Album Review

Released this past August 12th, A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar celebrates Dashboard Confessional as a full-fledged band effort instead of the mere solo project started by Christopher Ender Carrabba while he was still lead singer for Further Seems Forever .The album consists of twelve brand-new songs and one new version of the oh-so-popular teen anthem ‘Hands Down‘ and was produced by Gil Norton. What sets A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar apart from DBC‘s other full-lengths is the use of electric guitar and added emphasis on percussion, bass and background vocals performed by permanent bandmates Scott Schoenbeck, John Lefler and Mike Marsh.

‘Hands Down‘ kicks off the album in a swirl of Dashboardesque emotion, and one has to admit that it succeeds in its purpose to grip and drag the listener into a world of precious moments that most can relate to. ‘Rapid Hope Loss‘ is a song expressing the bitterness of a relationship gone sour with the passing of time whereas ‘As Lovers Go‘ integrates a subtle, ethereal key change that is worth noting. ‘Carry This Picture‘ marks a sappy return to the trademark acoustic sound of DBC past, as does ‘Ghost of A Good Thing‘. These are not among the best of the track listing. Overall, the album somehow lacks a certain lyrical originality on a number of songs. ‘Carve Your Heart Out Yourself‘ generally has a country feel to it, with the distinct guitar strumming and drum progression. However, one can‘t help but notice the sad truth ringing in the lyrics "man it takes a silly girl/to lie about the dreams she has/but Lord it takes a lonely one to wish/that she had never dreamt at all." The catchy head-bob-inducing melodies of the following songs, ‘Am I Missing‘, ‘Hey Girl‘ and ‘If You Can‘t Leave It Be, Might As Well Make it Bleed‘ are in a slight vocal and stylistic sense reminiscent of some Saves The Day material. ‘If You Can‘t Leave It Be‘ might possibly be the most original piece on the entire album, featuring a fabulously frenzied musical round showcasing the guttural talent of all three vocalists near the zenith of the song. There‘s just something about the lyrics "your wires are frayed, can‘t fire right/you look better when out of sight/you were not made to stand and fight/there‘s something better wrong with you" being belted out simultaneously that makes the listener hold his/her breath while waiting out the wrenching, drawn-out ‘waiting‘ permeating Carrabba‘s lungs. ‘Several Ways To Die Trying‘ brings closure to the album with its whispering/urgent raspy-voiced polarity from verse to pre-chorus to chorus in a series of progressive changes in the tempo and feel of the song.

Considering the certain lack of Chris Carrabba‘s lyrical evolution, the album still manages to trigger that emotion-stirring ‘je ne sais quoi‘ that made Dashboard Confessional an instant MTV "emo"-studded ensemble in the eyes of fans across the nation. Although it would seem at first listen that the full-band effect differs somewhat from DBC‘s older material(along the lines of The Places That You Have Come to Fear the Most, where studio musicians were employed), the listener is easily and quickly drawn in by the heightened auditory stimulation of the quartet in unison. Although not incredibly original, A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar does succeed in cleaving its way into one‘s music repertoire as being a solid, well-constructed album of good quality. As a bonus, the compact disc is accompanied by a Far From Home Movies DVD featuring some clips of tracks being recorded, as well as live coverage of solo Dashboard Confessional‘s classic song performances.

- Stephanie Torrealba