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Editorial Reviews
Review
The best music of his career. --Filter
Bazan is as polarizing as he is fascinating; some have called him the Neil Young of the Christian indie rock underground. Above all that, however, is the music, and Curse Your Branches represents a stunning stride forward...
It s got a slow burn quality, sneaking up, sinking in its claws, then waiting for the third, fourth, maybe fifth listen. At that point, well, how does the saying go? Faith will be rewarded. --Stereophile
Deeply personal and jaded pitched roughly between the fireside balladry of mid-period R.E.M. and the languid melodic radiance of Red House Painters --Under The Radar
Bazan is as polarizing as he is fascinating; some have called him the Neil Young of the Christian indie rock underground. Above all that, however, is the music, and Curse Your Branches represents a stunning stride forward...
It s got a slow burn quality, sneaking up, sinking in its claws, then waiting for the third, fourth, maybe fifth listen. At that point, well, how does the saying go? Faith will be rewarded. --Stereophile
Deeply personal and jaded pitched roughly between the fireside balladry of mid-period R.E.M. and the languid melodic radiance of Red House Painters --Under The Radar
Product Description
Revered for his work fronting the influential group Pedro The Lion, Curse Your Branches is David Bazan's first full-length release under his own name. It's a flat-out masterwork by a modern American poet at the height of his powers (Paste Magazine called him a Dostoevsky for our all-at-once world and one of the 100 Best Living Songwriters alongside indie-rock stalwarts like Iron and Wine's Sam Beam, Mountain Goats' John Darnielle, and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, and
legends like Nick Cave, Merle Haggard, Sly Stone, Dolly Parton, Kris
Kristofferson, and John Prine and that's not even listing any of their Top 20).
Pedro the Lion got started playing to the Christian rock scene, but the narrative arc of Bazan's albums has increasingly traced his crisis of faith and his questioning of the Evangelical world in which he was raised; while retaining the vast majority of his original audience, the strength and subtlety of his work also has built a large secular audience and garnered him mainstream critical acclaim. Curse Your Branches is the deepest and most overtly autobiographical exploration of his theological struggles and resulting battle with alcohol to date, and a meditation on all things passed between the generations belief, doubt, love, addiction that showcases his incredible arrangements and melodic sense,
and, of course, the trademark dark humor, incisive lyrical economy, and light touch in dealing with heavy themes that has drawn comparisons to no lesser talents than Prine, Randy Newman, and Leonard Cohen.
legends like Nick Cave, Merle Haggard, Sly Stone, Dolly Parton, Kris
Kristofferson, and John Prine and that's not even listing any of their Top 20).
Pedro the Lion got started playing to the Christian rock scene, but the narrative arc of Bazan's albums has increasingly traced his crisis of faith and his questioning of the Evangelical world in which he was raised; while retaining the vast majority of his original audience, the strength and subtlety of his work also has built a large secular audience and garnered him mainstream critical acclaim. Curse Your Branches is the deepest and most overtly autobiographical exploration of his theological struggles and resulting battle with alcohol to date, and a meditation on all things passed between the generations belief, doubt, love, addiction that showcases his incredible arrangements and melodic sense,
and, of course, the trademark dark humor, incisive lyrical economy, and light touch in dealing with heavy themes that has drawn comparisons to no lesser talents than Prine, Randy Newman, and Leonard Cohen.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Miguel
Format:Audio CD
The lyrics of this album are a fantastic display of inner struggle coupled with music that is beatifully and deceivingly simple yet wonderfully constructed and applied to each song. It has enough musical flair to individualize each song and lyrical honesty to make you sit back in your seat and be stunned. It may not be for everyone, but the glorious harmonies of "Please Baby Please" should draw in even the toughest of music critics (or non-Bazan fans).
If you're a Bazan fan, as i have been for over 10 years, i recommend this highly and consider it the best thing he's ever produced, by far.
If you're a Bazan fan, as i have been for over 10 years, i recommend this highly and consider it the best thing he's ever produced, by far.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By N. Dooley
Format:Audio CD
I'd never heard of David Bazan until a few weeks ago. I pre-ordered this CD, and have been overwhelmed by his artistry and honesty. He tackles the very difficult issue of breaking up with God; it's sometimes angry, sometimes wistful, sometimes confused. It really works -- sonically, lyrically, psychologically.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"...it's hard to be a decent human being," sings David Bazan at the beginning of his solo debut CURSE YOUR BRANCHES, and instantly the listener can relate. Universal truths like this one, related through poetically economic lyrics and melodic rock music, seem to reach out for personal connection all throughout this beautifully crafted album by one of our great suburban troubadours.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Please get a professional producer
I love Bazan, his songs, his voice; but as was already the problem with Pedro The Lion, the tracks are so horribly recorded and mixed that I want to be busy with the controlers of... Read more
Published 5 months ago by JSB
5.0 out of 5 stars
I Have Listened Endless Times To This CD
This is a very sobering and harsh CD, it goes through Davids struggles in his life and his transformations. Read more
Published 5 months ago by ehoffman66
4.0 out of 5 stars
love it
his music is good- the production on this album is pretty unique- it has a consistent vibe too. good album.
Published on March 31, 2011 by J. R. Sheehy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterpiece .
I cannot stress how good this album is. Having been a Bazan/Pedro the Lion fan for around 4 years now, this album by far takes the cake in pure production value, songwriting, and... Read more
Published on March 30, 2011 by N. Middlebrook
2.0 out of 5 stars
Why are you downcast, David Bazan?
Musically, this album is terrific. But that's not why I'm writing this. Don't bash me for making Christianity the focus of this review, because David's album has done the same... Read more
Published on January 19, 2011 by Daniel Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Essential
I love this record front to back. Every song says something that I wish I could have. The music is well crafted yet raw and accessible. He should be incredibly proud of this. Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by nocode10
5.0 out of 5 stars
AMAZING
One of the best albums I've ever listened to. I was a huge fan of Pedro the Lion but I have to say, this album as a whole even surpasses Options. Read more
Published on October 28, 2010 by izzy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bazan is the greatest singer/songwriter ever.
This is a beautiful, heartfelt album that explores David Bazan's inner struggles with God and life in general. Read more
Published on March 8, 2010 by Erik Kulick
5.0 out of 5 stars
simply amazing
I've been a David Bazan fan for years now and he continues to get better. This album has some new rockin feels combined with that old Bazan awesomeness. Read more
Published on January 23, 2010 by lee dk 08
4.0 out of 5 stars
niaga nrob
I've been a fan of David Bazan's music for over a decade now, and it's good to see he is still going strong with this gloom and doom stuff he's so good at. Read more
Published on December 8, 2009 by Plopper
