Walking down a deserted High Street during one overly blustery August evening, I approached the Northcote Social Club with an open mind and an eagerness to hear the wise words of former Pedro the Lion’s lead singer, as he takes a step out on his own.
David Bazan, an Edmunds, Washington native, was named one the Top 100 Greatest Living Songwriters by Paste Magazine, and has been receiving rave reviews for his solo album entitled, Fewer Moving Parts since its release in 2006. Branching out from the indie band’s low-key rock riffs, Bazan made a bold move and decided to retire the trio to focus on his lyrical songwriting skills and satirical storytelling.
Perhaps Pedro the Lion’s “Christian band” label didn’t fit with his own views? It’s quite apparent that Bazan’s outwardly sceptical feelings towards religion, politics, and the state of his homeland, have taken a sharp turn to the left with this new solo sound. And this genuine nature has attracted a room full of hipster twenty-somethings to NSC, who are sitting knee-to-knee on the floor, waiting to partake in one of Bazan’s engaging Q&A sessions.
The beginning of this musical evening started off with local Melbourne pop trio Jessica Says, fronted by no other than Jessica herself. Standing gracefully behind a keyboard with a violinist and a cellist at her sides, Jessica sang songs that are honest and true to the heart. Although appearing slightly nervous, Jessica’s voice echoed through the Northcote Social Club and set the vibe for an evening of quality vocal performances.
Up next is Bazan’s fellow American singer-songwriter buddy, Jefrey Siler from the rock group Clemente. Jef’s name doesn’t quite offer the expectation that Bazan’s does. But, the all-American boy’s homegrown Southern roots shone through every one of his country-esque rock tunes, offering this Aussie audience a glimpse into the true Georgian way of life.
With no time wasted (aside from a quick guitar check), Bazan scurried onto the stage with an oh-so-tiny acoustic guitar strapped across his chest. The crowd whistled and cheered as the bearded giant (or so it appeared with the miniature guitar in hand), broke right into song. The bellowing resonance of Bazan’s voice perked up the energy of the crowd, as people’s backs straightened in anticipation of what was to come next.
Starting off with a raw and humble track entitled, Graduation, Bazan set the stage for a set full of emotion and honesty, as he belted out the words: “It’s hard to be a decent human being” backed by the simple yet melodic strumming of his acoustic guitar.
Song after song, Bazan took the audience into his seemingly chaotic world full of religious scepticism, politically-charged frustration, near-divorce experiences, and quasi-alcoholism (as he confessed to a time in his life when he drank 15 beers a day). And like all of his other live performances, a short break took place every three songs or so, when he stopped to ask: “Does anybody have any questions at this point?” The first question asked was about the U.S presidential election and after a quick stab at George Dubya’s current policies, Bazan states, “I hope Obama wins. That would make me happy. But I still won’t be happy about the state of American politics.”
Each response to the audience’s questions was thoughtfully considered and answered in all honesty with a hint of clever sarcasm. There are no stupid questions, seems to be Bazan’s philosophy, as he continued to open up the floor for any other inquisitions throughout the evening. When asked about his feelings towards Christianity, Bazan admitted that his solo work reflects his questioning views of organised religion. But, with a hesitation to provide too much detail (as he confessed to doing too often), he suggested that his songs are a good explanation of his true thoughts, and it’s not necessary to read between the lines.
Continuing along the “song, song, song, Q&A, song, song, song” format, Bazan strummed more of the blue-collar tunes, including Cold Beer & Cigarettes, Fewer Broken Pieces and The Poison, which all fit in the musical framework focused on themes of death, loss, betrayal, and addiction. In addition to playing some Pedro songs, such as Bands With Managers, The Poison and Slow and Steady Wins the Race, Bazan also gave us a sneak peak into his new solo album, due out early next year.
Whether autobiographical or not, it’s easy to listen to the words of this musician, who really has nothing to hide. With plodding guitar melodies and fistfuls of poetic lyrics Bazan truly proves to be one those great American songwriters.
