Disco de Dashboard Confessional: “A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar”

Okay, I'll admit it -- when I first heard Dashboard Confessional's Screaming Infidelities, I hated it. I didn't know what all the fuss was about. But then, all these years later, the song started to grow on me, so when Hands Down came out, I gave it a listen. And I loved it.

I was hesitant to buy this cd because of what I'd heard previously, but I decided to take a chance and dive in. And I have never been sorry. This disk was in my cd player nonstop for about three weeks (which is a bunch for me, since I tend to buy about 5 cds a week). The lyrics are amazing, and the music is that good kind of catchy where you don't want it out of your head.

I know a lot of long time DC fans are saying that this isn't a great effort, that the raw emotion is gone, etc., and after going back and buying All the Places You've Come To Fear the Most, I don't entirely disagree. You won't find something like Best Deceptions on this disk, but I think the reason for that is that Chris has said his piece on pain and the hurt that comes from putting your heart in the hands of others, and now he wants to remind everyone that there's some good stuff to it, too.

Overall, I think this is a very romantic album, one that will remind you not to take the small stuff for granted. If you've never been a DC fan before, this is a very good place to start.

With this, Dashboard Confessional's newest album, this band's success in describing the pains and sorrow of the lives of their listeners continues to attract attention. With twelve new tracks and one old favorite, Dashboard leaves listeners content in their long wait for this album.

Starting with the underground favorite "Hands Down," this album introduces both the tradition "bleeding heart emo" that made Dashboard Confessional so famous among teens and college kids everywhere AND even a look at a new hopeful addition to the band's lyrical content. With its last album "The Places That You've Come to Fear the Most," Dashboard captured a reputation for capturing raw emotion as Chris Carrabba "wailed" about lose, hate, hopelessness, and pain. This album simply ellaborates on this side of life, the painful side, with such emotional songs as "Rapid Hope Loss" (which is about as happy as the title implies) and "Carve Your Heart Out Yourself" (which makes the surgical procedure of suturing cool!) If you've ever felt sad or hurt or anything that made you down, these songs will be your best friends.

However, the most 'touching' songs on this CD, the ones that stand out to ME, are the unlikely love songs. These aren't exactly Barry White or Barry Manilow type love song, but for today's youth, lets just say, they're sweet and cool. "Hands Down" is already well known among long time fans, but "Hey Girl" and "Carry This Picture" will give SO many college goers even more songs to memorize and love...

Personally, the most powerful song on this album to me is "Bend and Not Break." Acting as a sort of 'confession,' this song speaks so true to me. With such lines as "I am fairly agile. I can bend and not break, Or I can break and take it with a smile," the heart-ache of past relationships (or the lack) are generalized and expressed so beautifully in this song. A damaged person explaining the mistakes they have made and are likely to make again soon, this song finds its way to my Top Five Dashboard Confessional songs.

If you are expecting to relate to the songs, as you have with the past releases of Dashboard Confessionals, you will be more than contented, you will be more than satisfied. You will be entertained. The DVD only adds to the experience, allowing you to enjoy old favorites, like "Age Six Racer" and "The Best Deceptions" performed infront of the small personal shows that this band is famous for AS WELL AS enjoy the studio recording sessions of the new material.

Buy this album, share it with the people you care about! If you have a significant other and you send one of the songs "Carry This Picture," "As Lovers Go," and "Hey Girl" to them, you'll score MAJOR points, plus you'll let them know how much you care about them. If you're without a significant other, don't worry, this album won't be any less unbelievable! (= Enjoy!

I bought this CD rather blindly. I had only heard a few of Dashboard's songs... pretty impressed, I must say. Then, I saw the DVD version in the store, and it had Dashboard, covering R.E.M.'s Automatic for The People, with Michael Stipe on the DVD. Unrefuseable offer.

So I get in the car. I listened to it, stunned. It was just fantastic, and it's one of my favorite albums. There are only a few albums I can listen to the whole way through, and this is one of them.

