Dashboard Confessional

Dashboard Confessional: The Swiss Army Romance [re-issue]The Swiss Army Romance [re-issue] (2003)
Vagrant Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: maverickScott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on April 22nd 2003So I'm not really going to review this release itself. Most of you are reading this simply so you can post comments about how much you think Dashboard sucks. Well, knock yourself out, because I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a fan of Dashboard Confessional. And I'm not a girl, nor am I 15 [I am.

So I'm not really going to review this release itself. Most of you are reading this simply so you can post comments about how much you think Dashboard sucks. Well, knock yourself out, because I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a fan of Dashboard Confessional.

And I'm not a girl, nor am I 15 [I am fat, though].

Here's the deal - this is Dashboard Confessional's first album. The CD originally came out on Fiddler Records, then was bought up by Drive-Thru Records [apparently without Chris' consent]. Carrabba never inked a legitimate contract with Drive-Thru and instead signed with indie powerhouse Vagrant. After a long legal battle [one where everyone associated with Vagrant/Dashboard denied all existance of said album], Vagrant has obtained the rights to the disc and has re-issued it with two bonus tracks.

I hope you read that carefully, because there will be a test later.

For a summary of tracks 1-10 - this is Carrabba's debut LP, and as such it contains his best songs at the time. The fact that it is just one man and a guitar [and the occasional female backing vocals] reminds the listener of just what Dashboard Confessional used to be before all this hype - just one guy and his six string, pouring his heart out over softly strummed chords. These songs still hold up after three years.

And now, the selling point of the album [as one would assume most Dashboard fans have bought the original version of the disc] - the two previously unreleased tracks. Both songs were recorded around the same time as the rest of the album, and were left out for various reasons. The first, "Hold On," is a really nice, soft ballad that showcases the even softer side of Carrabba's softer side. His vocals are a bit rough, but that's to be expected due to the nature of the recording. The second unreleased song, "This Is A Forgery," is... well, I don't really know how to describe it. Take any typical Atom and His Package song and add in a teenage version of Morrissey belting out the line "This is a forgery, this is a forgery" over and over again.

No, really, I'm not making this up. The song is driven by electronic drums and keyboard, and is laughable to say the least. It completely ruins any mood that the previous 11 songs had succeeded in setting.

I'd recommend this to anyone who considers themself a fan of Dashboard Confessional but never got a chance to buy this album before it was pulled from stores. If you already own the Drive-Thru version, I would tell you to pass, as the two new tracks will certainly not wow you [although they might garner a chuckle from you].

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

confinedfreedom (August 12, 2005)

all the people out there that graded this cd badly just because of the genre, you suck!! instead of whining and being all emo about emo music, why dont you listen to the music for a change...anyways, this cd kicks...the best one of theirs

Anonymous (August 20, 2003)

This is bye far this guys best realese. Theres so much emotion and passion in these songs. Now his act with his band thing is getting lame. He should go back to being solo

Analog_Boy (August 12, 2003)

Hey, I hate Dashboard Confessional. You probably don't need to hear that, but whatever. Whenever I listen to Dashboard I feel a certain hint of embarresment (spelling? yeah... I know) deep down inside. I don't know why, probably just because when I listen to such sad and emotional music I relize I have really nothing at all to be sad about. I feel that this music is the kind of shit kids can pop into their stereo and just become one with, feel special with. Sure, this Chris Carraba character may have had a depressing upbringing but I don't listen to his lyrics, and I bet a high % of the girls ( or guys ) that listen to this stuff don't hear the message either. They just play the songs, and daydream about their crush, about how one day they might go unnoticed. This music is like a medicine, a drug used by much of the youth today to raise their self esteem and make them feel so special. When really, they are far from special.

That is a little fucked up. Read over it and made little sense. Meh.

Anonymous (July 6, 2003)

DC is good. But Carraba needs to cheer up jesus, he cried during a performance... What a puss. But he's still a great musician and I like him and his music as a guilty pleasure. Every teenage girl thats ever listened to it likes it too. Oh yeah and the last song sucks.

Anonymous (April 27, 2003)

MR T is pretty funny.

waste_elite (April 27, 2003)

putting DC in any genre is an insult. emo kids don't want to be associated with him, indie kids don't want it either. just call it whiny acoustic rock and everyone's happy.

Anonymous (April 26, 2003)

Wait...let me rephrase that.

When did indie rock turn into wuss-rock?

Anonymous (April 26, 2003)

After reading some of these comments, I have to wonder why indie rock is now conisidered wuss-rock.

waste_elite (April 26, 2003)

i think mr t has a split personality

Anonymous (April 25, 2003)

suck my dick Mr. T! Emo 4ever! lol!!!! I love Chris!!!! hes sooooooo hot!!

