Are you listening? Hey, welcome to Hey Are You
Listening? This is a podcast exploring the past,
present, and future of Christian music. My name
is Joel, and I'm here with my good friend Brandon.
And we connected over a mutual love of a few
different artists, but also have some pretty
different tastes. And when it comes to things,
and so we're kind of enjoying the journey of
getting to talk through and introduce each other
to things while inviting some friends along for
the ride. And we actually have a friend back
with us today for the second time. Our friend,
Mr. Jared Byers from the band Bleach. Jared,
welcome back to the podcast. Thank you. It's
great. It's good to be here. Yeah, it's good
to have you back. One of the things we do when
we are covering a record and we have a guest
come on is that we like to let you bring one
of your favorite albums for us to get to spend
some time with it. So what have you brought for
us today? I've got a classic, classic record
from a small band called Pedro the Lion. You
guys ever heard of that band? I have indeed.
Brandon, have you? Oh, yeah. What's your story
with Pedro? So I don't know if I've ever listened
to them, but they were co -headlining a tour
with me without you in 2019. Oh, so I got to
see him alive. So it's this weird experience
of like, can't tell you a single song, but like
I've experienced the live show. That's really
cool. That's actually that's a cool. I didn't
know they did that. Yeah, it was a really cool
tour. That was twenty nineteen. Yeah. Cool. So
this came out in 1997. So I was, I'm pretty sure
I was a sophomore in high school. And I don't
know, this is just one of the most special records.
It's an EP, so it's only six songs. But it's
Pedro the Lion, whole EP. And I'll be honest
with you, when it first came out, I thought that
this was his story. Because it's about a drug
addiction and finding Jesus through it and redemption
and It ends with a song called him. Yeah, you
know, it's like it's a beauty. It's a it's such
a beautiful story So I was always shocked when
I found out this is not Dave Bazan story what
because you know, they talk a lot about needles
and the addiction and going back and forth from
into it and Which you know in some ways makes
it more special that this is a story and that's
what that's his mo, right? That's what he does.
He tells stories pictures. Yeah control is another
one of my favorite one of his records that is
like a long story Yeah, and yeah, so it's it's
really well done. Yeah, but I you know going
back to The record and what it means to me the
way he wrote it just the The simplicity of it
this record is simple and Brandon if you listen
to it now you're probably like why does he why
is this so special to him because it's not it
doesn't sound great um Dave I'm pretty sure played
the drums and he's not a drummer yeah but those
little things about it I love yeah you know it
makes it more special um like he he only plays
like a three -piece kit like floor tom kick and
snare and the drum parts are super simple. And
me being a drummer, you would think I would want
to be like a Travis Barker record or something,
but no, I just love the simplicity. But musically,
and the last thing I'll say is the simplicity
of that, but lyrically and the meaning. It's
like the easiest thing for me to relate humankind
to our savior. You know, it's like that. It's
a beautiful bridge and it's just a Really it's
six songs, but it's really five songs with lyrics.
Yeah of just those that story, you know of someone
that's completely broken in song one And then
song two starts searching. Yeah song three hears
about something song four Is this true? Yeah,
and song five is I think the lullaby. Yeah, and
it's like oh my god. Come on Let's go. Yeah,
I so I hadn't listened to this one like all the
way through it's been a few years Since I had
and I definitely remembered every every song
on it But man just listening to it like this
is a record you have to listen to from start
to finish, right? Like it doesn't make sense
outside of right that right and I just love albums
like that. It's one of the things that I love
about about page of the lion how Dave makes music
is so many of his albums just tell these stories
like this. But I think this is one of the most
like simple, concise, like versions of that.
And it really is kind of like almost like a thesis
statement for the band. Totally which is really
cool. So yeah, we'll talk a little bit We're
gonna talk a lot more about this and just a little
bit but before we get into that I wanted to play
a little bit of a game We several episodes back
Brandon we played The first round of this or
that um had you and your wife, uh jordan on and
um, I just felt like after that experience that
you needed an opportunity to redeem yourself
a little bit I went home that they had been playing
a little bit of mxpx. So Oh, no Oh, no, it was
like it was mxpx or reliant k and and they're
like, I don't I don't think i've ever listened
to an mxpx song and i'm like Do you think it
was a green day or something now he's similar
That's cool. Oh man. Yeah. All right. So we're
gonna do a version of this with you guys and
so Basically, I'm gonna give you two artists
and you tell me like which one that you if you
had to pick between the two You're gonna only
listen to one of them for the rest of your life
No big deal taking that kind of far which one
would it be and so the first one for you just
to bring it back to the forefront of all of this
is mxpx or slick shoes This is good Joel slick
shoes, what's your favorite? Slick shoes I that
yeah. Okay. Do you have like it? Have you listened
to any? No, I think just listen to mxpx. I think
that I would be open to listening to You might
choose mxpx after you listen to slick shoes That's
a really good question. I love both bands. Yeah,
I do too I will say I love more mxpx albums than
slick shoes. I think The the the one and only
slick shoes is the first one they put out that
I wore it out and I'll still listen to it But
mxpx there's like eight albums. Yeah, so I feel
like I would rather Listen to them. Yeah. Yeah,
it's a hard one for me because I felt like mxpx
was Outside of Green Day like my first intro
into the the world of punk music Yeah, same.
I spent so much time listening to listening to
these records. Yeah I mean, I wore out life in
general and slowly going away the Buffalo. Oh,
so incredible records. I think the first album
I listened to was the cover one. Yeah. Cover
GP. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's great. Yeah. But like
I love. slick shoes so much yeah and just on
a technical level like they're so good they're
unbelievable i saw them at furnace fest last
year again first time i ever got to see them
play that's cool um so i was thrilled to get
to see them and they've still got it i don't
know if you've listened to their like um their
most recent record they put out like a couple
years ago in tooth and nail no it's so good i'll
check it out yeah you need to i haven't heard
it it's a really good record i remember when
that kid was like 16 yeah You know, like he was
like singing. He was literally a kid. Yeah, which
I was a kid too, but I was like 18. But I just
thought that was awesome. Totally cool. He's
actually a much better vocalist today. I think
that he was back then. That's great. You know,
their breakdowns remind me of like my favorite
part of saves the day are like their bridges
and breakdowns. Yeah, they're so catchy. Yeah.
