By virtue of being an introspective singer/songwriter with an acoustic guitar,
Chris Carrabba has always been an artist skirting the edge of what is generally referred to as "folk music." When he made his debut in 2001 under the name
Dashboard Confessional, he essentially rebranded emo as something that could also be played without a band or an amp. Over the years, he experimented with various electric versions and expanded lineups, but always seemed most effective in his stripped-down, impassioned, acoustic glory. Flash forward a decade to a time when an unlikely "folk revival" is underway, making stars out of earnest-voiced, boot-stomping, banjo-wielding young men, and it's not that hard to imagine
Carrabba's music repackaged for the
Mumford crowd. Formed in early 2013,
Twin Forks is the folky Americana soul-sister to
Dashboard's plaintive emo strumming. While some might accuse the veteran
Carrabba of hitching a ride on new folk's fading boxcar,
Twin Forks' rootsy sound actually suits him pretty well. His high, dusty voice blends well with mandolinist/singer Suzie Zeldin on songs like "Can't Be Broken" and "Kiss Me Darling," and the all-acoustic band sounds much more cohesive than many of his later, more rock-oriented
Dashboard lineups, making it a worthy vehicle for his warm, earthy songwriting. ~ Timothy Monger