photo by Kyle Johnson (view set)

Since the mid-90’s songwriter David Bazan has been a powerful force in Seattle music. With Pedro the Lion, he gathered a legion of fans, many identifying with his emotive voice and thematic spirituality. Things change over the years, though — most quickly, the lineup; but most significantly, Bazan’s faith. Curse Your Branches, released last fall, is Bazan’s first full-length under his own name, and it’s a much more searching, critical, and even condemning body of work on both a personal and spiritual level. Yet while his subject matter and perspective continues to twist and turn, Bazan’s affecting voice remains unbending, and fortunately for KEXP listeners, David Bazan brought his new lineup to the KEXP studio to perform some of the new songs.

Seattle’s David Bazan, formerly of Pedro the Lion, has finally released his official solo album. The classically self-deprecating (just read his bio!) songwriter has written possibly his most probing album to date — given his relatively recent disillusionment with his faith — and yet it’s also perhaps his most listenable still. [For a fascinating article on Bazan's "breakup with God," check out Jessica Hopper's article in The Chicago Reader.]

Other new releases this week worth checking out include the third album from D.C.’s These United States, a welcome “best of” from Apples in Stereo, the return of Reverend Horton Heat, eccentric conceptualism from Alexis Gideon, and the next wholly entertaining educational album from They Might Be Giants, called Here Comes Science. Check out these other highlights from Largehearted Boy’s list before heading out to your favorite record shop:

Kyle Johnson

• LA outfit No Age have an upcoming EP out on October 6 on Sub Pop, but you can stream all of it now on Sub Pop’s website now. You’ll need an email address to stream, but you most likely have one if you’re reading this.

• The recent passing of British World War I veteran Harry Patch has inspired a new song by Radiohead; the group has made a new song available for purchase entitled “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)”. Patch’s story is pretty impressive [he passed away at the age of 111] and the entire song consists of quotes from the man himself. All proceeds from the download will go to the UK vets charity the Royal British Legion.

• Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch aka MCA has released his health status after his surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his parotid gland. There’s nothing but good news and you can read the entire email here.

• Ex-Pedro the Lion frontman David Bazan has been performing solo for a few years now, but September sees the release of his first full-length (Curse Your Branches) under his own name. Before heading out on tour with members of Say Hi, Aqueduct and others, Bazan will perform the Doe Bay Fest next weekend. Thanks to local label Barsuk, you can preview one of his new songs now:

• Before his untimely death, Heath Ledger was directing a music video for Modest Mouse for “King Rat,” new song from an upcoming EP. Now, the video has surfaced, and the details of the online only EP No One’s First and You’re Next have been released. The video starts off innocently enough but gets bloody before you know it.

• Dave Grohl, Josh Homme, and John Paul Jones have formed a group with the moniker Them Crooked Vultures. There isn’t much information beyond an August 9 show in Chicago, a website that redirects to social networking sites and vice versa, and a graphic displaying the logos of The Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, and Led Zeppelin.

• Yoni Wolf has some serious 90’s indie rock sensibilities: the Why? frontman has released a cover of Pavement’s “Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse)” off their 1992 EP Watery, Domestic. Props to Yoni for digging deep beyond the “Gold Soundz”. Let’s hope no one ever tells him to “Cut Your Hair”. Unless it’s for a really special girl, like a “Summer Babe.” Okay, now this is getting out of hand.