AFTER READIN' THROUGH YO' JIBBA-JABBA, I HAVE ONE THING FOR YOU:

MISTAH T THINKS YOU SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL FOR THAT HORRIBLE SENSE OF GRAMMER!

AND YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE A DICK IF YOU LISTEN TO THIS BAND! SUCKA-FOO'!

- Mr. T

Anonymous (April 25, 2003)

Mr.T STFU! dbc 4 lyfe

I PITY THA FOO' WHO LISTENS TO THIS CRAP! GROW SOME BALLS AND FIND SOME REAL MUSIC, SUCKA!

- Mr. T

Strewtho (April 25, 2003)

Nothing like a steaming turd of an album to bring out champagne style comedy comments.

Anonymous (April 25, 2003)

I like chris's hair.mmmmmmm
Mr.T STFU! dbc 4 lyfe

evildeadalive (April 24, 2003)

And another thing, why the hell has this review been read over twice as many times as either Kid Dynamite review? Holy jebus people, it's Kid fucking Dynamite.

evildeadalive (April 24, 2003)

Hey, I was in Australia a few months back and I had quite a few chicks comment on my Lawrence Arms shirt saying they kick ass and stuff. I think one or two of them were hot too.

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

if you're not afraid to admit that you're a dashboard confessional fan, why didn't you leave your name and e-mail?

waste_elite (April 24, 2003)

suck my dick Mr. T! Emo 4ever! lol!!!! I love Chris!!!! hes sooooooo hot!!

LOLZ! YR TOTLLY A WHORE!!!1 LIEK OMG! LOLZ!!

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

suck my dick Mr. T! Emo 4ever! lol!!!! I love Chris!!!! hes sooooooo hot!!

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

Mistah t doesn't like quitters! i pity the foo' who quits! mistah t never quit and look where he's at today, sucka!

- mr. T

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

This is the last comment that will ever be made by rancid punx. Live long and like prossfer or something. -rancid punx

r. I. P

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

yeah i agree with sloper. been travelling around australia for 5 months now and NO nice emo/punk/etc. chicks. that sux!

as for this album, no thanks.

waste_elite (April 24, 2003)

whoa wait, "no" or "very few"? it's either one or the other.

don't bullshit us man

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

It's funny, everyone here talks about how the only people at Dashboard shows are fat emo girls, but in Melbourne, Australia, there is hardly even an "emo" scene, and all the hot snobby chicks here like R 'n' B and techno and all that hip hop and shit. And there are *no*, repeat, *no* as in ZERO hot punk/emo chicks in Australia, period. Hehe, at least from my experience, there is very few.

-sloper

CaptainCrunch (April 24, 2003)

WRONG!!

Ben Folds is a great one-man band.

Anonymous (April 24, 2003)

come on mr.T! This isn't like you. Dashboard is a great one man band!

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

Don't be a sucka and listen to this crap!

- mr. T

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

Fact: if you like Dashboard you are either...

a) a pussy
b) gay
c) a stupid girl
d) fat
e) ugly
f) without any friends
g) a pussy

This is undisputed. If you disagree, than you are gay and I hate you.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

please emo, please, i'm crying for you to die. an emo holocaust if you will.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

emo faggots, and now like college kids are like in love with them,so trendy emo kids a win win combo,not

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

Enough of yo' jibba-jabba! i pity the foo' who likes dashboard confessional. - mr. T

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

*bets that at least half of the people here ripping on Dashboard own one of his cds or have seen him live.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

i dont listen to dc but from what i heard i guess hes ok - im not too big on the emo or screamo or anything somewhat like that though i have to admit ataris is like one of my new favorite bands and from what i haerd of thrice they're good. i mostly just came here to see all the comments cause i knew they'd be funny haha. i think the award goes to GregSka that was hilarious.

metal sucks
-skyler

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

wa wa wa. chris, get over yourself and your high school romances. you are a big boy now.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

In my opinion some of those chicks that listen to dashboard confessional are hot. So i say they deserve this score. Just go to their show, pop in some earplugs and have fun.

-RaNcId PuNx

Kurt_F (April 23, 2003)

"i am forming my own and honest opinion. I think DC is for pussies, honestly"

WOW you are an idiot.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

I'm so confused on how dashboard confessional is even considered punk or have anything to do with it.

unconcerned (April 23, 2003)

if it was all with out his permission why was he so stoked to play their cmj showcase in 2000?

anyone else have one of those swiss army knives drive thru did for promotion of this album?

