Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but indie pop forefather Pedro the Lion is no more.
This isn’t a new development as it’s been about a year since it happened, but still, it’s hard to keep up with things like this. Fear not though, Lion fans, good news is right on the heels of this somewhat late, but crucial announcement.
David Bazan, the singer, guitarist and overall main creative force behind the band has simply retired the name Pedro the Lion in favor of a solo career using his own name. Not only that, his EP, Fewer Moving Parts, is every bit as good as anything Pedro the Lion ever did — maybe even better.
Bazan is the type of musician that everyone who owns a guitar and harbors dreams of the Kilby Court stage aspires to be. He can play just about any instrument and plans to showcase how good he is at all of them on his forthcoming album David Bazan’s Black Cloud. Bazan has toured as a backing musician for numerous groups in addition to a slew of solo tours with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and indie-superstar-in-the-making Jonathan Rice.
The catchy, folk-tinged rock and storytelling nature of Bazan’s lyrics were a huge part of what made Pedro the Lion respected and revered in the indie community. Those were the elements that made the band stick out from the crowded scene, but because Pedro the Lion consisted of a barely stable line-up, the credit is all Bazan’s. Simply moving out of the shadow of a band name, Bazan has decided to step into his own much-deserved spotlight and continue making music for the world to hear. Having found a home on one of the more notable independent labels — Barsuk Records — Bazan fits right in with the likes of Rilo Kiley, They Might Be Giants and the previously mentioned Seth Cohen-favorite Death Cab for Cutie.
With barely a break between Pedro the Lion’s demise and Bazan’s own quick rise from supporting act to headliner, the man shows no signs of slowing down. Bazan will be in and out of Salt Lake City’s In The Venue on Dec. 4 in no time, pressing on to get back to his home studio in Seattle to get back to work.