"The Official" Dashboard Confessional Thread

[Soot and Stars]

The last album I bought during that streak was the Swiss Army Romance! A number of these songs were on Places..... after but the album still had it's charm and originals!:

Swiss Army Romance

The Sharp Hint of New Tears
(such a bounce in the acoustics to this, simple but likable and it has the origins of the name in the lyrics)


That version came off of another EP but I wanted to have a video version and hearing an enhanced version doesn't ruin anything as most users in this forum are hearing these for the first time anyway if at all. Anyway, the EP is basically four songs of redone Swiss.... songs called:

Summers Kiss EP


Back to our scheduled program and here's an audio link of the actual Swiss..... album version for those that care!

Sharp Hint of New Tears
(more poignant subtle version)

Living In Your Letters


A Plain Morning
(Just a sweet sunny harmony of a song)

 

[Soot and Stars]

After the success of "Places You Have Come to Fear The Most" Dashboard was becoming a big name. At the height of Dashboards popularity came an Unplugged Set that would have the energy triple that of most any electric hard rock show. The bond between audience and singer at a Dashboard concert is one very rarely seen. I should know as I've seen them live. The audience not only knows every word but they sing as if they are part of the act. They actually are! This phenomenon happens because Chris Carraba knows the genius of making art out of simplicity and creating the words and visuals his audience can connect too. Every fan has been in these states that he writes about and when you picture the jilted lover in these songs you can picture yourself going through the motions. I know I did when I heard Dashboard after my first heartbreak. Carrabas word have he perfect rhythm that singing along is inevitable. To think this all at it's routes is one man with an acoustic guitar becoming the bard of the time. This album is in my top five live albums of all time and doesn't have one weak track! It's the dashboard experience!

MTV Unplugged

The CD comes with the DVD as well so it's a great package for fans! Here are some highlights!

​

 

[METALPRIEST]

The Moon Is Down and title track So Impossible are cool tunes. I liked those.

 

[Soot and Stars]

The Moon Is Down and title track So Impossible are cool tunes. I liked those.

This is probably one of my overboard threads but the guy has a style I like to the point of liking every song!

 

[Soot and Stars]

On Dashboards third official album Carraba took the sound in a fuller sound with a full band and an electric sound for the first time. It was both an adjustment for Dashboard fans but it turned out to be Dashboards most successful album at that point landing a #2 spot on the charts! The album was:

A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar


I don't necessarily like Dashboard quite as much with a full band but I still like it. For example, they did a version of "Hands Down" my favorite Dashboard song in the new style and it's my least favorite version. Judge for yourself as the other two versions are in this thread as well in the "So Impossible EP" and the "Unplugged" album. Here's this albums version:

Hands Down


Their area lot of tracks I like off of this album and I think Dashboard was still finding their bands sound at this point as the followup albums were even better than this. Here are some tracks:

As Lovers Go


Ghost of a Good Thing


Bend and Not Break


Several Ways To Die Trying
(The closer, my favorite on the album)


The cool thing is this album was released (I bought it twice) with the show that Dashboard did covering R.E.M. songs! Micheal Stipe came on for a song or two but the vids are hard to find so I only have one with the actual video from the show! Here's what I could find!

Two R.E.M. covers:

Everybody Hurts and Nightswimming


Here's one of Micheal Stipe joining in on Hands Down!

Hands Down (w/ Micheal Stipe)

 

[METALPRIEST]

 

[Soot and Stars]

Dashboards next move and biggest step towards rock was the single off of the soundtrack to:

Spider-Man 2


Vindicated


That track was awesome and could appeal to a non-Dashboard fan. It's a stronger less stripped down track that still sounds like Dashboard but a Dashboard aiming for the fences and trying to get the world and not just his venues to sing along! Brilliant track was my second favorite to see live!

 

[Soot and Stars]

Time to get this thread rejuvenated! The follow up "Dusk and Summer" kept the momenum of "Vindicated" going with a real feel good album and another real strong single in "Don't Wait". Out of all the albums that Dasboard aka Chris gets out of his acoustic roots this is my favorite! Summer is great to have in the title here. Chris writes tunes that are melodic, breezy and have a nostalgic authentic innocence to them. I can actually picture Chris writing songs in the 50's where that sort of innocence existed. The structures are simple, the melodies graceful, the choruses are harmonic and uplifting and the words are universal. Great stuff!

Dusk and Summer

Don't Wait
(The Single, Really Refreshing Song and Good Follow Up to Vindicated)


Stolen
(Second Single, Nice Breezy Ballad)


So Long, So Long (ft/ Adam Duritz)
(My favorite track on the album, another amazing artist/writer in Adam Duritz, a great fit in styles)


Heaven Here
(a nice change using more of a beat with a melody)