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Label: DGC/Interscope - Rating:
“Alter The Ending,” Dashboard Confessional’s newest album, was just released this month. Take a trip back in time for a moment, to 2003. Most any time you turned on the radio station you probably heard “Breathe in for luck/breathe in so deep,” the opening line of Dashboard Confessional’s single “Hands Down.” Good stuff, right? You remember rocking out to it, don’t you?
And then a few years later, in 2006, every girl who thought she was in love sung “You have stolen my heart,” from their single “Stolen,” while she got ready for a date. Good times right? You’re feeling all nostalgic now, aren’t you?
Well, sorry to snap you back to the present so unpleasantly, but this new album seriously lacks a sound as unique or special as “Hands Down” or “Stolen.” “Alter The Ending” is a great album, good music to play while you’re showering, driving or cooking. It’s got a fantastic sound and feel. But it is not exactly a new sound, and all the songs share it. In fact, for a good stretch in the middle of the album it is hard to tell where one song ends and the next one starts. The vocals, however, are pretty decent. They are clear and show a natural talent coming from the singers.
As far as subject matter, the album is very commonplace and it ends up feeling like you’ve already heard it. Most of the songs are about how hard it is to love another person. You might find yourself going, “Well, and?” Difficult relationships aren’t exactly a novel idea. “Everybody Learns From Disaster” touches on the idea of learning from mistakes, “Alter The Ending” speaks of starting over, and “Water and Bridges” talks of having faith in the next relationship being better.
“No News Is Bad News” talks about someone’s “symptoms” in references to their actions in the relationship, which is an interesting concept. Reactions are often symptoms of some original action, though they are rarely treated as such, and rather on a more individual basis. “Water And Bridges” and “Belle of the Boulevard” play with the old phrases “water under the bridge” and “belle of the ball,” giving them a modern spin. The lyrics are…vague, at best. A couple of songs offer up a good line here and there such as “watched the sun burn down to cinders” in “Everybody Learns From Disaster,” and “I can hear your sounds” in “Even Now.”
All in all, a decent attempt, but a slight disappointment if you were expecting something of “Hands Down” quality.
Like Dashboard Confessional? Check out: Yellowcard, Simple Plan