I dislike drive thru for various reasons, but I still feel they got the shaft on this deal.

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

Comment of the day award..."jihabba".

-sickboi

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

i like how people i probably dont agree on a single thing with, and have probably said mean nasty childish words to on this website, can come together as one and just fucking hate this guy.

I think maybe, if we dropped this cd on iraq or the entire mideast, they'd probably fucking hate it too, possibly call a jihad for carraba. A jihabba. Work with me. Then we could unite israel and palestine, north and south korea, and slowly the whole world will finally have peace once we all band together and hate this mans fucking guts, and curb stomp his lame ass voicebox into bits and peices of freedom chalk.

i played this for some inuits, they threw 4 spears at my stereo. we can do this people.
wyzo

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

i didnt read a word you said, but does this version still suck?

and i liked 7 seconds experimental stuff, just not kevin seconds solo stuff. its all about the new wind record. or the music the message. punk rock teeth is a sweet song.
wyzo

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

'Personally, I love this album. I dont care if its not entirely too original, or if people think he is a whiny bitch. My opinion is that its good music. And you know what, who cares if he is getting recognition and getting popular, or if 16 year old girls idolize him. While people are talking shit on him all over the states, Im pretty sure he's laughing his way to the bank, from all of the profits from his sold out shows.
My point is that its about time everyone learns that it doesnt really matter how popular a band gets? If youre basing your decision on that, than youre basing a decision on what other people think, and not what you think. If you like Dashboard Confessional, thats fine. If you don't, thats fine too. Its your opinion and youre entitled to it. But dont come around with this bullshit like, "I was a fan, but then he got popular and got on the radio, so now I dont like him." Or, "I was a fan when nobody knew who he was, but now that people do, Im not." If you start resenting a group/artist because they start gaining popularity, than you weren't really a fan to begin with. Form you own opinions. Base your decision on what you feel. Stop tying to be as "independent" as possible. Being yourself and thinking for yourself is the most......i guess you could say......"untrendy" thing you could possibly do'

i am forming my own and honest opinion. I think DC is for pussies, honestly.

FortyMinutesWest (April 23, 2003)

Am I the only one who likes 7 Seconds' "experimental stuff"?

Anonymous (April 23, 2003)

Personally, I love this album. I dont care if its not entirely too original, or if people think he is a whiny bitch. My opinion is that its good music. And you know what, who cares if he is getting recognition and getting popular, or if 16 year old girls idolize him. While people are talking shit on him all over the states, Im pretty sure he's laughing his way to the bank, from all of the profits from his sold out shows.
My point is that its about time everyone learns that it doesnt really matter how popular a band gets? If youre basing your decision on that, than youre basing a decision on what other people think, and not what you think. If you like Dashboard Confessional, thats fine. If you don't, thats fine too. Its your opinion and youre entitled to it. But dont come around with this bullshit like, "I was a fan, but then he got popular and got on the radio, so now I dont like him." Or, "I was a fan when nobody knew who he was, but now that people do, Im not." If you start resenting a group/artist because they start gaining popularity, than you weren't really a fan to begin with. Form you own opinions. Base your decision on what you feel. Stop tying to be as "independent" as possible. Being yourself and thinking for yourself is the most......i guess you could say......"untrendy" thing you could possibly do.

TheOneTrueBill (April 22, 2003)

I'm listening to 7 Seconds. They're better than this.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

I admit it, I used to be a HUGE DC fan. This was right after the Romance CD, but before Places. I LOVED him. But now I can't stand them. Some people don't understand why someone would love a band so much, then turn their backs on them. For me, it wasn't necessarily their popularity. I don't care if a band is popular. Foo Fighters are one of my favorite bands. It's the fact that all I've heard now for the past year is DC. See I moved in with some friends. One of the guys is obsessed with him. And he has this incredibly stupid ROTC girl come over and they get drunk and sing the songs as loud as they can. It sucks so bad, and it took all the fun out of his music. It's not the popularity exactly, just constantly hearing the music or about him. I don't like Creed, but I'm not sick of them, because I don't hear about them! My friends don't listen to them, I don't listen to the radio, so I'm never exposed to it. So yeah, that's why I hate him now. It gets old FAST.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

i like some of his songs, i liked his further seems forever stuff more though. Dashboard is a band that i would never want to see live though, just too much emo kids would drive me insane. It all depends on what i feel like listening, i'll listen to his music like once in a while but i will say it is whinny crying rock shit.....i just like the acoustic guitar....with the band it's ummmm different

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

To the anonymous person below:

"i only said i like dashboard to get in your pants" is a song by the SEPARATION SUICIDE.

yep. what's my prize?

