David Bazan: Curse Your Branches (2009)

New Wax


David Bazan, most commonly lauded for his work in Pedro The Lion, has always appealed to me because while he was often labeled as a Christian artist, his lyrics never shied away from posing questions of faith that plague believers and non-believers alike. I'm not sure how Bazan would label his own beliefs at this juncture, but on his new album Curse Your Branches, he's still asking the tough questions. On the astounding album opener "Hard To Be," Bazan recounts the story of Adam and Even then injects a sentiment of doubt: "Wait just a minute, you expect me to believe that all this misbehaving grew from one enchanted tree?/ Helpless to fight it, we should all be satisfied/ With this magical explanation for why the living die." Sentiments of agnosticism run rampant on Curse Your Branches. "When We Fell" sounds like an outright attack on the concept of God. Bazan sings "If my mother cries when I tll her what I have uncovered/ Then I hope she remembers she taught me to follow my heart/ And if you bully her like you've done me with fear of damnation/ Then I hope she sees you for who you are." This is some outright heady material that displays all of Bazan's fears and doubts, and Curse Your Branches should strike a chord with anyone who's wrestled with questions of existence and religion. Musically, the album is a bit more orchestrated than past material. I'd even venture to call it poppier, but the newfound airyness in sound comes without sacrificing any of the emotional heft Bazan fans have come to expect. Highly recommended listening. -- Capt. Obvious

Listen:
MP3: David Bazan - Hard To Be
MP3: David Bazan - Lost My Shape

Tags: David Bazan, Curse Your Branches