But it’ll be a while before Carrabba, 27, has to strain to be heard over the tractor pulls. Anticipation for Dashboard’s third CD, “A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar,” has been building for two years. Last week he finally delivered; next week, “A Mark” will be nipping at the heels of its predecessor, “The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most,” an indie release that sold 500,000 copies in a fan-by-fan chain reaction. It was only a matter of time before kids weaned on Britney Spears got weaned off; for those who were ready for something grimy and authentic, Carrabba is the real deal. His tattooed torso and heartsick vocals make him a godsend for music fans at an age where every emotion goes up to 11.
But now that Carrabba has a major label–Interscope–behind him, can he stay pure in the eyes of his flock? The new electric CD is a departure from the acoustic “Places”–but fans, who swap MP3 bootlegs with his blessing, have heard a plugged-in Dashboard for more than a year. The real danger comes the next time they see him live and are surrounded by 12-year-olds who know only the new stuff.
Carrabba’s saving grace may be his clear affection for his audience. “When you’re 16 or 17, that’s about the last age when you can get that passionate about a band,” he says. “I love that age.” At the end of “Hands Down,” the new CD’s best track, an ecstatic Carrabba repeats, “I knew that you meant it.” He’s singing about a blissful moment of new love, but it doubles as an explanation of Dashboard’s feverish appeal. As long as he keeps meaning it, somebody else can do those state-fair gigs.
