Track Listing

1. Don't Wait
2. Reason to Believe
3. Secret's in the Telling
4. Stolen
5. Rooftops and Invitations
6. So Long, So Long
7. Currents
8. Slow Decay
9. Dusk and Summer
10. Heaven Here

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26450 in Music
• Released on: 2006-06-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
It's all about the power chord and the sing-along chorus. With the exception of the stark title track, Christopher Carrabba's once-prominent acoustic strumming is now in short supply. Along with Scott Schoenbeck, John Lefler, and Mike Marsh, the Dashboard Confessional mastermind cranks it all up on his fourth full-length: the guitars, vocals, drums, the works. Consequently, some listeners have been tossing around the letter "U" and the numeral "2." It's a bit of a stretch, although the album was co-produced by Daniel Lanois of Joshua Tree fame (and mixed by Nevermind's Andy Wallace). The Florida outfit also opened for the Irish superstars in support of 2003’s A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar. That said, Carrabba is still the same earnest young man, just more amplified than before. Aside from "Dusk and Summer," quieter tracks include "Stolen" and the piano-driven "So Long, So Long," decorated with husky croons from Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows. But even these seem loud compared to Carrabba's stripped-down early material. It isn't a bad move, but like most stylistic shifts it's sure to send a few longtime fans packing, while making room for new ones who've never heard Dashboard Confessional before or who found the old stuff too whiny and angst-ridden. Well, there isn't much whining on Dusk and Summer--just a whole lotta (heartfelt) rockin'. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews

Clever hidden tracks in the begining
Dusk and summer! This album is amazing. Chris really expands on here and makes his work sound more mature and full, with the band and use of different instruments, etc. I'm not saying his acoustic work isn't good; The Brilliant Dance, Screaming Infedelities, So Impossible and A Plain Morning are some of my favorite songs ever, but this new side of DC is equally as good in my opinion. The beginings of this album are really good songs but not exactly songs to start you off through the album. I dont know if anyone else found this out, but if you rewind back from the beginning of Don't Wait, there are two secret songs. One I don't know the name of, and Vindicated. I would have never have found this out but my cd player plays it from the straight begining.

Untitled track 5/5: This song really gets the mood going. It sounds as if it was supposed to be on The Places You Have come to Fear the Most, but it is alot more upbeat and the drums and piano and guitar is really driving.

Vindicated 4/5: This was never really my favorite song. Probably because it was played so much on the radio in the past couple years. But nevertheless it is a good song.

Don't Wait 4/5: This is a far stretch from traditional DC, as this whole album mostly is. Chris really belts out the lyrics in this song. The first single off the album.

Reason To Believe 5/5: The first dark sound dashboard song i have ever heard. (By the way i have never listen to the album prior to this, so i dont know if im right) The guitars are driving and Chris is belting once again.

Secret's in the Telling 5/5: No doubt this is the next single. This song to me is somewhat reminiscent to Vindicated.

Stolen 5/5: One of my favorite songs on the CD. This is more of a slower song and the lyrics and melodies really great. The lyrics and music go really good together.

Rooftops and Invitations 5/5: One of the more upbeat happy sounding songs. Really good mood here.

So long, so long 6/5: THE BEST song on this album. I promise you. This song is a straight up ballad. When I first heard that Chris would be doing a duet with the singer from Counting Crows, I was skaptic because i was never a big Counting Crows fan. But his voice and Chris's together is breathtaking. This song is so amazing and the lyrics are awesome. By far one of the best of Chris's masterpieces.

Currents 4/5: A chilled out song. Not really DC sounding but it really is good.

Slow Decay 3/5: This song is okay. I don't tend to like the dark mood this whole song has. This is almost hard rock sounding. The lyrics do have alot of meaning in them though.

Dusk and Summer 5/5: The other acoustic song on the album. I really like this song it reminds me of summer (obvously). Chris hits the highest notes i think i have ever heard him hit at the end of this songs.

Heaven Here 4/5: This is more ambient sounding. Its good but it use of different instruments makes it different.

All in all i like this cd a whole lot. I got it when i was at the beach so i was all corny and listened to it on the beach. But it really is a summer cd and is awesome.

Good album, not their best.
This album is probably the most marketable and radio friendly of all of dashboard's albums. For the peripheral listener it may be the right one to get to introduce you to this band. But as a Dashboard fan of 5 or so years I truly hope they return to their original sound for their next work. Not for the listen-ability but for the show. To this day the fans react best to the songs from "Places" or "A Mark, A Mission." I recommend this album to everyone but I also recommend any and all of their other work.

Amazing new sound from DC
I am a DC fan from way back. I've read some of the other reviews and I know that some are upset about the change in their sound. They're harder and more edgy than what they used to be. I am absolutely blown away by it! I love it! This will be in my CD player for a long time. For once, their sound isn't the heart wrenching break up music that we've come to love. DC has a more positive sound than they've ever had before and makes for some amazing bounce up and down, and rock out songs. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.