Dashboard Confessional

Here is an attempt at a slightly more objective full featured analysis of this band and emo in general. I've spent most of my time amongst marching band geeks who for the most part hate the entire philosophy of emo. Some may enjoy the raw music, but the thought process behind it makes them writhe in agony. Dashboard Confessional was somewhat enjoyable because they are accoustic, and the first couple of songs were a concert with fans singing along and I started feeling it as it built up, but then I listened to more, and it felt the same every time. A lack of variety perhaps wouldn't be as bad, except when you listen to songs over and over again you begin to practically memorize the musical patterns and then begin to move on to the lyrics. The lyrics were always depressing, which made me want to turn it off. Why would I listen to music to be sad? I understand some people are having difficult lives and feel consolidation in the music, but I am starting to believe that it is dragging them further into their depression rather than pulling them out of it. At least they are doing accoustic. I personally prefer the accoustic workings of Slightly Stoopid or Jack Johnson, but it's a refreshing break from the screaming nonsense that we typically get. I disagree with people who say that the singers of emo bands have high voices. I like to listen to Elton John every once in a while, and he can own any of them at high pitched singing. Sure, he's gay and common stereotypes in society would pin that as the reason for his singing ability, but we don't really know when he decided to be gay, and the Styx and Queen singers can sing higher than these emo guys as well, and he got all the female booty he could ever want. The one other problem I have with emo music is that people glorify it because they feel connects to the rather morose lyrics, and claim it's emotional and appeals to their feelings. Music is all about feelings of course, no problem with that, but that's where the problem lies--they act it as if it were originally their own idea. I've had people telling me that 80's metal bands appealed to their feelings, as well as pop stars like Britney Spears (heaven forbid). Styx, Queen, Van Halen, and Richard Addinsell's Warsaw Concerto all appeal to my feelings. Blues and Jazz are all about feelings, improvised solos often communicate how the musician's day is going. To look back at the original concept of "feeling in music" one must look back in the 1800's at revolutionaries like Beethoven who moved the world from the Classical to the Romantic period.