For Dashboard Confessional’s latest release, Alter The Ending, the album actually includes two discs, a disc with studio versions of the songs on the album, and a disc that contains only acoustic versions.

While the dual disc concept seems perfect for a band like Dashboard who’s sound translates so well acoustically, lead singer Chris Carrabba says the second acoustic disc was actually not planned and the idea came about purely by coincidence.

“When we started practicing the one of the new songs prior to recording we happened to pick up our acoustics, and that was only because they were easier to get to,” Carrabba told Alternative Addiction in a recent interview.  “We were all sitting around a coffee table playing, and we really liked how it sounded, so we decided to set up some mics and record it.”

The band was so happy with how the song turned out they started a ritual of playing each song together acoustically before they entered the studio to lay down the tracks for the album.  Before long the band had nearly every song on the album recorded acoustically, all just by coincidence.

“I think it’s really good that it wasn’t planned in this instance, says Carrabba.  “Of course we have made acoustic records before, but this one had its own character and its own charm because it was simple, we just kind of played it.”

The band still had no idea that the album would contain their acoustic recordings on a separate disc until the label starting asking the band for bonus tracks.

“I never thought that the label would even want to release it as an extra disc with the album, because that would cost them more money,” said Carrabba.  “But after we finished the album, the label was asking about extra tracks and I just mentioned that it happens to be that we have the whole album recorded acoustically, and they said ‘Okay, we’ll put out two records.’”

Dashboard Confessional is on tour now opening for Bon Jovi through May, and will be playing headlining shows in select cities where the tour stops.  Their latest album Alter The Ending is in stores now.

Listen To Alternative Addiction’s Interview With Chris Carrabba