And slick shoes has one of those and one like
every one of their songs. Yeah. Can hear it in
my head right now. Yeah, they're a guitar player.
I think his name is Jackson and their drummer
just So good so fast. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah,
I need to be taking notes over here. So it's
like listen to guitar listen to this Yeah All
right. Let's go to the next one Goatee hook or
squad 5o. Oh nice Such great bands, goodness.
This is easy for me. Squad 5 -0, hands down.
Just those guys, gosh, I mean the brothers, like
we played shows with them too. That was one band
actually that was not here for Bleach. Four front
days. Yeah, they were not cool with bleach and
then when we got signed the tooth and nail It
was like night and day those guys were like,
oh y 'all are cool. Like can we tour with you
guys more? Like it was like a weird transition.
Yeah But I always loved those guys and their
phenomenal life to the singer plays a four four
string guitar Because he's like I I don't know
what to do with the other two strings. He's like,
I don't need him. I love that And it was always
a three piece band. Yeah. Yeah. Godi Hook was
great. Talk about musicianship as well. Great
musicians. I love the two years to never go to
a record. The one that's a little more 80s like
feeling. Yeah. Yeah. A little less punk rock.
Yeah, they were a good. They were just a good
time. Yeah, for sure. But I think I'm with you.
Like Squad Favo had much more like of an impact.
um for me and and i remember like seeing those
guys at like the dingiest venues when oh yeah
i mean this is before they were on tooth and
nail um when they were putting out their like
um they're like ska punk stuff but just like
holy cow man on that were they on the floor bulletproof
they were on bulletproof that's right yes there
was some good bands on bulletproof Yeah, but
that record like Fight the System, their second
record. Yeah, man. It's so good. It is. I'll
play that for people today and they're like,
what in the world is this? But that's great.
I love it. So good. These are good. Yeah. All
right. Next one. This one might be tough for
you. Five Iron Frenzy or The Insiders. Oh, wow.
It's not. OK. Five Iron. Awesome. Hands down.
The Insiders are great. Their music was fun.
Those guys are phenomenal musicians, too I didn't
like his vocals as much as Reese's like I Was
I was a I was a five -armed Fran fan. Yeah, you
know And I can't even tell you what album it
is it's The one where they sing about Canada
and it's the second record the second one and
it's got the epic song at the end every new day.
Yeah. See like that. Yeah. See, you get it. That's
a five. That's a five star song. Yeah. Yeah.
And seeing them play that live on that farewell
tour every night was I would go out of my way
to make sure I was witnessing it because that's
how they ended every set. Yeah. Oh, that's so
good. Unbelievable. Yeah. I'm with you, Brandon.
Yeah, we're gonna get Brandon actually think
I actually really think Brandon is gonna be a
big five iron fan Yeah, as we as we get into
it because he's super into lyrics and I feel
like You're all you're also like really like
one of your favorite bands is house of heroes.
Yes these big like Anthematic like choruses.
Yeah, you get that with fire into you. So I love
house of heroes. Yeah, they're great All right.
Next one and Berlin Or the Juliana theory. This
is funny. I'm a more of a fan of Amberlynn. As
people. But I never really listened to a ton
of music. Yeah. I did listen to Juliana theory.
Yeah. Yeah. So. I guess I have to go with Julie
on theory. And I'm kind of ashamed of it. Yeah.
Brandon, do you, what's your thought here? This,
this might make you guys more upset than not
knowing the bands. Oh no. But the only Amberlynn
song I know is on one of the, uh, I think it's
one of the like happy Christmas albums. They
have, um, they do a version of like baby please
come home for Christmas. That's the only Amberlynn
song I know. But I like their cover. There you
go. There you go. Well, I'll go with Juliana
Theory. Whoa, I'm actually surprised. I loved
that first. I mean, I like a lot of their stuff,
but that first album just hit at the right moment
for me where I was like super deep into Jimmy
World. And then I'm like, oh. We have like a
version of that on tooth and our 100%. Oh, yeah.
That's it's such a great record. Yeah, for sure.
All right. Next one. This is a little little
different world, but Star Flyer 59. Wow. Or poor
old Lou. Wow. This is a different world. I can't
I can't deny Star Flyer. I mean, come on. We
know where we're all going here. So Starflower
is one of the really probably the first band
that Brandon and I like actually connected. Oh,
cool, cool, cool. And so the name of the podcast,
Hey, Are You Listening is the name of a Starflower.
Yeah, yeah. So that's awesome. Yeah, I'm a huge,
huge Starflower fan. Jason Martin just keeps
doing it. And I don't know how like I don't even
know how many starflower albums there are at
this point, but they're all good. Yeah, they're
all different colors. Yeah, I do know that. No,
that's awesome. Yeah, they're great. Yeah. 100%.
All right. Next one. Now we're going a little
more mainstream with this one. Jars of clay or
third day. Whoa. I'm having to really think on
this one rain rain on my face. Third day I Just
gotta go third day. I listen I listen to several,
you know, I was in the third day for a few records
Yeah back in the day back in the third day Jarza
clay I think was like the main their first record,
you know with the rain song. Yeah That was a
good record, but I don't I don't know any other
stuff after that. I really don't think I do Yeah,
at least third day. I know a few of their albums.