When I got home, I watched the DVD. I was amazed yet again with how talented Carraba and the band actually were at covering another band, especially such a great one. And then, at the end, Stipe covered Hands Down, and sings with Carraba, and it's well... pretty freakin' sweet. So five stars. Most Definitely. Hands Down.

I have been reading a number of reviews on this album and feel that there are some unfair criticisms being made of it.

First of all, people saying that this does not compare to his old stuff. I have been a fan of DC for a long time and the acoustic emo that we all know and love is fantastic. However - this new album has shown how Chris has completely matured from a guy with his poems and a guitar into a brilliant musician with some really good music to enhance the emotional quality of the lyrics. It results in such a passionate sound - that I find it impossible not to love. Any dashboard fan who doesnt like this album is not giving it a fair chance - wouldn't it be boring if this new album was just another swiss army romance (a great album but who needs two of them?)

What I'm saying is since i bought this album, its barely left my CD player. When i saw him live in London last month these new loud songs were brilliant to sing along to and the music just makes you feel overwhelmingly happy, in the same way that the songs on The Places you've come to fear the most do (screaming infidelities, brilliant dance etc)

Chris has taken a step forward bravely and rightfully and I dont see any reason to criticize him for it. You can notice that the step has been fairly gradual too - "The Places..." actually contained hints of this new sounds if you compare it to swiss army and his EPs. If his new sound attracts more mainstreamers then so what..? We all know who the true fans are - the ones who love Chris Carabba and what his music is all about.

Buy this album - and go and damn well enjoy it. Hands down it is the best one I can ever remember...

(hehe see what i did there?!)

"The Places you have come to fear" was a great album. "A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar" has a much different sound. Dashboard onfessional's first alubm was more emo and acoustic. But if you liked the old Dashboard, that doesn't mean you won't like this album. The CD has a lot of variety on it. Some songs are happy, some are sad. Some songs are fast and some are slow. But Chris Carraba is still the best singer ever! If you're a big fan of Chris, you'll love this CD!

1. HANDS DOWN -- 9/10 -- This song has awesome lyrics and a good beat. It's a beautiful song!

2. RAPID HOPE LOSS -- 10/10 -- one of my favorite songs on the CD. At first this song doesn't seem that good. It's rather slow in the beginning. But once you get into it and listen to it a few times, you learn to love it! The lyrics are exceptional! If you liked the old Dashboard, you'll love the lyrics in this song.

3. AS LOVERS GO -- 9/10 -- this song is great. the lyrics are alright.

4. CARRY THIS PICTURE -- 8/10 -- one of my least favorite songs on the album. Good lyrics, though: "Carry this picture for luck, kept in a locket/ tucked in your collar/ close to your chest/ make it a sercret/ shown to the closest friends"

5. BEND AND NOT BREAK -- 10/10 -- great beat, awesome lyrics! one of the best songs on the album. You can really appreciate Chris's voice in this song.

6. GHOST OF A GOOD THING -- 9/10 -- good lyrics ... the song on the whole is ok.

7. AM I MISSING -- 10/10 -- a GREAT song! If you liked "This is a forgery" from "The Swiss Army Romance", you'll love this song.

8. MORNING CALLS -- 9/10 -- good emo lyrics

9. CARVE YOUR HEART OUT YOURSELF -- 9/10 -- this song is most like the old Dashboard. It's the most acoustic one. The lyrics are great.

10. SO BEAUTIFUL -- 10/10 -- This song has the best lyrics!

11. HEY GIRL -- 9/10 -- a great song. an awesome beat. the lyrics are ok.

12. IF YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT BE, MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT BLEED -- 10/10 -- By far the best song on the CD! This song has slow parts and fast parts but the lyrics are the best: "Handled with great precision/ another foolish execution / you're the subject of this exihibition/ a willing cadaver/"

13. SEVERAL WAYS TO DIE TRYING -- great lyrics; on the whole a pretty good song - not the best on the CD though.

This CD is definitely worth buying! You won't regret getting it.