Twin Forks - Twin Forks (Album Review)

This album should easily be tagged: Chris Carrabba, the heart on his sleeve front man for Dashboard Confessional, finds himself getting comfy with roots music and folk rock on the new Twin Forks album. The singer is taking time off from screaming infidelities long enough to dust off his old muddy boots and stomp through some Americana.

After first listen I think it's safe to say this sounds a lot like Dashboard Confessional gone roots. It might also be the most excited and energetic you've heard Carrabba on an album in a while. Maybe it's getting to step into a new band without all the lofty expectations, but Carrabba sounds carefree and loose on the album. His vocal performance might be my favorite of his on an album in a long while. Carrabba has surrounded himself with a group that does a really good job fleshing out the songs. Suzie Zeldin's vocals sound really good sprinkled throughout the album. Carrabba seems well suited for the genre. Some of these songs could easily have been found on Dashboard albums if they had been slightly re-worked.

The album kind of reminds me of what Conor Oberst did when he took a break from Bright Eyes to explore sounds with his solo material. It’s letting loose the reigns of lofty expectations and finding a more light hearted approach with breezier sounding songs. Songs like "Something We Know" is a prime example of what I'm talking about when I compare the two. It's interesting hearing Carrabba take more of an Americana approach with his lyrics. I think this album has some big potential to expose Carrabba and company to a new batch of fans. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of these songs found a home on country radio.

Yeah, the Twin Forks album may sound a little like Dashboard Confessional gone roots, folk, and bluegrass but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's great to hear Carrabba experiment around with a slightly different genre. The album, as a whole, is successful with a strong set of songs that should leave most listeners more than satisfied. This album is a nice change of pace from Dashboard Confessional. That being said if you've been missing Dashboard you should be able to connect with this and find more than enough to enjoy.