Yeah. And I like those guys. Yeah, I feel like
this is hard for me too. I like both of those
bands. And like you, I fell off like both of
them, like not far into their career. But yeah,
that first third day record when I heard it,
I'm like, I haven't heard anything like that
in Christian music. And so that was cool. It
really was like pushing some boundaries. But
so was Jars of Clay like early on. So yeah, yeah,
it's a hard one for me. I think I'd probably
have to land on Jars of Clay, though. I really
find the urge now to like prove that I listen
to music and just start name dropping like, well,
there's Live Wire and then we got to think of
this Jars of Clay album because I know both of
these bands. For me, Third Day was one of the
first like Christian bands we got into because
like my mom was really big into like the wow
hits. So we would listen to them a ton. And then
I feel like in college, I feel like college like
unlocks Jars of Clay. Like you start a lot of
their stuff, you're like, oh, I get it now. I
get what they're going. So I feel like for me,
like Jars of Clay is probably one of my top five
favorite bands of all time. Oh, wow. That's cool.
That's cool. Right behind MXPX. Yeah, there you
go. It's neck and neck. Yeah. All right. Completely
different direction. Under oath or Norma Jean.
Under oath. I just I love under oath. Yeah. And
the just the melodies and everything. Yeah. Yeah.
Norma Jean is great. We actually played a couple
of shows with Norma Jean and they're amazing
live. But even as a musician, Norma Jean just
kind of was more noise. Yeah. And that's great,
too. But at least with certain under oath. Albums
I can like I can actually sing along to it, you
know, I know what they're singing about Yeah,
I got to see both of them at Furnace Best last
year and so yeah, I felt that way too like My
band played with under a long time ago before
they ever anything. Yeah That's awesome. But
and I loved like they're only chasing safety.
That's hands down my favorite album of theirs
and they play that's what they played at furnace
fest last time which was super cool really they
just played that oh my gosh that was really good
that's rad um i love them bands do that that
was really fun to experience that and then norma
jean for me was a little more noise so yeah i'm
gonna go with under earth as well yeah yeah noise
what i gotta say about that yeah i i think those
are two of the top bands i had so many friends
like in high school those were their two bands
yeah And I don't know like some of these bands.
I'm like, yeah, it's like I got into music after
like after they were popular But like I don't
know those are two like head scratchers as to
why I haven't listened to them. But Well, it
happens to the list. Yeah, absolutely There you
go. All right, the last one for us now is Project
86 or skillet Oh my gosh. I don't know. I saved
this one for the end, just for the fun of it.
Do I have to choose one? I mean, I guess. Hey,
the first Skillet record was on forefront. Yeah.
And, you know, I actually I actually was a fan
of Skillet. Yeah. So I guess I have to choose
that. Gotcha. Just off my history, my past. Yeah.
And we we did. We've toured with Skillet a lot
and they're they're good friends of ours, but.
I'll be honest, there's there's a little bit
of Project 86 I do like. I think they're a great
band, but I never became I was never a fan. Yeah.
Yeah. So I really got into the rap core. It's
a little yeah, it's a little disconnected for
me. Yeah. So. Yeah, that's all I'll say. Yeah,
it's good. Feel like I've just listened to way
more skillet than project 86 So like what I've
listened to 86 like I enjoyed but I feel like
it goes back to I forget the band you mentioned
earlier It's like you just know more of their
stuff. Mm -hmm And I remember like I remember
being a kid and going they were at winter jam
one year skillet and they just release because
like comatose was the album and it was funny
because we had like our very like conservative
Christian radio station. So when I saw Skillet
on the card, I thought they were just this like
band starting out and I was like, oh, it's just
this little band starting out. They're probably
like 15 minutes. But all of a sudden you just
see fire shooting up and I'm like, oh no, I think
this band is actually really popular. Yeah, they
love fire. Something about fire. Yeah. I just
think it's funny thing about like Bleach and
Skillet trying to go like, yeah, that's so stupid
though. Like the names. So and they had an EP
Forefront put out a an EP with skillet on one
side and bleach on the other. Really? Yeah It
was like three songs a piece. Huh? I Just think
it's funny cuz skillet. I mean, it's not a great
name and bleach is not either so I Mean bands
like yours. It is really annoying when you try
to go find merch on eBay Because there's certain
bands where you can type in and like you like
house of heroes or like I love this band The
Last Bison but you type in Last Bison and you
get just get all these books about like the animal
or like The Last Airbender there's some type
of like bison creature so it's just digging through
just hundreds of like weird action figures and
be like I'm just looking for a t -shirt or CD
you can't find Bleach stuff at all you got to
like really really search hard But all that's
going to change because they've got to sell merch
at Furnace Fest. So yeah, it's coming. Yeah,
we're we're hoping to be bigger than the actual
bleach brand one day. That's our goal. That's
why we're coming back. Oh, I think, man, I'd
probably have to go different from you guys on
this one and do Project 86. I never was like
a massive fan, but I did like their second record
drawing black lines. And so. Yeah, and I had
the first Skillet record on Forefront, and it
was very different musically than Skillet Today.
It is, yeah. I kind of liked that record back
in the day, but I don't think that Skillet Today
is my, like, 14th musical. No, no, me neither.
They're good. They're good at what they do. Neither
is They're nice guys. That's what you say about
a band that you don't really like. They're nice
guys. I love it. All right. Well, let's talk
real quick. Just about what we've been listening
to lately, maybe something that you've spent
some time with. I can start off to give you guys
a second to maybe think about it. But one of
the records that I've really enjoyed that's come
out this year is a new record by Denison Whitmer.
You know, Dennis and Wimmer? Yeah, that's awesome.
So he put out a new record called Anything At
All, and it's on Asthmatic Kitty, which is Sufjan's
label, and Sufjan Stevens produced it. Wow, that's
amazing. There is the song, it's called Focus
Ring, that the title of the record comes from.
It's a five star song. Like it's just an incredible
tune. And there's something about his voice that's
like so soothing and... Like if I just need like
a minute, um, to sit back and, and have some
peace, like I'll turn on Denison Whitmer. He
just takes me into that moment. And so I really,
really enjoyed that record. It's so good. That's
awesome. I'm going to have to check that out.
