trickey550.tripod.com Unlike real lions, these guys don’t strut their stuff.

-Could someone please tell me a story
-Of sinners ransomed from the fall
-I still have never seen you, and some days I don’t love you at all
-If this is only a test, I hope that I’m passing, ’cause I’m losing steam
-But I still want to trust you

The above lyrics are not your typical praise chorus, but neither would you expect to find them in the rather elitist indie-rock scene. However, they are exemplary of the character of Pedro the Lion, a humble yet well-established Seattle band who will appear at Calvin tonight at 8 p.m. in the FAC with opener Unwed Sailor, only a year after they last performed on campus.

Since the release of “Whole EP” on Tooth & Nail in 1997, Christian music-lovers have embraced songwriter David Bazan’s simple honesty, especially concerning struggles in a relationship with Christ. Unexpectedly, Pedro the Lion also earned the utmost respect of the rather exclusive independent secular market known as indie rock.

Pedro the Lion is not the only band to have broken this barrier. However, mapping Pedro the Lion’s journey through the independent press shows some interesting reactions to a band who, as Bo Gilliland of the zine “Resonance” put it, sings about “hairy legs on girls, and Jesus.”

While “Whole EP” was fairly appreciated by the secular press, “It’s Hard to Find a Friend,” the band’s first full-length, was the album which truly established Pedro the Lion in the secular world. The pivotal year for Pedro in the secular press was 1998, with Spin magazine’s notable pick of “It’s Hard to Find a Friend” as one of the “Top 10 Records You Didn’t Hear.” Other reviewers caught on to this new band, often comparing Pedro to Bedhead and Sebadoh. At this time in the indie world, shyness was becoming hip and almost a style of music within itself. Therefore, the image of a timid frontman in a band named after a children’s book was precisely the kind of underdog they were dying to cheer on. But how would the press respond to unapologetically Christian lyrics?

In a November issue of “The Rocket,” David Bazan was quoted as saying, “People should be able to say anything they want to me about my faith.” Critics have noticed Bazan’s Christianity. Aside from good-natured joking, including one reviewer calling an album a “weird Biblical rock opera,” harsh criticism of his faith was rare. However, the secular press’s real opinion may have surfaced after “Winners Never Quit,” the band’s first release on the prominent indie label Jade Tree, the home of Jets to Brazil, The Promise Ring and Euphone. The press reacted differently to this release, a dark parable of two brothers involving politics, murder and suicide, which clearly contrasted with the gentler story of conversion in “Whole EP.” Several zines praised the switch from plainly Christian content to a secular story, regarding subject matter of the previous albums as too confessional or overly simplistic. Ironically, many Christians found “Winners Never Quit” to be Pedro’s most profoundly spiritual release yet, with deep themes of sin, obedience and grace.

While the opinions of the independent press have differed amongst each other and among different albums, Pedro the Lion clearly has their attention. The upcoming album, “Control,” to be released in July, will be crucial in Pedro the Lion’s impact on the indie rock world. Because of this attention in the secular press, Pedro has gained favor with many non-Christians, sometimes on a personal level. Many interpret the Christian messages to apply to their more abstract spirituality, but others have been moved to ask themselves questions concerning Christianity. Recently on the forum of a Pedro the Lion fan page, I came across one fan who told the story of her past rejection of God and how she had considered changing her mind, in hopes of discussing this with the other fans. She communicated that she considered Pedro the Lion fans to be a non-threatening and fitting group of people to ask this question to. Pedro the Lion is fairly unique in bringing together complementary groups of Christians and non-Christians: the Christians who understand that Christian life is not separate from the reality of difficulty, and non-Christians who are searching for something simple and honest. Even the cynical indie press finds Pedro’s Christian themes carry elements of humility and honesty which appeal to them.

Pedro the Lion is not only a band for those of faith or no faith who are looking for something honest and real, but a band that brings these people together to identify on the basic issue of humanity. Watch closely as their critical acclaim continues to bring together honest Christianity and searching non-Christians, whether Bazan is singing about Jesus or hairy legs.

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