The Bottom Line
Dashboard Confessional's leader Chris Carraba was once emo's resident heartthrob. His looks are no less appealing, but with this song and much of the album Dusk and Summer, he has backed Dashboard Confessional away from the palpable angst of emo toward classic pop song emotion. The singer is clearly hurting on "Stolen," but in a more resigned, distinctly wistful and nostalgic vein. With a few lucky breaks, "Stolen" could be a major hit for the band.
Pros
- Chris Carraba's honest, angst-free vocals
- Heartfelt, wistful lyrics
- Slow crescendo in second half of song
Cons
- No significant negatives here
Description
- Simple, straightforward pop ballad
- Chiming guitars
- Chorus that draws the audience in to sing along
Guide Review - Dashboard Confessional - Stolen
2003's album A Mark, A Brand, A Mission, A Scar found Dashboard Confessional embracing a more instantly accessible sound featuring songs that included choruses that resonated beyond the raw, classic emo angst filling the tunes. With "Stolen" and much of Dusk and Summer, Chris Carrabba and company sound like a band fueled by just as much emotional honesty in the past, but with age, and maturity, much of the instant angst is gone. This allows the group to weave together a resonant song on "Stolen" that will appeal to a massive pop audience.
Just in time for the current singer-songwriter explosion, "Stolen" is a quietly beautiful ballad gently stirring feelings of loss and nostalgia. The song would be affecting recorded simply with a guitar and Carrabba's voice. However, the production gently building in a restrained crescendo adds depth and beauty to the record.
"Don't Wait," the first single from Dusk and Summer failed to catch on with mainstream pop audiences, but, with a few breaks from pop radio, "Stolen" could be big. Whether a big chart success or not, Chris Carrabba and Dashboard Confessional have proven they can grow and mature musically with impressive grace.