It's awesome. What about you guys? For me, it's,
I think it's maybe what I will be listening to,
but, uh, me and Jordan were walking around, uh,
this grocery store Lidl last night. and Matt
Carney comes on and like I love when he randomly
just pops up and I'm in like a grocery store
or like wherever and um I was just like man I
forget how much like I really loved um it was
a song nothing left to lose and just like I remember
there's there's like artists or like songs or
whatever you hear and it like unlocks this whole
new like area of music and I remember him being
one of those guys that like He was one of the
first artists I listened to that just painted
a picture. It wouldn't just be like we're at
the park. It would be like we're at the park,
my girlfriend's wearing this color belt, she's
wearing these shoes, and I'm reading this book
or whatever. There was so much detail into painting
the picture. So I feel like this week... I think
matt carney is just like a fall artist like I
think you appreciate him more when it comes to
the fall Yeah, so i'm really looking forward
to this week to just really diving back into
matt carney That's great. That's awesome. I love
a good fall artist. Yeah, I feel like denison
whittmer is that for me or like a tyson montzenbacher
Yeah, just yeah feeling it. I love it. Yeah.
I love it um Funny story about matt carney I
introduced him to his wife. Really? Yeah. Yeah
his wife Annie was a really good friend of mine
and and I I was I've been good friends with Matt
for a long time and we actually were neighbors
as well when I lived in Nashville and Mm -hmm.
We were in a store. I think it was air apostle
or no some you know some store This is in like
2009 yeah, and And I see Matt, he's shopping,
I'm shopping, we're talking. And then I'm like,
all right, see you later. And I see this girl,
my friend, Annie. Uh huh. And I talked to her
and then I'm like, all right, nice seeing you.
Then Matt comes over and he's like, hey, who's
that girl that you're talking to? Like, that's
Annie. He's like, um, cool. And that's how it
started. Yeah. Yeah. Kind of crazy. Um, for me,
have you guys ever heard of the band? They're
new president. Have you listened to them at all
haven't it's so good. So we going on like our
last Episode we were talking about sleep token.
Mm -hmm being a masked band. Yeah, this is another
massed So, I don't know maybe there's something
going on with me and the whole mass thing but
the singer Wears like a it looks like it almost
looks like a Reagan Like presidential mask. Yeah.
Okay. Yeah and But the music is phenomenal and
it's they're from the UK. Mm -hmm, but they have
like this weird it's it's very Secular general
market, but they have this weird spiritual element
to it. Uh -huh. That's really interesting like
the first song they put out is called in the
name of the father and there's a moment where
They're like It's very heavy, but it's super
melodic. But there's a moment in the song where
he just asks, who is Jesus Christ? He is the
true lamb of sacrifice or father. And it's like,
what? Like, what does that mean? Like, you know,
if it was a Christian song, I'd be like, okay,
that's really bold. But this is not a Christian
band. That's very, very bold. That's so interesting.
And yeah, I don't know. So I like digging into
bands like that, but that's the newest band that
I've just kind of been into. They've only released
four songs. Yeah, um, and I think in the next
couple weeks, they're supposed to come out with
like An an ep like six or seven songs. Mm -hmm.
So they're just kind of releasing song after
song. That's awesome Yeah, i'll have to check
that one out All right. Well, let's get into
our discussion So today we are covering The whole
EP by Pedro the lion Pedro the lion was formed
by David Bazan in 1995 and The name of the band
comes from apparently a character that would
have been interwoven into the band's first album
In 1997 they released their debut EP whole with
Bazan playing pretty much everything on it and
he continued doing that over The next two full
-length albums to just kind of playing pretty
much everything. It's hard to find a friend and
winners never quit And it's the only release
by Pedro the lion on tooth and oh records is
it yeah, I didn't know that Yeah, the only one
that he ever put out. Also, is it on the cover?
Is it Pedro the lion? Because there's a line
on the cover of the hole is Pedro the line. Okay
on the cover. Yeah Are you asking if that's Pedro?
Yeah, is that Pedro? I didn't know where you're
going with that There's a literal lion on the
cover of the holy pea. It's the only only time
Yeah, it's it's uh, it's a lion and The shadow
is like grass but it's uh, it's the back of a
lion, right? Yeah, it's it's a cool. It's a very
simple It is it fits the record super earthy
looking. Yeah cover. Yeah. Yeah So I know that
we've talked a little bit about it but anything
before we kind of get in track by track anything
else that you guys would want to kind of say
kind of leading into your discussion about this
one. I think I was telling Joel that I have this
like I don't know what it's based in but I have
these rules when it comes to EPs and albums and
one of the rules I have for an EP is that it
has to be at least three songs. Some members
the kid people would be like really see an EP
and I'd be like, this is a single this is an
EP And so going into it seeing that there was
like six songs on it. I was already like, all
right This already has i'm already excited going
into this. It's already. Yeah It's already overqualified.
So like yeah. Yeah, that's good Uh, yeah. No
for me. It's 20 minutes. Yeah the whole thing.
Yeah I just going back to what I said before.
