The following quote appeared on a website, shortly after the Whole EP came out, "[Pedro the Lion]... is made up of mostly first time players". Well, a lot has changed since this quote. Two full lengths and one EP later, David Bazan has evolved into an emotionally moving and thought provoking all around musician and story teller. This album adds new depths to Bazan's skills as he explores new styles while still retaining his same old trademark sound. In "Winners Never Quit", Bazan does the unthinkable for Pedro Fans - he records music that actually gets your pulse above rest levels while tapping your foot. That's right, Pedro is now recording faster beat emo type songs. I must admit, I was very skeptical when I first was informed that Pedro the Lion has changed their sound. However, as I listened more and more I am sold - Bazan can do it all. Three tracks on the album are actually intense (not characteristic of Pedro), and guess what - they rock! Bazan's maturation and talent for writing music increase with each album, which is truly prevalent on "Winners Never Quit". He somehow is able to take very slow baritone type sounds and make them catchy and poppy. His stories generally tell the experiences and thoughts of other people. His music sets the stage for the stories -- almost as though the music helps to tell the story. This album is different than most albums in that he is using the album to tell one continuous story. On this effort he is telling the story of a political candidate who was always considered the "good" son. It turns out though by the end of the album he realizes how many people he stepped on in order to get elected and achieve material success. At that point he realizes that his greatest accomplishments were in reality his biggest failures. The only other album that I can think that attempted this type of conceptual story album were the Afghan Whigs with their 1996 release "Black Love" -- Pedro does it better. What I really appreciate about this album is that is original. Pedro has not changed their style. Their trademark sound still remains very true to what it always has been. It is just that now Bazan has tweaked the background to his stories. Although I still think "It's Hard to Find a Friend" was a little bit better, I still have to give it an A.
A
Other coverage for this album
ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Jeremy KeillorWhen David Bazan chose to name his band Pedro the Lion, the name of a character in a children's story he hoped to write, he chose wisely--their newest album, Winners Never Quit, has much in common with a story. Encompassing eight tracks the album is a tightly woven prodigal son parable with a twist. In the liner notes, Bazan quotes, "The only good person is someone who hasn't been caught," before…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by ConradCreative acousticy music. Not really my cup of tea, but if it is yours then you probably already know this is the guy you want to listen to. This music is a great union of lyrics, melody and singing. He sings sad songs - or at least songs that sound sad. The songs range from super slow acoustic to a little more upbeat rock. If you like being alone in your room a lot and being melancholy, you…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by Tom BastianDavid Bazan is a genius. When I first heard this CD I didn't quite pick up on the concept of the story, but after hearing the story explained I was just blown away. Most of you have probably heard something about the story at this point, but if not Jim Shady in his review does a good job at giving you the general idea. But he didn't mention it all, so see if you can figure out some of the twist…Decapolis 2000Reviewed by TimThis CD is very good. I'm not into slow music, but this is pretty darn good. This album does have some harder songs on it and they are all amazing. This is very good stuff. I even like the slower songs which is a big compliment coming from me. BDecapolis 2000Reviewed by Matt AAlthough I felt kind of jipped, with this LP only being 8 songs, I've got nothing to complain about as far as the music goes. This is a slight departure from some of David's previous records, with some of the songs rocking out, but there is still the feeling of earnestness that pulled me in from the beginning and made me a fan. I don't totally understand the theme of the record, even though a…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Jeffrey OverstreetDavid Bazan, the singer/songwriter of Pedro the Lion, is as mild-mannered a lead singer as you'll find. His sincere, soft spoken style has given his music a distinctly serious quality that has gained a large audience in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. On the impressive EP The Only Reason I Feel Secure and the sensational full-length album It's Hard to Find a Friend, he developed an instantly…Opus 2000Reviewed by Jason MoreheadIt may seem ironic that a band named after a character from an imaginary children's novel should tackle the story of a corrupt politician. But Pedro the Lion, aka David Bazan, has always excelled at delivering stories about personal tragedy and corruption with the wide-eyed honesty of a child. Bazan's completely honest, yet with a tact and conviction -- not to mention lack of guile -- that is…Similar sounding releases
2002SereneSerene
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2000Progress
2004Achilles Heel
1998It's Hard to Find a Friend
2002Control
1999The Only Reason I Feel Secure
1997Whole EP
