Winners Never Quit (Remastered)

There are few upbeat moments and no easy answers on *Winners Never Quit*, Pedro the Lion’s sophomore album. Singer/songwriter David Bazan—the band’s guiding force and now its sole member—explores mortality, shame, corruption, domestic violence, and a litany of other heavy topics in these tracks, hanging his sparse, plainspoken lyrics on a stripped-down indie rock framework built around his voice and guitar. The guilt-ridden characters within these songs serve to reveal Christian themes remarkable for their honesty and insight. Bazan confronts humanity’s fallen condition head-on, whether he’s skewering a slippery politician (“Simple Economics”), depicting a drunk’s confrontation with the law (“To Protect the Family Name”), or painting a murder scene in cold, telling detail (“Never Leave a Job Half Done”). The very meaning of salvation is questioned in “Eye on the Finish Line” and the title song, taking Bazan to the edge of unbelief. Ultimately, the Job-like questions posed here reveal a deep if troubled faith. By turns poignant, disturbing, and darkly humorous, *Winners Never Quit* is a remarkable achievement as well a powerful listening experience.