It's just it's the simplicity is everything Within
itself is just speaks volumes I Can listen to
it today and Recording has come so far But I
still love it. Yeah, like I'm not missing. I
don't want to hear this re -recorded Yeah, you
know like I want to hear it in its form. Yeah,
how many albums do I have that I've ever thought
that like So many older bands that put out, you
know albums back then in the 90s Yeah, and they'll
even do like a remastered version and it sounds
a lot better. Yeah, but now don't don't touch
this one It sounds like it's on vinyl. Yeah,
which is the best way you're that's the best
form You're gonna hear anything musically. Yeah,
and I feel like I don't know if that was what
they wanted to do maybe But it literally it sounds
like you're just even streaming. It sounds like
you're listening to a vinyl. Yeah And it's really
cool and I love the whole record is The ep is
23 minutes and the last like three or four minutes
is a hymn where it's just musical Yeah, so like
the the my favorite songs are the first five
that are Not to downplay the last one. Yeah,
the story is 20 minutes, but you're getting like
Years of someone's story. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah,
that's all I'll say. It's really cool. I um,
this one took me back to Just as I was listening
to it again, it made me feel like I was on tour
with like my band riding in the van That's when
we were like always introducing each other to
music And I remember that this is one that we
like popped in like all the time Yeah, and it
just kind of took me back to like some of those
thoughts and memories were just fun Yeah place
to go back to you said it best though. It's it's
that thing and maybe because it's so short too,
but Don't just want to listen to the like one
random song from the EP Yeah, you want to start
it if one song comes on like and I'm playing
a mix of my music on Spotify or Apple music.
Yeah, if I hear like Lola by for instance, I'm
like I need to go to that EP I'm gonna start
song one. Yeah, you know, it's like that. Yeah.
Yeah. I love that All right. Well, let's get
into it then kind of track by track. So track
one of the whole EP is entitled Nothing. What
did you guys think about this one? I felt like
it was a good opener and it ends up setting the
tone well for what the rest of the EP is going
to be and immediately what I thought was that
I think that this EP would be better live and
it's not saying the EP is bad but it's like however
good you think this is think hearing this live
would be so good and I think that that's something
that's really hard for like an EP or Just a song
in general like there's so many bands that I'll
love I'll love listening to them and then see
them live and be like Oh, this is this is not
translate. Well, this is not yeah, like I'm gonna
go back to the CD So just immediately that stood
out was that I was like man this is really cool
knowing that like I don't I don't really know
this artist I'm not familiar with this EP but
like just listening to this like if if Pedro
was like him going on a tour where we're playing
this in its entirety I'd want to buy a ticket
to it yeah yeah it's cool it's you definitely
can't accuse this album of being overproduced
right and so it does feel almost like a live
album Yeah, which is kind of a fun thing about
it. Yeah, so here you're saying Yeah, I thought
I thought this was it's fun kind of going back
to the beginning of of this band I I like this
song there's There's these like doubled vocal
layered vocals on verse 2 which I think are really
cool and there's just a lot of room for the melody
to go places and When he's on the chorus like
the chorus I love when he hits the word fly and
it just like yeah Lush is out like in such a
such an awesome way Yeah, I think it's a really
it's a cool song Yeah, and yeah, and he does
the the stick count which I like as a drummer
like for the breaks he'll do that Yeah, the melody
is great I do love the Because I think it just
sets the tone for the whole EP Where it's just
talking about other people's philosophies Where
he's at like he's talking about Your ideals are
not for me Because you'll tell me what to do,
but I want to do it my way. I want to fly Yeah,
and so it's basically it's a really cool It's
a cool like beginning of like this is who I am
and why and You get to learn like well the way
he wants to fly is to get high, you know Which
is damaging but I love that. This is just the
opening and it's like a greeting. So yeah, this
is me. Yeah. Hey You come it's like I came to
ask who you are and this is him like, okay. Well,
this is me And it's before I know The the true
grit of the story. Yeah, so I think it's done
very well in that way Yeah, you kind of just
end up with a guy who's like searching searching
for himself trying to figure out who he is it
does and it starts off with like those kind of
questions yeah you know it's a very kind of every
man kind of yeah easy to like put yourself in
in his shoes which is cool yeah yeah next song
it's fix I think I like that it was short I think
it's my favorite song yeah it's only I think
that whenever you're like storytelling like that's
why like if it's a full -length album it's important
to have those little interludes and all that
way it's not just like bam bam bam there's like
a rest point and I think like what was funny
is for it to have like this like just really
like dark like theme and all it was one of my
favorite songs off the album because i felt like
it was just really catchy i was like yeah it
is one of those songs that's like it's an awesome
song and you're like ah man this is really sad
listening to what's going on in the song yeah
yeah that's true and david bazan's like a master
of like telling like a super depressing story
but like doing some kind of like like poppy happy
melody as he does it Um that like actually like
brings more weight like to it than if he was
just like really like Like crying it out. You
know what I mean? It's just really interesting
thing that he's he's able to do and so yeah I
felt that as I was listening to this too like
it's obviously a heavy heavy song looking at
um looking at drug addiction and Story of a guy
who's like searching for himself and then this
is a place that he goes to like try and find
Like who he is or try and find the answers. Yeah,
which is a friend of his. Yeah I think that's
really interesting how he uses that terminology
to like a friend my friend down on the corner
Yeah says it's gonna be alright. Yeah, he sells
me a fix. Yeah, and yeah, so it's really interesting
like where he goes with that, but I felt like
this was like a almost a Like the most real journal
entry he could write. Yeah, because the way it
starts is Just him saying i'm feeling independent.
I made it through another day Having a wonderful
time. I haven't felt the sickness. I think I
might have scared away like that's just really
like The everyday struggle. Yeah, and he just
does a really good job of that picture I don't
know But he's grasping for something because
he goes to i'm almost there it's on the tip of
my tongue It never goes away. It never comes
to stay and I think he starts talking about the
high. Yeah And the fight is always there to feel
that And even says that I won't shoot up tonight
But the sensation that's waiting beneath is a
kick in the teeth that's pretty brutal Yeah that
That actually carried into the next track, right?
Almost there. Yeah. Which is kind of, it's kind
of giving the dark side of that moment, right?
Where you're searching for hope in something,
trying to find answers in this thing. And then,
yeah, that line about the kicking the teeth,
man, that hit me pretty hard. Yeah. But. That's
a cool. It's a cool song. I love the build that
happens in it. And obviously this is This is
the song where? Besan like lets it out. Is this
yeah. Yeah that towards the end where he's like
screaming. Yeah. Yeah god That's like one of
my favorite. Yeah. Oh, it's just moving Yeah,
and he like hardly ever does that on anything
And so like hearing that on this Like, just the
passion of being in a place like that and him
capturing the feeling of that and the emotion
is so, so weighty. It is. Yeah, that's the biggest
part of this song that I freaking love. Yeah.
