Album Review: New Found Glory/Dashboard Confessional - 'A Swiss Army Bromance - Split EP'

14 February 2010 | 11:03 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Half excellent, half disappointing

So, as several other reviewers on this site have stated previously: Split cd's can be a bitch to review. They can be amazing to listen to, but can really fuck-up your review - especially if one band does a far superior job then the other. Which unfortunately, is what has seemed to happen in this patricular split.


Coming up to the occasion of their joint US tour, New Found Glory and Dashboard Confessional decided to release a 7" only avaliable on the tour. However, since the tour was cancelled due to Familial reasons of Dashboards part, the split is still being released.

Each band chose two of the others songs, and re-recorded them.

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Lets start with New Found Glory.

Now, if you're a previous fan of this band, you will know their ability to take a song and re-record it as their own, and this is no exception to the two Dashboard songs they have chosen to cover - 'Swiss Army Romance' and 'Saints and Sailors'.

NFG have an uncanny ablility to take any song and transform it in such a way that makes you think that it was one of their b-sides from any of their previous albums - if you hadn't heard the original versions, of course. The execution of these songs are extraordinary, and shows off Jordan Pundik's incredible vocals.


I only wish I could say the same of Dashboard. Whilst the song choices were excellent - ''All About Her' and 'Better off Dead' - the overall execution was very mellow, and well... uhm, boring to say the least.

Whilst 'All About Her' might be slightly better due to its guest female vocals and timidly upbeat chorus, 'Better Off Dead' is just plain boring.

The drum machine beats become a major turn-off, and Chris Carrabba's vocals barely reach anything higher then a whisper.

It is my honest opinion as a reviewer and fan of Dashboard Confessional, that I was majorly disappointed in their side of the split. Carrabba could have easily done much better, and surpassed any expectations I may have held.

The New Found Glory side however, is remarkable and definitely worth a few listens.

So, at least it's half ok.

New Found Glory

1. The Swiss Army Romance - 2:45

2. Saints and Sailors - 2:36


Dashboard Confessional

3. Better Off Dead - 3:06

4. All About Her - 3:27