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Zero 7
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Dusk And Summer
EMAILPRINTby Dashboard Confessional

Mixed or average reviews
Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 44 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Vagrant
Release Date: 27 June 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock, Emo
Summary
Chris Carrabba & co.'s long-delayed fourth album was produced chiefly by Don Gilmore, after sessions with Daniel Lanois were largely scrapped. Counting Crows' Adam Duritz guests.
Also By This Artist: A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar The Shade Of Poison Trees
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Spin
Represents a major upgrade in Dashboard's sound. [Jul 2006, p.83]
Lost At Sea
Dusk and Summer’s over-the-topness is relentless – most any second-banana Blink 182-er would sell an expendable internal organ to use one of these songs as a set-closer.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
The album is gentler and falls much closer to the feeling of The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most.
Read Full Review >Alternative Press
Dusk And Summer is proof that Carrabba's ability to drop hugely emotive choruses into three-minute pop songs has become its own form of classic American songwriting. [Aug 2006, p.199]
Billboard
Slower paced and more atmospheric than any of its predecessors, "Dusk" is an ambitious showcase of maturity.
Read Full Review >Blender
It's at once a distillation of all that drew tweeners to Dashboard... and a messy, multidimensional celebration of romance and regret. [Jul 2006, p.99]
Rolling Stone
Dusk and Summer can be as ponderous and precious as a Hallmark card, but it succeeds because Carrabba has found music as intense and bittersweet as his deep, deep feelings. [29 Jun 2006, p.68]
musicOMH.com
Although long-term Dashboard fans will miss the more fragile moments, the new, big, epic sound is one that suits Carrabba.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Most of Dusk And Summer sounds factory-made and even kitschy.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
The overall lack of any real risk results in standard guitar anthem boilerplate.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Truly this is music for life's uncomplicated moments. [15 Jul 2006, p.39]
The Phoenix
Only the title track bears any resemblance to what Dashboard once were.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
The band only vaguely remember the "hardcore" ingredients in emo on the slightly more edgy title track. Maybe everybody's buying it for the pictures.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
This Dashboard has rock hooks and not much real emotion. This Dashboard is devoid of the only thing that actually made the band good: sincere heartbreak.
Read Full Review >Uncut
Only the softer songs... display any of the heartbroken mystique that once made Carrabba compelling. [Sep 2006, p.79]
Q Magazine
It's difficult to imagine Carraba's earnest tenor appealing to anyone over the age of 20. [Sep 2006, p.107]
NOW Magazine
The songs are pretty much middle-of-the-road, generic radio alt-rock devoid of any real personality.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 44 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Nick gave it a9:
A different style to this cd.. i believe dashboard is trying to get more into the pop world and appeal to more people (probably because of the influence of the record company)... personal i think chris's original sound (all of the dashboard albums up until now) were nothing short of brillance.. He is diffenently one of the best recording artist of the last 10 years and my opinion, is the best... No other artist can find a way to put so much energy in every song.. Anything with the name dashboard confessional is worth buying but i hope he sticks to more of the original sound in the albums to come
ray j gave it a9:
A very different album in my opinion than the preceding ones. Unique in its own rights... completely solid musically and-- lyrically is always original and refreshing.
amelia r gave it a10:
this cd is amazing! when you first listen to it, it is apperant that it is not the traditional dashboard sound. the more i listened to it the more i loved it and now it has become my fave dashboard album. chris voice really shines and u can feel his emotions through his gripping and heart felt lyrics. dusk and summer is a step away from dashboards previous work but hey thats what makes me love it, dashboard gets better with time. this album wont dissapoint you, trust me. some of the tracks that stand out are "dusk and summer" "slow decay" and "heaven here"
Bill gave it a9:
I guess Dash apparently shouldn't try new things out, or risk the backlash of fans who aren't able to mature
max gave it a0:
what did this guy ever do to make people think he has talent? crappy vocals and horrific non songs. rubbish
big nick j gave it a6:
I found myself waiting and wishing for any hint of the old carraba. his new sound is simply a lost attempt to produce a sound closer to U2 than the classic emo sound he previously had been adored for. the new songs are good, and get better once the words are memorized enough to sing along
laura gave it a7:
Kind of disappointing... a few songs are bearable, but the others are like everything else. It's more mature... if mature means boring... and all the same... and kind of a waste of money, to be honest....