When he does that. Yeah. Yeah. That's, I had
written down, like, I love a good yell. And so,
yeah. It's a good one. I enjoy it. Yeah. I feel
like when done right, it's, that's awesome in
a song. Yeah. That's really good. Hole hole gosh,
man I will just start off by saying and I'm not
gonna go but I love the fact that this song is
whole Like wh yeah, but the first line is a hole
that big. Yeah, he's talking about H o le yeah,
I just thought that I have chills like it's brilliant
and That's kind of where the song goes so good.
This is definitely one of my favorites on the
record, but such an interesting song, right?
Because it's almost like, well, obviously, this
is the moment where the character in the story
is like, he's discovering and seeing this idea
of Jesus and how there can be grace and forgiveness
to be found here. But he's wondering, like, can't,
like... Can it work for me? Yeah. Is it true?
Yeah. And the whole aspect of the Mr. Fix -It
man. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. Are you real? Can
it, like you said, can it work for me too? Because
it's like you even just from that line or those
lines, he obviously saw someone accept Jesus
into their heart and it changed them. Yeah. And
he saw a radical change from someone that came
from the spirit that ultimately helped change
all the other things, the addictions and who
they were, the things that basically chained
that person down. And so it is that song where
he's like, I see it and I see that it's possible,
but is it possible for me? Yeah, it's just really
interesting. There's so many but he also taught
he talks about the whole fixin man They say you
died on Calvary like he's going he's talking
about he goes there So there's no like denying
like are you who you talking about? Yeah, like
who saved this person? You're like, I think I
know what he's doing. And then you're like, oh,
yeah, that's what he said. Oh, Jesus Christ.
And then at the end, he asked, won't you please
won't you please start by fixing me? Start by
fixing me. It's like it's a beautiful question.
But you said it right. I think that this is a
really good display of him realizing kind of
seeing what a picture of grace, you know, something
that's not deserved that. This this man this
thing that died on Calvary for me or this for
the person that accepted him Has changed him.
Yeah But he's talking about the death as well.
That's just talking about grace. Yeah, and but
I think that this song speaks volumes to Obviously
this story is drugs, but there's so many different
things in our lives, right that we're We're holding
on to and we're asking probably For God to help
us. Yeah, you saved me from this, you know, we
have our our void. Yeah and things that we deal
with so and it's such an interesting like I mean
it's it's fascinating because it's almost like
a Like cultural cliche this like God shaped hole
kind of idea and he puts this song out and it's
like I feel like this is like the catchiest song
on the record. And just like a strict kind of
pop, almost an old school pop song. And so it
doesn't feel like, when you're listening to it,
it doesn't come off as weighty. No, you're right.
It goes back to how Dave Bazan will write a song.
Yeah, right. But then I feel like when he gets
to the end, Um, and he like draws the really
clear lines then all of a sudden like the whole
song just like hits, you know what I mean? Where
it's like you're like, oh, this is a nice happy
pop song. There's hope there's grace there's
peace and then all of a sudden like It hits in
this moment where it's really clear like who
he's talking about and the song just like lands
in a really cool Um way, I don't know how to
write a song like that, but Me neither. Yeah
Yeah. Yeah. It's a really good one. It is. Yeah.
All right. Lullaby. Lullaby number five. This
is the one song for me. I will go and listen
to by itself. And I can. This is one of those
songs I can remember going back to. I don't even
know how many I'm talking. 20 plus years And
there's probably been Maybe ten times in my life
like different years of me going through struggles
You know like different things and I'll go to
the song and the reason is that moment where
he says Rest in me little David and dry all your
tears like yeah where he just breaks down and
says Davey Oh Davey like You can lay down your
armor and have no fear. I mean, come on. Yeah,
that's like I feel like God has spoken to me
in those Moments where I needed to hear the simplicity
of that Scripture is awesome. Don't get me wrong
but when you come at it through music and such
a simple way of just saying He says I what I
hear him say is rest in me And he says little
David dry all your tears. You can lay down your
armor and have no fear because I am Always here
when you're tired of running And I'm all the
strength that you need. I mean come on And then
he at the very end what's the he says I Love
the tag. He has you know, I want to be like Jesus
But it seems so far very far away. Yeah, when
will I learn to obey? obey So good. It's so good.
And it it's one of those like rare songs where
it's it's like the father singing over us, reminding
us of just his love and what's true and what
we need to like focus on and rest in. And I feel
like so So much of Christian music is like just
kind of like didactic and Here's what you need
to like here's what you need to do and here's
how you need to live this out and We don't do
a great job of just like Letting the love of
God like wash over us and in moments and I feel
like the song just captures that so well and
I love that it's called lullaby because like
You said it earlier, like when you're going through
these moments in your life where you've walked
through some moments of struggle, like this is
a song that you'll turn on. And it's like a song
that a dad would sing to a kid who is scared
or afraid. And this is like a song that our father
sings over us when we're afraid, when we're fearful,
when we're anxious. Yeah, I love love this song
so much. Yeah, it's really beautiful this song
No, but intended like kind of shows as a whole
what this like EP does is like it just feels
real Yeah, I got you guys have kind of touched
on it that like sometimes when you're dealing
with like Like a Christian album trying to tell
a story. It's like how can we Hollywood this
up? Like I remember watching Christian movies
growing up I mean like I don't relate to these
people at all because it's like yeah, even like
the worst person in there It's like they sometimes
like back talk their mom like that's that's like
the villain, you know the movie and um, I feel
like listening to this it's like It starts complimenting
the whole album where it's like we're talking
about like track two is this really Pet be like
things are gonna be okay, but good I'm going
to like my drug dealer, you know to like yeah
like it's gonna be good and I think that this
and whole it just feels like sincere like none
of this feels like It's someone who was like,
oh, I see you put out an EP or someone's like
put out like a Christian, you know EP and I feel
like just lately with like stuff going on It's
made me think about like that's the thing about
Christianity is that it's all the stuff that
like Doesn't make sense that makes it like amazing.
