Founded in Boca Raton, Florida in 1999, Dashboard Confessional was originally the side project for Further Seems Forever member Chris Carrabba. Armed with a stack of songs that he felt were too personal for FSF, Carrabba recorded an album entitled THE SWISS ARMY ROMANCE, which he chose to release in 2000 under the group name Dashboard Confessional. Still a member of FSF, he went into the studio in 2001 with the band to record their debut album THE MOON IS DOWN. However, he decided to focus his attentions on Dashboard Confessional and left FSF before the release of the album. While Carrabba has added a semi-revolving group of musicians to Dashboard Confessional’s line-up over the years – including Scott Schoenbeck (bass/keyboards), John Lefler (guitar/keyboards), Mike Marsh (drums), Armon Jay (guitar), and Chris Kamrada (drums) – he remains the leader and main creative force behind the band.

 The year 2001 was a busy one for Dashboard Confessional with the release of their second album, THE PLACES YOU HAVE COME TO FEAR THE MOST, and the EPs THE DROWNING and SO IMPOSSIBLE. After releasing the MTV UNPLUGGED 2.0 in 2002, the band’s real breakthrough came with their third album, A MARK, A MISSION, A BRAND, A SCAR (2003), which rose to Number 2 on the Billboard 200. They became a commercial force to be reckoned with and released a series of successful albums including DUSK AND SUMMER (2006), THE SHADE OF POISON TREES (2007), and AFTER THE ENDING (2009). However, Carrabba put Dashboard Confessional on ice and pursued other interests including a reunion with Further Seems Forever, a solo album, and other musical projects. The group returned in 2018 with the long-awaited album CROOKED SHADOWS, which reached Number 4 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart. After touring the album and taking a break to work on a follow-up album, the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down and things were put on hold.

While the world is in a completely different place than it was when Dashboard Confessional last released an album, the group returns in 2022 with ALL THE TRUTH THAT I CAN TELL, an album that lives up to its title. Mostly focused on Carrabba armed with an acoustic guitar – drums only make their presence felt on two tracks – the album finds the singer/songwriter opening his heart, allowing an open line of communication between the artist and listener. But a purely acoustic album this is not – there is plenty of atmosphere in the recordings that allow Carrabba’s emotions to flow and float freely throughout these recordings. While still sounding confident and in control, he isn’t so eager to put his guard up. There are signs of confusion, sadness, and disappointments in his voice, but he never loses hope. No matter how desperate a situation is, you’ll always find a ray of hope with Dashboard Confessional. Preceded by the singles “Burning Heart” and “Here’s To Moving On”, ALL THE TRUTH THAT I CAN TELL is as honest and as straightforward as an album can get. It is time to get real with Dashboard Confessional.

You don’t have to be and indie music fan to realize that the group Beach House is something special. Whether their name is whispered in hushed tones or shouted from the rooftops, Beach House has built a devoted fanbase that continues to grow with each release. Founded in 2004 by vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand and guitarist Alex Scally, the group’s commercial profile has never been higher. While their releases have earned them critical raves over the years, fans are now taking their favorite Beach House songs – including “Space Song” (2015) and “Silver Soul” (2010) – to TikTok and introducing them to a new audience. And as music fans know, all it takes is one song and then the gates are open. And with Beach House, there is so much more to explore.

Beach House released their self-titled debut album in 2006 and introduced the duo’s Indie/Dreampop sound, which would evolve and grow with each release. Their second album, DEVOTION, was released in 2008 and entered the Billboard 200, landing at #195. However, things began to change for the band and their third album, TEEN DREAM (2010) rose to #43 on the album’s chart. Their next two albums crashed into the Top 10: 2012’s BLOOM hit the #7 spot, followed three years later by DEPRESSION CHERRY, which snuggled in at #8. THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS, which was released less than two months after DEPRESSION CHERRY, managed to inch itself into the Top 40, reaching the #39 spot on the albums chart. After the release of their B-SIDES AND RARITIES compilation in 2017, the duo returned with their seventh studio album – creatively titled 7 – in 2018. Since that release, the group’s popularity has continued to grow, raising excitement and anticipation for their next album to new levels. And the wait over…

2022’s ONCE TWICE MELODY is not your average Beach House album. This time, Victoria and Alex gift their fans with a DOUBLE album containing 18 new songs divided into four chapters. The first album to be produced by the duo, ONCE TWICE MELODY moves Beach House’s sound forward while still retaining all the great elements that have made them one of Indie music’s most beloved acts. However, ONCE TWICE MELODY is not Beach-House-by-numbers. The album lifts the band to another level as it presents songs that take deeper atmospheric breaths while allowing the melodies to float into the ether. Painting their musical landscapes with organs, keyboards, acoustic guitars, drum machines, and real drums (by James Barone), Beach House have even added a string ensemble to their arsenal. With songs like “Only You Know”, “Superstar”, “Through Me”, “Hurts To Love”, “New Romance”, and the title track, Beach House has not only met all expectations with this new album – the duo has exceeded them on every level. This is music that matters. It is haunting, beautiful, and life-affirming. ONCE TWICE MELODY is not only what we wanted… it is exactly what we needed.

