Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

A Musician of Many Niches

Chris Carrabba is a name that may sound familiar. Carrabba is the lead singer of Dashboard Confessional and Further Seems Forever. Now, Chris is carving out a new place for himself in the folk music scene with his new project, a folk and Americana band known as Twin Forks. The band is opening for Ryan Bingham and Lucero tonight at the 9:30 Club.

Do you feel that your past style of sound is a hindrance or obstacle in starting new musical ventures?

No I wouldn’t say it’s a hindrance or an obstacle, but it is something we choose not to trade on. We ask promoters whenever possible not to mention that members of this band were also members of other bands that were popular. We are trying to build this band out of its own merit, because it should succeed or fail on the merit of its own songs. Obviously, we think it should succeed otherwise we wouldn’t be trying so hard.

Now your new project is Twin Forks. How did the Twin Forks project come about?

I’ve been traveling for years doing Dashboard and of course I came in contact with so many musicians that I loved, watched, and dreamed of playing with and that was the beginning of the inception of this band. To bring together and align myself with these people I’ve been hoping to play with for so long. And then it is very organic. A lot of us are in other bands, but a lot of us have chosen to make this our main band. Those of us who can only do it part time are welcome to be here whenever they can be and those that are doing it full time are part of my big adventure. It’s great.

The Folk and Americana sound that is embodied by Twin Forks has become a major part of mainstream music in recent years due to the likes of bands such as Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, etc. How does it feel entering into this musical genre with Twin Forks, and what do you hope to add to it?

When I was making this record it was a slow gestation. I never would have expected, I don’t think anyone really expected, for this kind of resurgence in what a few years ago people would have thought of as a hokey, old-timey sound. I’ve worked well, and have been successful, in the niche markets. Dashboard was a big niche, but a niche nonetheless. I’m grateful that a lot of those bands that opened the door for acts like us to at least get the chance for people to not switch the station when they hear a banjo or mandolin, and assume immediately that it’s not for them. People are more curious than they might have been before, and that’s wonderful.

What we hope to add is the same thing we hoped to add before that genre got popular. To write some great songs and have a chance to connect with an audience, that’s all I ever cared about. That has always been my goal. It’s such a modest goal, but believe it or not it can become an all-encompassing, very rewarding goal.

Dashboard and Twin Forks have very different styles and sounds. Was it a big transition moving from the more pop sound of Dashboard to the more folk sound of Twin Forks?

I had more trouble getting away from the heavier edge that Dashboard had. I suppose if it were just pop I would have had an easier time. I would say that for me it was not terribly difficult to make a transition because [folk] is a style of music I have been playing my whole life. It was just that at some point I decided to play it in front of people. It was very natural. Actually, I think I will have more trouble when I eventually go back to Dashboard to be perfectly honest with you.

“Back to You” is one of the tracks of the album that has gained popularity. What was the inspiration behind the song?

I think it embraces an everlasting youth that a musician, or I guess any kind of artist, gives to you. You are still connected to something vagrant, that maybe you get worn out working in a cubicle, or maybe not. I’ve never been in a cubicle, let alone worked in one. [“Back To You”] starts with the lyric “I was young so I forgot, which was my place and which was not.” It rings true in my ears that there is no defined place that you must be. If you are fearless you can be wherever and whoever you dream to be.

You have been a singer/song-writer for over 15 years now. What inspires you to make new music and create new projects such as Twin Forks?

Every day is a new adventure. There is a whole world out there. It’s full of songs.

What other artists and bands have influenced you musically?

I think big influences on this project or on me in general were Woody Guthrie, and Fleetwood Mac. More recent bands like Dawes, Blake Mills, and Deer Tick are big influences on us. Then there are the more rugged singer/songwriter acts that we love, like Lucero, Cory Branan, and Chuck Ragan of course, one of my big heroes. I think that it is a wide and long list.

During shows you play a lot of cover songs, both from Dashboard Confessional and other artists, how do you choose songs to cover for a show?

Don’t choose. Much to the chagrin of my band mates I don’t choose, I just start playing something, whether I know it all the way or not. Everyone kind of just looks at each other and quickly starts playing. The bass player in our band, Jonathan, told the other guys, and I found out later, and I got a good laugh out of it because it rings true, that if you ever hear Chris listen to a song twice in a row he has learned it and is just going to play it one day, so you might want to learn it.

What is the first album you ever bought?

Purple Rain by Prince.

 Favorite concert you have ever been to?

Fugazi and Shudder to Think.

What’s the last song you listened to on your iPod?

Hayloft by Nickel Creek.

What is your favorite venue to play?

I’ve always really loved the Bowery Ballroom in New York. It’s one of my favorites.

The Twin Forks album is a little over a year old at this point. What is next for Twin Forks, as well as for Dashboard Confessional and yourself?

Something is up for Dashboard, I don’t know what. With Twin Forks, we are currently recording another record and a cover circuit at the same time. Plus, we have a free EP we put out all the time. It’s a free EP we put out to our emails. If you email us at [email protected] and put music in the subject line you get this free EP bounce back and we change it maybe once every other month. So that is something that we keep adding to also.

 

 

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