David Bazan celebrates 10th anniversary
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the release of Pedro The Lion’s 2002 album Control former front man David Bazan is touring the United States playing its entirety. I will be attending this concert in my neck of the woods at the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Arizona on Dec. 5. I couldn’t be more excited as Pedro the Lion was my favorite band back in 8th grade.
I don’t think it’s going too far when I say that Control is one of the better indie albums of the early 2000s. This is definitely Pedro the Lion’s angriest album. It is made with a mixture of distorted electric guitars, dominant drum beats and combines Bazan’s emotional lyrics and an effectual voice. Putting all of these elements together with Bazan’s afflicted feelings towards marriage and feeling of self worth as well as self degradation makes for a powerful album.
Control received a lot of back lash from their Christian fans because of the content of the album which deals with extramarital sex and confusion about religion, as Pedro the Lion had been known for being a Christian-rock band. On Bazan’s “brief history” page on his website it explains that, “Bazan finds himself in the awkward position of having to justify the subject matter of his new songs to a handful of disenchanted and frustrated Christian fans in each city along the tour”. However, although many of the fans were upset, Control outsold all previous Pedro the Lion albums.
After Pedro the Lion called it quits in 2006 Bazan decides to explore atheism after struggling with an incredibly skeptical view on Christianity with an increasing drinking problem.
Around this time Bazan begins to release music under his own name. He is then named in Paste Magazine’s “100 Best Living Songwriters”. After his first EP, Fewer Moving Parts, was released in 2006. He went on tour in 2007 featuring artists like Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie. Shortly after he is signed to Seattle based Barsuk Records which features other bands such as Rilo Kiley, Nada Surf, Death Cab for Cutie and Ra Ra Riot.
If you are interested in getting tickets to his current tour I would do it fast. All the previous shows on the tour have all been sold out with the exception of his November 17th show in Washington DC at Black Cat. The tour will end December 15 in Seattle at Neptune Theatre.
To get ready for this I encourage everyone to dust off your old CD collection, as I have, and give the album another listen. I’ve added my favorite track, “Options” where Bazan plays solo for an interview with KDVS radio show to get you all jazzed up for what is going to be an incredible, one in a life time show.
Mian Hickler is an English student who has recently moved back to Tempe, AZ from DC. She enjoys finding new music, making her own clothes, reading Frank O’Hara poetry and drinking cappuccinos.