A soldier returning from war grieves the loss of friends and innocence (“Slow Decay”). “So Long, So Long” and “Stolen” bid farewell to the simple pleasures of a fading summer, while “Don’t Wait” recommends laying aside rigid defenses and enjoying life (“The days will pass you by/Don’t wait to lay your armor down”). However …
That unguarded approach to life seems to include passionate encounters that throw caution to the wind. Sexual liaisons appear on “Rooftops and Invitations” (“Under the cool sheet where the welcome touch of skin and skin will meet”) and “Heaven Here” (“Naked and tangled and twisted in love”). Lead singer Chris Carrabba wants to slip away for a forbidden affair with someone else’s girl on “The Secret’s in the Telling.” He also regrets bidding adieu to a carefree tryst (“Dusk and Summer”), and wants a dying relationship “born in flames” to end as it began by burning hot one last time (“Currents”).
“Slow Decay” aside, this disc romanticizes youthful passion and a quest for love, preferably within range of the echo from a pounding surf. But Dashboard Confessional’s sentimental poetry is little more than musical journal entries chronicling a series of seasonal flings.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
