Strange Negotiations
by David Bazan
  • Record Label: Barsuk
  • Release Date: May 24, 2011
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 6 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
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  1. themostbrian
    May 24, 2011
    9
    David Bazan has spent his entire career trying to connect his listeners to real life: the pain of loss, the confusion/wrestle/loss of faith, the shame of failure, the grueling task of being human, the arduous joy of love, and the profound hope that binds it all together.

    Strange Negotiations finds Bazan no closer to any ultimate answers to these conundrums but rather resigned to the    David Bazan has spent his entire career trying to connect his listeners to real life: the pain of loss, the confusion/wrestle/loss of faith, the shame of failure, the grueling task of being human, the arduous joy of love, and the profound hope that binds it all together.

    Strange Negotiations finds Bazan no closer to any ultimate answers to these conundrums but rather resigned to the mystery and determined to call out the hypocrisy that props up oppressive systems even while identifying the same traits within himself.

    Overall this album is an amalgamation of Bazan's styles - The pulsating fuzz of Control, The underlying spirit of fun on Achilles Heel, the deep questioning in Curse Your Branches and Winners Never Quit with the penetrating hope of It's Hard To Find A Friend. And there is more than enough synth to keep fans of Headphones listening.

    For me personally, having had this album for a few weeks now, Strange Negotiations has surpassed Curse Your Branches and is in the realm of my favorite Bazan/Pedro album: It's Hard To Find A Friend.

    One tip: Repeated listenings will reap many rewards.
    My one criticism: At 40 minutes, this LP is a little on the short side for my tastes.

    9/10 - Keep rocking, Dave!    … Collapse

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. AllMusic
    Dec 9, 2011
    70
    Losing his religion doesn't mean he's lost his gift for indie rock songwriting, though, and fans who're willing to indulge Bazan's soul-searching will find Strange Negotiations similar to Pedro the Lion's catalog, with a familiar mix of minor-key starkness and lush, guitar-fueled rock songs.
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  2. Under The Radar
    Jun 8, 2011
    60
    It's these quiet moments that demonstrate what the Seattle-based musician does best--paint a specific picture with words that put you inside his memories and minimalist melodies that tie them all together. [May 2011, p.76]
  3. The A.V. Club
    Jun 8, 2011
    75
    David Bazan's music used to be described as having crossover appeal, but he was the one who ultimately crossed over. Fortunately for fans, he's a more vital source of righteous anger now than he ever was as a believer.
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