Dashboard Confessional - Summers Kiss

List Price: $9.98
Our Price: $5.99
You Save: $3.99 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.63 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details

CD Details

Music reviews of Summers Kiss

Music Review: Not a bad live effort from Carrabba
Rating: 4 Stars

Seeing Chris Carrabba at least 6 times in the past year, there have been increadible changes in this performance. While I personally miss the solo effort, him belting his heart out over the guitar, the new tour is as good as before and adds a different perspective on Carrabba as a songwriter and as a performer. The emotional intensity on each of these songs feels a bit more derivative and strained, not the emotional belching that Carrabba displays on his first 2 LPs. In a similar vein, the presence of the drums and bass makes Chris' rather intricate guitar playing seemingly lost in the mud. His screaming feels a bit forced, too.

However, there is plenty good of the CD. In a live performance, the members of the back up band harmonize the vocals with Chris and add a lot more to the song than one would expect. The new version of The "Sharp Hint of New Tears", the song that officially made me a Dashboard Confessional addict, is different yet similarly pleasing on this recording. The honesty feels removed and the emotion is shoved into it's place, making the song as powerful as the original. The new version of "Living in Your Letters" supplants the original and is a triumph for Dashboard Confessional. "Turpentine Chaser" also succeeds for it's flowing vocals and emotional stabilities and crescendos.

The only weak spot on the CD is the new version of "Ender Will Save Us All," a particular poignant and special song for me. Dashboard Confessional seems to spice it up live and make it more into a jam song than a stark emotional confession. Little things like that are not noticable live, but when recorded stand out and kind of hurt the song. However, his ability to hit those long, high notes sticks through and makes it enjoyable. As a side note, Chris threw in this little blurb live during his latest tour on the 2nd chorus: "What is it you need?/Is it Tenacious D?" I never laughed once at a Dashboard show till then.

Overall, a pretty well made EP and definitely worth buying, especially for all you Dashboard Confessional nuts. As a live album, it's not bad at all and the quality is definitely appreciable and listenable. Pick this one up to see what Dashboard Confessional can do live; it's a great representation of his ability.

Description of Summers Kiss

Alternative Rock CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• Rock