Driven Far Off

Meet David Bazan, an indie rock musician from Seattle. He was the force behind the now defunct Pedro the Lion. The front man of Headphones. Currently he performs under his namesake.

Under Pedro the Lion, Bazan marketed his remarkable sense of assonance. His songs were based on theology. He spent the better part of a decade battling his religion and inner personal issues. His loss of faith and questioning of his world turned into a drinking problem. In an attempt to rid the demons and see angels, he went solo.

Three records in under David Bazan and each one is better than the previous one. Bazan recently finished up a slew of Living Room Shows. Which were exactly as they sound. He played in strangers living rooms across the country. The shows capped out at fifty people and he played with his guitar and nothing else. In between songs he opened the floor up to the audience for q&a’s. He answered honestly and played requests.

More recently, Bazan has released his newest solo album, Strange Negotiations. It’s a powerful record about humanity and battling self-delusion. It weighs heavy on what it means to be human and more than that, what does it mean to be apart of the human culture? It deals with love for life and the disgust for the world our lives exist in. Bazan battles the age old question of how to fight the battle while still being a part of the battle. He succeeds with his biting tongue, his keen sense of lyrical structure, and catchy choruses. It might be his best record yet.

On Sunday, Bazan and his backing band made their way to Akron’s Musica. It was one of the few times I’ve witnessed him live with other people playing and it was incredible. His energy was high as usual. His set list was impeccable. Surprisingly, he stayed true to his q&a technique. The questions were more broad and a lot funnier than they usually are. But again, he answered honestly.

Bazan is an extraordinary and rare musician. He’s humble, he’s funny, and he’s got a voice that sends chills throughout my body. His music evokes deep thought and dancing. Is there anything better than a poignant, gut-wrenching musician? Nope. This is as good as it gets.

So, stop reading and start listening.