MTV Unplugged

The second release in MTV's revived Unplugged series of TV shows and albums (following Lauryn Hill's head-scratcher of a public therapy session) is very much in the laid-back, casual, chatty spirit of the original Jules Shear-hosted TV show of the late '80s. (In a nod to the times, however, this was released as a CD/DVD double-disc, with the DVD containing the televised concert.) Of course, Dashboard Confessional MTV Unplugged is a little redundant, considering how many of singer/songwriter/mainstay Chris Carrabba's songs are simple voice and acoustic guitar numbers anyway, but this 52-minute selection is a well-chosen parade of hits and relative obscurities from throughout the band's career. Those who have been to a Dashboard Confessional concert know that one of the audience tics that has grown up around Carrabba is that the audience often sings along to the songs, often louder than Carrabba himself; that tendency is kept somewhat in check here, but it's still present, which might make MTV Unplugged a rather annoying listen for some. ~ Stewart Mason