2009-09-18
Former front man of alternative Christian rock band Pedro the Lion, David Bazan has made a name for himself in recent years by battling alcoholism (with a few famous on-stage debacles) and a defiant turn against his earlier expressions of faith. His new solo disc is loaded with caustic lines aimed at religion ("With the threat of hell hanging over my head like a halo/I was made to believe in a couple of truths" from "When We Fell") along with a number of references to his battles with bottle (in "Bless This Mess," he wonders if his baby daughter would "soon despise the smell of the booze on my breath"). Personally, I don't find this music offensive at all; at times harrowing, yes, but it is the honest expression of fear, doubt and even anger that we all experience along life's journey. Sometimes tender and repentant, sometimes raging and table-pounding, Bazan examines the deep recesses of his soul -- and causes us to reflect on what we're made of in the process. Michael J. 09/09 R-AlternativeGlitch Code
Gifted_Damaged
PAUL THORN
A LONG WAY FROM TUPELO
French Horn Rebellion
Classically Trained
GUY FORSYTH
Love Songs For and Against
Grant-Lee Phillips
Virginia Creeper
Summer Cannibals
Show Us Your Mind
The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.