Pedro the Lion is a name known to most people who stay up to date with independent music, along with it's creator, David Bazan. But what we are going to discuss here are associations, which is what made me neglect Bazan's music for years. Pedro the Lion, to a more or lesser extant, was a Christian band. That right there was a good enough reason for many people to easily stray away from his music. I personally know I disregarded his music because of the associations I had with most independent Christian music. If the pinnacle of such a genre was Cornerstone Fest, an annual Christian music festival in southern IL, I don't want any part of it. I am no overtly outspoken anti-religion fanatic, but I usually don't mesh well with some guy singing about his "lord" and or, "saviour". To each his own. But it was this association that I knowingly placed on Pedro the Lion, far after their demise, that I truly regret. We are going to get one thing straight here, Bazan is one hell of a songwriter and Pedro the Lion was an important band to so many people for a damn good reason.
Musically, most people pinned Pedro the Lion's music to the genre of "Slowcore"; ie, slow, usually depressing, indie rock. Kind of like 90's emo, but without the incessant yelling. Bazan has a wonderful ear for rhythm and melody, which shines through his songwriting. Either upbeat, or long, droning instrumentals are what makes the music, and the emotion conveyed through an electric guitar.
However, it's the lyrics that should be the focus of Bazan's music. Are there lyrics about Bazan's belief in the Christian faith? Yes. But, are they introspective, full of metaphors, or questioning the idea of having faith in something so ambiguous? Yes. Bazan understands the complexities in having faith in religion in the 21st Century, and even in his first album, It's Hard To Find A Friend, his devotion is starting to waver. Take "Secret of the Easy Yoke" for example, a song dedicated to questioning his devotion, having faith in something he can't see, something opaque. The line about "falling on my sword" gets me everytime, to rather metaphorically die than continue on his path is one hell of a way to put it.
It's Hard To Find A Friend is Pedro the Lion at it's best. Perfect music for when you need to hear a sad song, such as "Bad Diary Days", a song his devotion to his wife. Or perfect music for when you are vibin' a good jam, such as "Big Trucks", in which he tells his dad to beat down some dude that may have cut him off in a car or some sort. Give this a listen, if you haven't already, and don't let some label disrupt your notions of what good music. I sure did, but now I know better.
Tracks:
- Of Up and Coming Monarchs
- The Longer I Lay Here
- Big Trucks
- Suspect Fled the Scene
- Bad Diary Days
- The Longest Winter
- When They Really Get to Know You They Will Run
- Of Minor Prophets and Their Prostitute Wives
- The Bells
- Secret of the Easy Yoke
- The Well
- Promise
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