Dashboard Confessional - "Where There's Gold..." (2007)

Dashboard Confessional is a band I grew to love during my senior year of high school. Actually I use the term “band” loosely. Up until 2003’s A Mark A Mission A Brand A Scar, Chris Carrabba was the only member of the band. Their second album The Places You Have Come To Fear the Most was the first record I heard from them. Those ten tracks that clock in at under half an hour are some of the catchiest, and most singable songs in my CD collection. I still listen from time to time and even though I don’t feel as much of a connection to the lyrics as I did when I was 17, the songs are still great. Dashboard probably upset a few diehard fans when Mark came out and had (gasp) electric guitars! I liked that album and wasn’t too surprised by the direction the band had taken but it still wasn’t as good as its predecessors. Last summer saw the release of Dashboard Confessional’s fourth album Dusk and Summer. It was probably the greatest departure and even though a few songs were great, it was more or less a middle of the road album. “Stolen” has become somewhat of a hit on MTV and radio. I was surprised to see that Carrabba would be releasing another record so soon, but I eagerly went out yesterday and picked up The Shade of Poison Trees. This record is kind of a return to form for Dashboard Confessional with all of the songs using only acoustic guitars and one even using keyboards. The lyrics still aren’t as good as the first two records but they are better and more clever than the previous two. Only one of the album’s twelve tracks surpasses the three minute mark. They’re all short and to the point, and with great melodies to boot. Today’s song is the album opener and one of the best lyrically on the record. I also like Carrabba’s percussive style of guitar playing that harkens back to the old records. This album is kind of conundrum because fans of Dusk and Summer may not like it, while old fans who would like it may have stopped caring a few years ago. I think The Shade of Poison Trees is good enough for people to care again.



Dashboard Confessional - "Where There's Gold..."