Dashboard Confessional
Crooked Shadows
Fueled By Ramen (2018)
Score: 7/10
After long-awaited anticipation, Dashboard Confessional, the four-piece outlet based out of Boca Raton, FL, Chris Carrabba (singer/guitarist), Scott Schoenbeck (bass), Armon Jay (guitar), and Chris Karmada (drums), have finally released their first album in nine years. Their last album, Alter the Ending, was released back in 2009. The band started in 1999 and went for 12 years up until 2011 when they announced they were going on a hiatus.
During their career they’ve released seven full length studio albums (Crooked Shadows being their seventh), three EPs, one split with fellow Floridian pop punk quartet New Found Glory, and one cover EP.
Crooked Shadows doesn’t have that familiar Dashboard sound I, and I’m sure everyone else, was hoping for. Instead, it has a very modern pop sound to it with a lot of synth, which is a new style for the band. If you’re wanting to have the nostalgic feeling that brings you back to the sound of their debut album Swiss Army Romance and their sophomore album Places That You’ve Come to Fear the Most the song “Heart Beat Here” hits pretty close to home.
Chris Carrabba has always had a very strong and dedicated fan base for the last 19 years for his popular acoustic love and heartbreak songs like “Best Deceptions” and “Hands Down,” where he belts out loud, raspy vocals everyone is familiar with. There are also songs like “Screaming Infidelities” that you and your friends would sing as loud as you can in your car or wherever you were at the time.
To give the album credit, Crooked Shadows has very catchy lyrics and choruses throughout the entirety of the record. The opening track on the record “We Fight” starts off calming as Carrabba serenades you with his soft voice singing the opening line “We were the kids that left home probably too young.” This shifts into Carrabba belting out the lyrics “‘Cause we never learn to keep our voices down / No, we only learned to shout.” The song focuses on a positive outlet of fighting through struggle. For people who are feeling like they don’t matter, for people who are gay, depressed, or bullied in any way: that’s what this song represents. Which is just one reason why it’s a catchy song. The message behind it and the chorus makes you bump your head up and down. Adding some featured artists to this album was very fitting as well. Electronic act Cash Cash is featured in the mushy love song “Belong,” Chrissy Costanza (frontwoman from the Against the Current) in “Just What to Say,” and the incredible violinist Lindsey Stirling in the song “Open My Eyes.”
Though, the album doesn’t have the same “classic” Dashboard sound that got them where they are today, it’s important to understand music and bands change and I think people need to not only accept that but also respect it.
Lastly, whatever DC produces, they’re going to have diehard fans who will stick by them and keep supporting them until the end. I personally will, and also can’t wait to see what they have planned for next year when the band hits 20 years.
All in all, the album was good. Even though they’ve changed their sound a little bit, they took a chance and made something different with a positive message. I very much enjoyed it and I’m excited to see what’s in store for this new Dashboard Confessional in the future.
The band is currently on the road to promote the new album with supporting acts Beach Slang and Kississippi. Details on that tout can be found on Dashboard’s website.
-Kyle Voigt
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