Like yeah the stuff that we start like whitewashing
like I You know, I go on and on but like I think
about like Christmas time about nativities. It's
always this clean like hey And I was telling
my wife Jordan I'm like thinking about how much
like a farm smells or like if you were like working
in a farm all day How bad you would like smell
and all? and how like we we forget how that's
just like crazy that that's where he came into
the world and I feel like EPs like this it's
like if I knew someone who like wasn't like a
Christian and was struggling this is something
you can hand to them versus like it's kind of
hard to tell them to go listen to like maybe
what's like the most popular Christmas like Christmas
but Christmas at Christian album. Yeah, I'm making
up words now Christian must Yeah, yeah Yeah,
this one It's it's so good and I I do like I
Feel like it's a beautiful like rap sort of to
the record even though there's the next track.
Yeah Which is interesting. Yeah, so what what?
Let's talk about that one. Yeah, yeah. Track
six, him this instrumental. What do you what
is this? Where is he going with it? I don't know.
I I've always thought it was interesting. Yeah.
And I'll be honest, I I don't listen to it half
the time. Yeah. It's I think it's good. Yeah.
But when I go to this record, it's for the other
songs. But I do I like how he did it. I think
that he felt like it was needed to complete.
The EP and what he's trying to say. Yeah to the
story. I will say music is all -encompassing
like I Just had this conversation with a friend
yesterday We I was showing someone cigarettes
that has never listened to them. Yeah, and I'm
like Telling him the story. This is my favorite
show I've ever seen in my life. I've never cried
during a show I cried during see or see Rose
at the Ryman in Nashville and he's like well
What are they saying and I'm like your guess
is as good as mine But it's very spiritual like
and it's amazing how transcending music is and
how we can connect to just music Yeah, or melody
and these guys are probably see gross probably
singing about fairies and stuff like flying around
in Iceland. I don't know But it's still powerful.
Yeah the way that they can write and create their
songs and the melodies of it There's a connection
there. Yeah, and so I feel like there's some
special connection to Dave Bazan with this Him
yeah, you know and a hem doesn't have to be a
Hem from 1787 yeah, you know, so I think it's
cool. It's like you wrote a fresh one Yeah, I
like the like just slow build up over the course
of it But like you I feel like I I probably don't
listen to it every time I don't think it's like
necessary for the EP But I don't know if maybe
to tonight was like we need six. Oh, yeah. No.
Yes, but I don't know I was wondering So going
back to I said the beginning about like I bet
this would be amazing hearing it live Do you
think that if you heard this live, the instrumental
hits more? That you have this lullaby being there?
Because I think that's... I was kind of in the
same boat that I was like, all right, where's
the lyrics? This is pretty long just to have
an instrumental. But then when I started thinking
about it from a live perspective, I was like,
man, sometimes it's cool when a band just starts...
Playing and you're like, I don't know where this
is going. But yeah, no, that's a good point.
I think it would be Way different live. Yeah.
Yeah, I would make a lot more sense I would have
loved to have seen like this one performed kind
of from start to finish. Yeah And that's my whole
thing too, man. I don't know what you guys think
about that but You know like seeing where he's
he's gone with what he believes You know and
we can hear it through a lot of his music because
he still creates How can you go from writing?
Songs like this. They're so simple and powerful
Yeah, and then you're changing your beliefs that
to me because I know so many musicians that go
through it I have a couple in my head right now
that have written Extremely powerful songs. Yeah,
you know that are very Christian you know talking
about Jesus Christ and and things that are just
very powerful to somehow they just don't identify
with that anymore. It's like, how, how? Because
you, you, when you write a song like this, where
that comes from something inside of you. Yeah.
So it's just really, I've always wondered like,
well, how does that work? Yeah. I feel like for
Bazan for me, I wonder that too, because when
I listened to like this EP, um, there's just,
so much, like, authenticity and realness and
genuineness to it that I don't think is, like,
easy to, like, fake. I don't think this is, like,
a JPM. Like, how many times can we mention Jesus
on a record so that it can get released in Christian
bookstores? Definitely not. Like, it doesn't
feel that way. It feels grounded in a real way.
And two, I would say, like, off of... a later
record when he covers Be Thou My Vision. Yeah,
it's still like my favorite version of that song.
And I like when I hear him sing it, it's like
there's belief there. It's it's not just. Yeah,
so he doesn't have a reason to play or write
songs like that anyways. Yeah. You know, unless
it was something that he believed and like, yeah,
at that stage when he probably was starting to
like. question things to include a song like
Beat on My Vision, an old, old, old hymn. But
you know what's fascinating about that is that,
I know we're not covering that record. No, we
talked about it a lot, just from this. That song
is like, it's a prayer to God just to like, I
wanna see things. the way that you see things.
I want you to be like the lens and the filter
of my life. And so I feel like in a lot of ways
that song is like a it's like a desperate like
prayer maybe in the midst of questioning and
struggling of just like God make it like simple
for me again. Let me see things the way that
I've seen things in the past. and i don't i don't
know maybe if maybe that's why he wanted to include
that or do that but um yeah i struggle with that
too and i i wonder but it just makes me believe
um and i i'm not like super caught up on on his
story and where he is now yeah um but i think
that i think from what i know like he's a little
softer now than he has been in the past and so
I like to think and hope that there was always
like some belief carrying on underneath All the
questioning. Yeah. I mean you got to think that
the seed is there. Yeah Yeah for sure Yeah so
It's an interesting thing but but I think that
this it's so it's cool going back and revisiting
like this first This first album by Pedro the
lion and getting like a sense of of really where
he was In this moment and feeling kind of the
just the realness of it all The fun thing about
him is Whether you agree with him or not if you
go on a journey through his records like it never
stops being real and authentic, right? Yeah His
wrestling is always like very grounded and you
know, and so that's one thing that I appreciate
about him. Yeah um along the way um but um but
yeah i just i keep hoping and praying that that
that like seed of faith that's there like will
spring again because i'd love to hear i'd love
to hear him sing songs like this again yeah yeah
yeah that's good all right so here's the hard
part um let's kind of look at this one and think
uh what's our rating for this record What do
we want to give it? I mentioned plot twist Jared's
like, I give it a one. It's actually not that
good. Yeah, I just wanted to see what you guys
thought about it. But yeah, it's a one for me.