Singer, songwriter, and musician Amos Lee – born Ryan Massaro in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – spent his early years as a second-grade teacher and bartender before fame came calling. Blending folk, rock, blues, and soul into his unique musical gumbo, Amos Lee was showing promise long before he came to prominence in 2005 when he released his debut album. In his early days, he performed any chance he got in local venues and bars. However, his first big break was as opening act for Mose Allison and B.B. King. After recording a four-track demo in 2003, he and his manager sent it out to several record labels. The chances of a big label responding to an unsolicited demo was slim-to-none, but, as luck would have it, iconic label Blue Note Records took notice and signed him up. Impressed by his voice, labelmate Norah Jones invited him to open for her during her 2004 tour. By the time he was ready to release his debut album, there was already a strong buzz throughout the industry…

Amos Lee released his self-titled EP (2004) and his debut album (2005) to critical acclaim and impressive sales. While the album stopped just outside the Top 100 in the U.S., it was an international hit, reaching #13 on the album chart in the Netherlands. His second album, SUPPLY AND DEMAND, was released in 2006 and reached #76 in the States. His third album, LAST DAYS AT THE LODGE (2008), did even better in his home country and rose to #29. With each album outselling the previous one, it was no surprise when MISSION BELL reached the top of the charts in 2011. Building his audience with each release, Amos Lee’s catalog also includes the albums MUSICIANS OF SORROW, RIVERS OF SONG (2013), SPIRIT (2015), and MY NEW MOON (2018). During his career, he also released two more EPS, a pair of live albums, and several singles including the hits “Shout Out Loud”, “Windows Are Rolled Down”, and “No More Darkness, No More Light”.

2022’s DREAMLAND is Amos Lee’s second album on Dualtone and his first album in nearly four years. In some ways, the album picks up where MY NEW MOON left off, but it also travels new musical ground. Perhaps influenced by the state of the world since his last album, DREAMLAND is an atmospheric waltz through a musical world that is neither here nor there – it feels like a journey through the land of dreams. Moody and misty like a thick veil of fog, the album is heartfelt and offers a warm embrace as the songs whisk you through the chill in search of comfort, love, and hope. There is heartbreak, but there is also celebration. There is loss, but there is also redemption. Is this the same album that Amos Lee would have released had there not been a worldwide pandemic? Or is this the result of all that has happened since the beginning of 2020? Does it even matter? DREAMLAND is a beautiful album that continues to build upon his musical legacy, and it is a perfect gateway for those not yet familiar with his work. Key tracks include “Worry No More”, “Shoulda Known Better”, and “See The Light”, but DREAMLAND is an album that should be listened to as a whole. If you’re looking for escape, this album is a dream come true.

Born Mitsuki Laycock in Japan in 1990, the singer, songwriter and musician is better known by her stage name Mitski. Although born in Japan, her father’s job with the United States Department of State meant that she lived in several countries – Turkey, China, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – while growing up. Finally settling in New York, she attended several music schools – including the SUNY Purchase College’s Conservatory of Music – and studied composition. She also learned to play several instruments including piano/keyboards, guitar, and bass. Having written her first song on the piano by the time she was 18, her education broadened her musical horizons and she moved to the next level: recording her songs.

While attending college, she released her debut album, LUSH, in 2012, which was followed in 2013 by RETIRED FROM SAD, NEW CAREER IN BUSINESS. Mitski spent time in the short-lived Prog-Metal band Voice Coils before releasing her third album BURY ME AT MAKEOUT CREEK (2014). Signing with the Dead Oceans label, Mitski released PUBERTY 2 in 2016. Over the next two years, her commercial profile rose thanks to her involvement in other projects including a collaboration with Xiu Xiu. BE THE COWBOY, her fifth album, was released in 2018. While her fans have been awaiting her next album, Mitski has been far from idle. One of her most celebrated projects was the soundtrack to the graphic novel THIS IS WHERE WE FALL, which was released on cassette and vinyl.

After a long wait, Mitski returns in 2022 with her sixth studio album, LAUREL HELL. Produced by Patrick Hyland, who has been her collaborator since her 2013 sophomore album, LAUREL HELL is Mitski’s first release since the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything. In some ways, this is an album born from the emotions – conscious and subconscious – that manifested during the pandemic. However, the album also rises above the uncertainty and offers a hopeful escape. Mitski gently lays her voice and lyrics on top of a moody electronic landscape filled with hills, valleys, and many other layers that are often felt more than heard. Featuring highlights such as “Working for the Knife”, “Heat Lightning”, “Love Me More”, and “The Only Heartbreaker”, LAUREL HELL is not a dark and ominous release, although it is filled with shade and shadows. But you can’t make shade and shadows without light, and there is always the light of hope waiting around the corner. An emotional tumble down a musical rabbit hole, LAUREL HELL is yet another feather in Mitski’s cap.