- BITTER

soulbleed (April 22, 2003)

i admit to loving this album when i first heard it in early 2000, of course way before mtv got their hands on it. it was different, and his voice was annoyingly cool. but i think i'm just so disgusted with his attempts to ruin emo :P .. plus these bonus tracks blow more hard cock than any of his other crappy songs from the 2nd album. pass on this one.

waste_elite (April 22, 2003)

"Doesn't this guy work with retarded kids? That's funny."

i thought he just performed for them...

gutterhippo (April 22, 2003)

"Guuterhippo, Jamie isn't a dashboard confessional song, its a b-side of weezer and he covered it on a tribute to weezer cd"

yeah i know, but someone said that "Jamie" is the title of the hidden track of the first release of this album

StratManX (April 22, 2003)

This album sucks. blah blah blah. Listen though, it's not because I won't give it a chance, but because it is just that poor. There's nothing wrong with something soft, but jesus this is horrible.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

'"Remember before Dashboard was popular, and all the snobby indie people used to talk about how good he was?"

no'

haha

and that song 'jamie' is pretty good. i used to sing that song to this really pretty girl in high school. she dug it.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Dont be retarded, if he's not a millionaire by now he's sure as hell close to it

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Yeah, dude. I'm sure this guy is a millionaire...

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Guuterhippo, Jamie isn't a dashboard confessional song, its a b-side of weezer and he covered it on a tribute to weezer cd, thats why he said he would only play dashboard songs, cause it isn't his song. But dasboard kicks ass and i'm not a girl.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Was this reissued because he has nothing to whine about now that he is a millionaire and scores mad gash, and this is the only thing left to keep up his image?

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

in the words of some band whose name i cant remember "i only said i like dashboard to get in your pants" If you know the name of the band who plays this song, i'll give you a prize

GregSka (April 22, 2003)

I listen to this cd in hopes that snobby 16 year old girls will have sex with me. EMO RULEZ

REALPUNX4LIFE (April 22, 2003)

And I've always known that Thursday and Thrice are two of the worst bands I've heard since... Dashboard Confessional. He's not the only person that's ever done this, ya know. I mean, I realize that this guy's got more panty-peeler in his music than, say, Merle Haggard or Woody Guthrie, but that doesn't mean he's more talented.

REALPUNX4LIFE (April 22, 2003)

"These songs still hold up after three years."

The sign of a truly amazing and earth-shattering record. Fuck, three years! He's a God to write songs that you can still listen to three years down the road! He's better than the Stones! Oi oi oi.

maverick (April 22, 2003)

Gutterhippo-
the same thing happened with Thursday and Thrice. Both of these bands were *immensely* popular on this site when their last albums came out, and now after they've gotten all this exposure, everyone here claims to hate them. It's ridiculous.

-Scott

lieutenant (April 22, 2003)

I personally, fully admit that I am a Dashboard Confessional fan. This was music that I instantly found to be great from the day I heard Chris Carabba's new sideproject, and though unfortunately with every 5 fans there is a mobsquad, I can still dig Carabba.

Other than that, I would just like to add that Scott can actually be pretty funny when writing negatively about Face to Face.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

if you're not afraid to admit that I'm a fan of Dashboard Confessional why didn't you leave your name?

gutterhippo (April 22, 2003)

"that hidden track on the first version of this cd ws called "Jamie"..."

that's funny, when i saw him live, someone shouted out "PLAY JAMIE!", and he was like, "that's not a dashboard confessional song. we're only playing dashboard songs."

gutterhippo (April 22, 2003)

"Dashboard Confessionals are okay! I used to live about 20 minutes away from 'em. Never met them of course, but they are still a pretty good band. I love their song Sailor and Saints."

this is a joke, right?

"Remember before Dashboard was popular, and all the snobby indie people used to talk about how good he was? These are the same people who bash him now."

i totally agree. even around the time 'places' was released, indie kids were all about this guy. then they suddenly turned their backs just cause other people started liking it. i don't get it, they used to try to get everyone to discover dashboard, and when everyone did, they were resentful

JimmyAteGC (April 22, 2003)

Dashboard Confessionals are okay! I used to live about 20 minutes away from 'em. Never met them of course, but they are still a pretty good band. I love their song Sailor and Saints.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Yeah, I got this album... when it first came out on Fiddler three years ago. Its pretty dumb that this album is being released for the third time. Besides that, its a great album.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Dashboard confessional is not a bad emo/indie rock band. They are not worth the money though. Its not a bad CD to own though. I say just download the songs and get a few catchy tunes stuck in your head for a week or two and then move on.

