The album is rich with Carrabba's voice crooning over lively harmonies with
songs such as "Thick as Thieves," "These Bones" and "I Light My Own Fires Now."
Though the album is reminiscent of their earlier works, D.C. experiments with
synth sounds in songs such as beautiful-sounding "The Rush."

Songs like "Clean Breaks," "The Shade of Poison Trees" and the near-perfect
album closer "Widow's Peak" bring down the jubilant mood set by previous tracks,
but for the most part keep the album away from a cry-yourself-to-sleep sound.

Lyrically, as always, Carrabba delivers superb lines and messages, from
mentioning Hollywood failures to love, and of course signature emo lines like on
the fast-paced acoustic masterpiece "Little Bombs": "How do you know when the
cuts are deep enough? I know you like your stabs, your preemptive attacks."

With Carrabba on his first solo tour in five years, this is a great new
collection for him to perform. "The Shade of Poison Trees" album is a great
addition to the Dashboard Confessional epic journey through heartbreak, new love
and being nostalgic for all of it.