Bad Diary Days | David Bazan + Pedro the Lion + Headphones

[run2death]

One of my favorite singer-songwriters. I've seen him 5 times in the past two years, including two "living room" shows. His journey from Christian indie rock hero to nonbeliever has been fascinating, but regardless of his spiritual state he writes thoughtful, beautiful music.

[guestT]

Love Bazan. Been following him since the Whole EP first showed up in the Christian music store I worked at in high school. He just keeps getting better. The Lo Tom record he just put out is great too.

What's Harmless Sparks? New band? New Headphones album?

[run2death]

"Harmless Sparks" is one of my favorite tracks off of his first full-length solo album, "Curse Your Branches."

Agree about Lo Tom. It's fantastic.

Love this track.

[guestT]

Oh, duh. CYB is the album I've spent the least amount of time with. I think that's his "breaking up with Christianity" record. He went through that about two years after I did and I was just over it at the time. I should go back and revisit it.

Probably my fav Bazan song:

[run2death]

RE: you working at a Christian music store.

The idea of Christian book and music stores playing those last two Pedro records over their in-house speaker system always made me laugh. To me, those are more anti-Christianity records than anything.

[guestT]

RE: you working at a Christian music store.

The idea of Christian book and music stores playing those last two Pedro records over their in-house speaker system always made me laugh. To me, those are more anti-Christianity records than anything.

I was long gone by then, but at the store I worked at we couldn't even play anything with lyrics unless it was straight praise and worship music.

[washing machine]

This guy's from Denton, right? Really surprised I've never given his music a real listen. Indian Summer has made it onto a few of my playlists over the years. Giving the album It's Hard To Find A Friend a chance today on the theory that most lo-fi indie music produced in the late 90s is stereo gold.

[run2death]

He's from Seattle, by way of PHX.

You may be thinking about Damien Jurado. He spent a couple of years in Denton and has a great song called "Denton, TX."

He and Bazan are old friends.

[washing machine]

Yeah, probably so. I had a friend from Denton that liked both of those guys a lot. Liking this album btw.

[guestT]

I'd love to host one of his house shows. Ranch houses kinda suck for that, though.

[run2death]

I've thought about it too.

We get a ton of living room shows here because most of his family lives in and around PHX still.

[chewm]

I listened to a few of these and really, really enjoyed them.

[run2death]

You've always had good taste, chewm.

[run2death]

Probably my favorite track from "Blanco."



Lyrics are stellar.

White light
Maybe time to go
Surrounded by all my love
Dozing off

Persuaded by
My mother's fear
Deathbed sinner's prayer
Fingers crossed

I will not lay in bed
With a wheel turning in my head
Trying to figure out the spread
Of someone else's bet

Dinner's on the table
Your mother's at the door
Kids are watching TV
You never needed me more
You never needed me more
You never needed me more

Telephone is ringing
Bill collectors buy and sell
I may not be in heaven
But you're in hell

Okay, I'll lay here a little while
If you promise to run our history through my head

When my horizon flipped
Started making lists
And I'm never gonna rest in peace
In your debt

[guestT]

The main riff from "Covered Wagon" was stuck in my head on a loop all weekend. So good.

[chewm]

You've always had good taste, chewm.

He seems to have a pretty vast catalog, which record would you consider a good starting point?

[run2death]

You've always had good taste, chewm.

He seems to have a pretty vast catalog, which record would you consider a good starting point?

My favs are Pedro's "Control," the "Headphones" album and his solo record, "Blanco."

I'd probably start with those.

Early Pedro is basically acoustic "emo."

I think lots of people have avoided his stuff because of the "Christian music" label. I'm an atheist and avoid his stuff for a while, but his themes are pretty universal to all human beings.

[guestT]

Live clips are starting to pop up from Lo Tom's extremely short August tour:

Covered Wagon



Lower Down

[run2death]

Tour? New album? Hmmmmm...

[guestT]

sounds like a tour potentially followed by new material

https://www.avclub.com/pedro-the-lion-i ... 1819162523