I mean, I'll go. I immediately go to something
around four. Yeah, like I can't give it a five.
Yeah. And I don't I don't know. I'd have to really
think about an album. I would give a five. I'm
sure it's out there, but Yeah, the simplicity
is great. I think it was planned. I think it
was what he wanted I also I think there's an
element that it wasn't this is his first recording
that he did and it was on tooth and nail and
Maybe there's an element of he's still trying
to figure out What he's doing? Yeah, and but
that's awesome. I mean I Brought up this record
for a reason, it's very special to me. But I
think four is a very strong high score. That's
great. I think I'm close to you. I tend to try
and be real with myself and rate each song and
then actually do an average to see where it ends
up because I feel like it helps me be a little
more honest about how I really feel about an
album. And so I think this one for me ended up
like around a like a 3 .7. So it's like close
close to a four and all that. So yeah, I love
it. I love it. I still remember like lullaby
was one of those songs that when I would pick
up a guitar like that's one of the first things
I would start playing. That's cool. And yeah,
it's definitely got a place a place in my heart.
So I love it. Yeah. Yeah, I think for me. I think
that Petro's an artist that it it hurts whenever
you don't You don't like know their whole catalog
because I feel like the more you know about them
the more you would appreciate the EP Yeah So
I feel like for me, it's it like falls to like
a three because it's just judging it on its own
but it's like I There's definitely probably half
these songs that I'm adding to like my like weekly
playlist I listen to you know So to me that's
always a good mark is that when afterwards it's
like I want to know more about this That's good,
man. I was expecting like a 1 .5 No, I I was
telling Joel that like going into it You never
know if it's gonna be like okay. How do I say
it's a one, but it's not that bad but to me like
I I'm way more of a lyric person than a music
person. Yeah, so like it not being produced like
there's not a part of me that's like, oh this
hinders it because I Yeah, I love that when I
sat down to listen to it I was like I was in
the car and I had to pause it and I was like,
no I can't This isn't something you just listen
to while you're driving. I need to get home Sit
down and look at the lyrics. Yeah. Yeah and like
I love that that's like like be without you would
release something it was the same way it was
like no i need to sit down and word by word it's
trying to figure out like all right let me piece
together what aaron's saying i really need to
do that when i listen to them yeah and so i feel
like with Pedro like even when i saw him live
i felt like they were very similar and so going
into it like there was a fear that i was like
maybe this is gonna be bad but I was pretty happy
because like I said it's six songs on EP so you
already get bonus points for that and then like
having to kind of like dive into the lyrics like
There you go. Yeah, that's cool. That's cool.
Well, this has been fun to dig into We do before
we finish talking about it want to talk a little
bit about the lyric of the week So the lyric
of the week this week comes from the song Lullaby
Off the Holy Pea. And it's that tagline at the
end that you mentioned earlier, Jared, you know
I want to be like Jesus but it seems so very
far away. When will I learn to obey? Obey. I
just love the realness of... of that and where
he is in the moment um because I do I feel like
that's where I am most days you know right um
I want my life to to like be a picture of the
love of God for people but um but I know myself
really well and I know my my own faults and my
own shortcomings and so um so it does seem far
away but um But I just love that I feel like
that that section of lyric is kind of the like
that's true of all of us. No matter where we
are as believers, we're not there. But it's so
cool that we've got. There's something so childish,
too, of him actually. And I mean this in like
a wholehearted, a beautiful way where he actually
says Jesus. Yeah. And the way he says Jesus like.
I just love it. It's just beautiful. When somebody
like that mentions the name of Jesus in the song,
it's special. Yeah, it is. And it is a big weighty
thing. I remember when we recorded our record,
we had one song with... the name of Jesus. And
I remember our producer, we were recording with
Matt Goldman in Atlanta. Love that guy. And,
and Matt like knew it was coming and he just
like stopped the session and was like, if we're
going to like put Jesus on tape, then we need
to pray. And it was a really special. That's
really cool. Really special moment. And it feels
like that when you listen to this song, right?
Yeah. So that's really cool. Yeah. Yeah. All
right, well, this has been really fun digging
into the whole EP And Jared again, we're super
thankful that you took the time to come and hang
out with us and bring this We'd love to have
you back in the future. Maybe we can bring your
brother your brother mile him along. Yeah, next
time which would be really fun. So He's a wealth
of knowledge He could go into depth about everything.
I definitely believe it. That's awesome. Yeah,
is there like A place where people can connect
with you like online or Yeah, I mean probably
instagram or facebook is the best way. Um, you
can you could do My personal instagram or facebook
is just my name jared ryan byers Or bleachers
alive. Yeah We all kind of check that stuff out
on the daily So if you want to hit me up Go for
it. I'd love to talk to you And you can find
us on X at Harry Pod on Facebook and maybe other
places in the future, who knows. But definitely
we'd love to have you subscribe to the podcast
and like it, share it, leave a review, whatever
you feel like you want to do. But we're thankful
that you guys are continuing to join us and listen.
And this has been such a fun week just getting
to hang out with Jared. And so I'm thankful again.
for him and thankful for you guys for joining
us with this.