-RaNcId PuNx

waste_elite (April 22, 2003)

"Remember before Dashboard was popular, and all the snobby indie people used to talk about how good he was?"

no

Kurt_F (April 22, 2003)

I LOVE this cd, and I'm not afriad to admit it. If he ever goes back to doig it by himself, I'll be interested again.

Remember before Dashboard was popular, and all the snobby indie people used to talk about how good he was? These are the same people who bash him now.

"The Places You Come to Fear the Most" was a really good cd too...and it's even better when you know where he's coming from first, and that means hearing this cd. "Swiss Army Romance" will always be one of my favorite albums. The humble low key appeal it has will never be lost on me.

p.s.-that hidden track on the first version of this cd ws called "Jamie"...yea, I know, he also covered Weezer's "Jamie," it makes things confusing.

gutterhippo (April 22, 2003)

2 questions:
what was the hidden track on the original called?
is that track on the re-issue? and if so, is it considered as one of the 2 previously unreleased tracks?

okay, i guess that was 3 questions. so yeah i agree with the review, if you don't have the original b/c you couldn't find it, do yourself a favor and pick this up. so, drive-thru lost the rights to this cd, yet they still have it for sale on their website....?

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Indie powerhouse Vagrant? Ummm...Vagrant is no more indie than Drive-Thru folks. Indie means WITHOUT the support of a major corporation, neither Drive-Thru nor Vagrant have this, so don't call 'em indie. However, I don't wish Dahsbord death. These guys fill that musical nitche that the likes of Dan Fogleberg and John Denver used to inhabit. Pansy-ass schmucks who serve to remind us how important it is to sing with BALLS! I'm in a band with a female singer (not screamer, singer) and she has more testicular fortitude (so to speak) than this guy. Oy vey!

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

ya, I have to admit the Weakerthans/Chris by himself show was pretty damn good.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

whine whine whine. cry cry cry. grow the fuck up and sing about something more relevant than lost highschool love you emo fruit. "wanna go to the dashboard show and we can hold hands and cry together? i'll lend you a vest and dye your hair black. it will be so emo." fuck off, seriously. i hope this guy gets so depressed that he walks the plank. the world would be a much better place.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

I have no problem with dashboard confessional, I just don't see what makes them topical for this site? I guess its the same people who consider Vagrant or Drive Thru "punk" labels.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

This is the best CD I've ever heard.

inagreendase (April 22, 2003)

lmao comment below is genius. but to anonymus a few posts down, it's voila.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

hasn't this guys testicles descended yet? dashboard confessional shows-where all the fat 14 year old lesbos and fruity emo boys congregate and cry their eyes out. the d.c. sniper forgot one more.

sloppyblake (April 22, 2003)

i only liked again i go unnoticed.

turdcorn (April 22, 2003)

Doesn't this guy work with retarded kids? That's funny.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

more rock needed

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

NYET! Fiddler had DC, then DTR said "Hey, this is cool, we want to sign you." Went head over heels to put out the CD before they inked a deal with Mr. Carababababababa, and begged New Found Glory to take DC on tour with them last minute. NFG took DC out on tour, emo pop punk kids ate it up, sold a buncha CDs, meanwhile, our friends in Midtown, were working behind the scenes with Mr. Crababababa telling him not to sign with DTR because of what they went through with DTR (They also did this with Finch). Chris decided ultimately to sign with Vagrant and decided not to let DTR know until he had inked the deal, they had rushed his CD through manufacturing, and put him on tour with New Found Glory. Chris/Vagrant now have bought back the rights to SAR from DTR to re release it on Vagrant, and viola....and emo rockstar fairy tale.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

i like DC until everyone else liked em. i know that sounds dumb but it is true. i just get annoyed when a band gets super popular.

-patemo

travis (April 22, 2003)

i love this cd. not afraid to admit it. the new stuff - eh, not so much. but this was it for me back when drive thru first rereleasd it. though, i must admit, i really dont like the full band shit, and i wont ever see them live again, unless it turns into just chris again. Seeing him open up for the weakerthans was one of the best shows ive ever seen.

FortyMinutesWest (April 22, 2003)

Sweet, more Doucheboard(wow, I'm clever) Confessional.

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

i think you forgot the test. they worry i'll do it for you.

This disc is:

a) an attempt to cash in more money for underage kids to drool over
b) should be in music prison along with the wham and men without hats records.
c) more love sappy acoustic butt-rock
d) all the above and mr.personality sucks a left nad

Ramo

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

faggot rock

Anonymous (April 22, 2003)

Getting that cheesy band and putting all those dumb arrangements together was a terrible idea. The solo stuff was actually pretty interesting.