Dashboard Confessional Album: “The Shade of Poison Trees [Digipak]”

So, I have all the CDs in the Dashboard catalog, and I readily admit that I like them all. Equally. There seem to be two types of DC fans out there: those who wish every single song, album, or DVD should be exactly the same as Chris' very first musical efforts- depressed, emotionally involved and 100% acoustic. Then there are those who think that all of his musical output should be mostly acoustic, but a couple of drums here and there are tolerable- as long as the songs are depressing and reminiscent of failed high school crushes. I can deal with either. Personally, I like the "depressing" aspect of his work; it's easy to feel emotionally close and identify with his music and lyrics because everyone feels pretty crappy about the opposite sex at times. The danger lies in the expectation that ONLY acoustic strumming and raw, heartfelt singing can possibly capture those feelings. I think that sometimes, a slow, sad and acoustic song is the way to go, but I also can appreciate the heavy drums and bass work coming along with it. So, while I actually really like "Dusk and Summer," I also really like this CD. It does have more drums and bass than earlier CDs, and Chris does sing differently than his first few albums, but it works. Obviously, he is older, and hopefully a little less depressed about life, and the resulting mix is good.

It all comes down to expectations- if you expect Chris to remain perpetually depressed and pining over the same heartbreaking crush from around 1989, then "Dusk and Summer" probably shattered your delicate and frail heart, and this new CD may not satisfy you; but if you expect that all musicians do, or at least should, grow and explore new things, then this CD may suit you. Really, he can only make one "Swiss Army Romance," and to expect every CD to follow in that same exact pattern is unfair and sad.

Dashboard Confessional's latest full-length, The Shade of Poison Trees is nothing short of amazing, but veteran Dashboard fans should be prepared for what may appear on the surface to be a false return to form.

The no-holds-barred truth about The Shade... is as follows: musically, The Shade marks a departure from the arena-rock sound that was hinted at on A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar and clearly displayed on Dusk and Summer. Fans of older Dashboard efforts, particularly So Impossible and The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most, will not be disappointed by the The Shade Of Poison Trees' stripped-down intimacy. However, be aware that lyrically, The Shade Of Poison Trees is much different than early Dashboard EP's and albums, in that the lyrics are more mature and tend to focus more on nostalgia than broken relationships. With these things in mind, Dashboard fans, both old and new, should be able to thoroughly enjoy The Shade Of Poison Trees. I know I certainly do.

Most reviewers who are being hard on this record all note that they have been fans of DC since the early acoustic records. I actually discovered DC with Mission, Mark... and worked my way backwards. Music fans, especially indie rock fans, are so attached to the bands they discover that they seem to want to stifle their progression as musicians. Listening to Carraba's evolution from solo guitar to full-band was great to hear when I went back. I am not sure why there does not seem to be the same love for his more recent work. He can't crank out the same songs in the same style for decades without getting bored with himself as an artist.

If anything, I am actually a little disappointed that he has stripped down "to his roots," especially if it is to appease a certain base of fans. I thought Dusk and Summer lacked the dynamics of Mission... (in terms of both tempo and volume) and was looking for more development as a full band.

All that said, I think the album sounds pretty good, the free wheeling flavor of the early records with a tighter, more mature sound. I imagine it will grow on me more as I listen, as just about all his records do.

When I heard that Dashboard Confessional was "going back to its roots" I was very excited. A big fan of the early work, I could not get into the last two albums. The sound was too different, the lyrics weren't as catchy, and the raw emotion was just not there. There were always a couple really good songs (Vindicated, Stolen, Hands Down) but listening to the entire album straight through was out of the question. The Shade of Poison Trees is the best album since Places That Your Fear with very few clunkers.

The acoustic guitar is back. Most songs feature just the guitar, however they do mix in some drums and piano, which sounds great. Some of the songs can almost pass for early Dashboard work: Thick as Thieves, Where There's Gold, and The Shade of Poison Trees all offer up heavy acoustics and superb lyrics, though they still lack the emotion of previous releases. The tempo of the album is upbeat, which is a big improvement over the last two albums. The vocals are, as always, quite good. The music is simple, so if the lyrics aren't very interesting and catchy the songs falter.

Luckily, most of the tracks are fast-paced with good lyrics. I've been mostly listening to the album straight through, only skipping over The Rush and Matters of Blood and Connection (why write a bitter song about rich people?...I mean he's got to be wealthy himself now). Dashboard fans will appreciate this as their best work in a long time. New fans should start with Swiss Army Romance and Places That You Fear The Most before moving on to their later works. Definitely a must own for all long-time Dashboard Confessional fans.

I always skim through the reviews of a product before I buy anything on Amazon, but this time I ignored the general opinion of the reviewers - which was unimpressed, at best - and bought the CD anyway. I love Dashboard so I thought to myself, "How bad can it be?"

Wow. I listened to it once through and cringed the entire time. The lyrics are clumsy and completely uninspired, as if Carrabba pulled out his junior high journals and added music to the pages. Someone wrote a review in here saying this album sounded like a collection of B Sides - I think they were being generous. These songs aren't worthy of that, nevermind an entire album of them. I cannot express my disappointment.

Don't buy this album if you've never heard a Dashboard Confessional song - they have put out much better material!

And don't buy this album if you have heard a Dashboard song - this album just might ruin them for you.