Alter the Ending
Alter the Ending is the sixth studio album recorded by American rock band Dashboard Confessional, released through Vagrant, DGC and Interscope Records on November 10, 2009. The album was released in both a one disc standard version and a two disc deluxe edition which contains a second disc of acoustic versions of the 12 songs on the album. The album's first single is "Belle of the Boulevard".
"Until Morning" redirects here. For the Kate Rusby song, see Philosophers, Poets & Kings.Alter the Ending
Alter the Ending received some mixed or average reviews from critics, with some saying the album showed great maturity and others alluding to overproduction and its limitations.
The album debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200, number six on the Billboard Rock Albums chart and number five on the Alternative Albums chart.[1]
Promotion and release[edit]
The first track from the album made available was "Even Now", a clip of which was posted online on January 5, 2009.[2] The entire song appeared on the NCIS soundtrack in February.[3] On February 14, an acoustic version of "Even Now" was made available as a free download.[4] Dashboard Confessional announced in September that their sixth album would be titled Alter the Ending and released on November 10.[5] They also declared they would be touring in support of the album with New Found Glory, Meg & Dia and Never Shout Never,[6] before it was cancelled because of a last minute family situation.[7] A second track, "Belle of the Boulevard", was made available for listening at Radio Sophie on September 17,[8] and was posted on MySpace a few days later.[9]
The album artwork and final track listing were revealed in October,[10][11] with the album's first single, "Belle of the Boulevard", being released on October 13, 2009.[12] Upon the need to decide whether the album should be full-on electric rock project or a stripped-down acoustic piece, frontman Chris Carrabba came up with the solution that it could be both, as the album was revealed to be available in a two disc deluxe edition, with the second CD containing acoustic versions of the album.[13][14] Carrabba has said that the acoustic set still features the full band, but with a minimalist approach similar to when the group was mostly a solo project in its early days. Carrabba has spoken of the positives of having both versions, even admitting to not liking one of the full-band versions and its acoustic becoming his "favorite song on the record."[13]Alter the Ending was made available for streaming at MySpace on November 3,[15] before being released on November 10. On November 25, 2009, a music video was released for "Belle of the Boulevard"; it was filmed the previous month in New Orleans.[16] A short acoustic tour with New Found Glory was also announced, after the cancellation of the first attempt, running through December 2009.[17][18] Between February and April 2010, the band supported Bon Jovi on their US arena tour.[19]