While the instrumentals are engaging, at times Carrabba's vocals sound like he's bored, as if even he doesn't believe the tragic metaphor he is presenting. It seems like Carrabba had nothing to do on a Tuesday night and decided to record an album. Personally, I would have been watching "House."
The album almost redeems itself in the last three minutes with "The Widow's Peak." It's a beautiful piano track with Carrabba showing more emotion than he does in the rest of the CD as he sings, "We're stronger than before the strain had broken us/ and there is fight in us/ I know."
Fans and critics seem pleased that Dashboard Confessional has returned to the acoustic style that garnered attention for the band years ago.
Complaints that "Dusk and Summer" was overproduced and over the top must have troubled Carrabba, as "The Shade of Poison Trees" returns to simplicity. Unfortunately, this simplicity can come across as simply not caring.
While I don't care about this CD, I know I'll still listen to it. That is the deity power of Dashboard Confessional - I can love one-sixth of the tracks and not care about the others, but I'll still listen to every single one of them.
No note: only if you're desperate.
One note: worth a listen, but don't bother paying for it.
Two notes: a decent record, try before you buy.
Three notes: worth the money.
Four notes: a future classic.
After tearing through the plastic wrap and peeling off the stickers, I instantly remove the insert to peruse the lyrics. Sometimes, I actually wait to listen to the disc until I've chosen a favorite line.
Dashboard Confessional, however, is not my god. I have met plenty of people who elevate Chris Carrabba to such an honor, but, as much as I love "Hands Down," I don't consider him worthy of my worship.
Yes, Carrabba is a talented songwriter and his voice makes little girls cry.
Listening to his music does feel like watching an episode of "The O.C." (and remembering the show's cancellation makes little girls cry, too).
Dashboard Confessional was inarguably the first emo band to attract attention from the mainstream audience and I will never discredit Carrabba for that.
I will say this "The Shade of Poison Trees" is a disappointment, not only in comparison to previous Dashboard albums but also as a stand-alone production.
It begins solidly with "Where There's Gold," instantly claiming my attention and love. It draws the listeners in and engages them with what they think will be an amazing album. It is a false sense of security because "Thick As Thieves" starts two and a half minutes later, and it is all downhill from there.
Each track seems to sound the same. Without looking at the track number changes, it's almost impossible to recognize that a new song has begun.
Carrabba should have recorded a 33-minute song rather than 12 short songs.
I miss Dashboard's previously longer four-or-five-minute tracks, which have been replaced by a series of two-and-a-half minute songs in the new album.
Only one song exceeds three minutes, but a minute of that track could have been cut out and the listener would still get the same effect.
I don't feel anything when I listen to "The Shade of Poison Trees." Maybe I'll mumble lyrics along, since songs like "Fever Dreams" repeat lines several times in a row, and maybe I'll attempt to keep rhythm with my pen as I do my homework, but it doesn't evoke any emotions.
Imogen Heap sang, "Music is worthless unless it can make a complete stranger break down and cry." While I don't think this album is worthless, I definitely feel as if it is lacking what makes an album special.
While the instrumentals are engaging, at times Carrabba's vocals sound like he's bored, as if even he doesn't believe the tragic metaphor he is presenting. It seems like Carrabba had nothing to do on a Tuesday night and decided to record an album. Personally, I would have been watching "House."
The album almost redeems itself in the last three minutes with "The Widow's Peak." It's a beautiful piano track with Carrabba showing more emotion than he does in the rest of the CD as he sings, "We're stronger than before the strain had broken us/ and there is fight in us/ I know."
Fans and critics seem pleased that Dashboard Confessional has returned to the acoustic style that garnered attention for the band years ago.
Complaints that "Dusk and Summer" was overproduced and over the top must have troubled Carrabba, as "The Shade of Poison Trees" returns to simplicity. Unfortunately, this simplicity can come across as simply not caring.
While I don't care about this CD, I know I'll still listen to it. That is the deity power of Dashboard Confessional - I can love one-sixth of the tracks and not care about the others, but I'll still listen to every single one of them.
No note: only if you're desperate.
One note: worth a listen, but don't bother paying for it.
Two notes: a decent record, try before you buy.
Three notes: worth the money.
Four notes: a future classic.
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