| After a shifting lineup, Pedro the Lion eventually became a one-man outfit. That man is David Bazan. A Seattle native, Bazan cut his teeth playing in hardcore bands before forming Pedro in 1995, taking the band's name from a character he made up for a possible children's book. Under the moniker of Pedro the Lion, Bazan creates melodic pop in the vein of Bedhead, Hayden, and Sebadoh, with a lyrical focus on relationships. In early 2006, Bazan retired the Pedro moniker to continue on with solo work under his own name. In December of 2017, Bazan announced that Pedro The Lion would reunite to make a new album and tour the world in 2018. “Winners Never Quit (2000) 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, Bazan 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 , Allmusic.com |