Hands down this is my favorite article that I’ve ever co-written with Songwriter/Tidal Babes/Nxghtshade Guitarist Chris Qualls. We’re two emo kids in a sad sad world. Check out how Carrabba inspired us below:
7. The Shade of Poison Trees (2007)
SW: Let’s start with a clean break.
CQ: (uses a rimshot app noise)
SW: That was gold.
CQ: I think it’s gold that Chris Carrabba went back to Dashboard’s acoustic roots on this album.
SW: Me too. He lit his own fires then.
CQ: Indeed. The title track is great as well.
SW: Chris Carrabba has a knack for making poison taste so sweet!
6. Dusk and Summer (2006)
CQ: Yes! He gives me a reason to believe that heartbreak can be turned into catchy lyrically driven art.
SW: Dude, you just made me cry.
CQ: (hugs him)
SW: I’m feeling the opposite of a slow decay now.
CQ: Good! “Vindicated” was huge. I think it may be Chris’ most commercially successful song.
SW: Thank you, almost-Emo Tobey Maguire! Thank you, sequels!
5. A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar (2003)
CQ: So beautiful.
SW: As Dashboard Confessional lovers go, we may be on their shit list for ranking this fifth, but that just goes to show you that Chris is more than “Hands Down”.
CQ: But, just to be clear: “Hands Down” is a beautiful song.
SW: It has certainly stood the test of time. One could even argue that it has bent but it has not been broken.
CQ: (finger guns) There you go.
SW: Hey girl.
4. Crooked Shadows (2018)
CQ: Hey. This album is underrated.
SW: Mr. Qualls, you know just what to say.
CQ: Thanks, girl. This album feels like a classic Dashboard album but with modern production.
SW: I can’t wait to hear what he comes up with next!
CQ: Calm down, Scott. You’ll be alright.
SW: K.
3. Alter the Ending (2009)
CQ: Hey. This album is underrated.
SW: I know about you: You repeated yourself. I like it. I like it a lot. Dashboard Confessional clearly liked it too because it chose to re-record it. It’s a long way down. I like it.
CQ: I know that we’re only counting traditional albums for this list, but the acoustic additions on the deluxe version of this record might be my favorite DC tracks.
SW: So there’s three versions of this album?
CQ: And they’re all good!
SW: No news is bad news.
CQ: (uses an applause app noise)
SW: Everybody learns from disaster.
2. The Swiss Army Romance (2000)
CQ: It was a disaster deciding between this and the next mention for #1.
SW: You’re not alone and you’re not discreet.
1. The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (2001)
CQ: As for me, I wish that I was anywhere with anyone (anyone I’m married too, that is) making out.
SW: (uses a rimshot app noise)
Wa wa. That was fun. You can check out Chris’ modern interpretation of “Again I Go Unnoticed” with his project Nxghtshade here. Notice him!