David Bazan
has stripped
Pedro the Lion
down to himself, his tape recorder and basement, and sonically the result is fine.
Winners Never Quit
is an odd fable of a corrupt, self-righteous politician and his sweeter but equally wayward brother. The opening song,
"Slow and Steady Wins the Race,"
lends this whole affair more weight than it really deserves, and it is easily the best song on the album.
Bazan
works up a primitive blast of rock & roll on a couple of the songs, which gives
Pedro
more musical variety; otherwise,
keeps it to the spare amateur vision he employed so well on
It's Hard to Find a Friend
; not always for the best. An interesting album, spooky in spots, but other than the terrific
"Slow and Steady,"
this one's a curiosity. ~ David Dwyer