November 28, 2009

By Crystal Bell

Dashboard Confessional frontman Chris Carrabba could likely take his pick of any female fan in the audience. But somehow the singer/songwriter always manages to get his heart broken by the opposite sex. The band's sixth studio album, "Alter the Ending," is a perfectly blended concoction of acoustic melodies, graceful harmonies and powerful anthems wrapped around the story of a man trying desperately to save a failing relationship. The pounding drums on the opener, "Get Me Right," emphasizes Carrabba's pursuit of love, while the heavy title track finds him pleading with the object of his affection to stay. And on the closer, "Hell on the Throat," the artist sings about loss and acceptance over simple acoustic chords. "Alter the Ending" displays much of the same raw insecurities that Carrabba has become known for, but it also shows emotional growth, as heard on "Water and Bridges," where he sings, "I'll make the best of the best I can, and I'll be better for it if I ever get my chance."

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