It’s a little surprising that Pedro The Lion only shows up once in the Sub Pop catalog, but they make their one release count. The cryptically named “Song A” and “Song B” has become a sought after rarity among fans. The single comes at the early ascent of the band, having just released their first LP It’s Hard To Find A Friend. Take the term “band” with a grain of salt – the project has always been the outlet for Seattle songwriter David Bazan, bringing along a “who’s who” of Seattle to fill out his live band when needed. Everyone from Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard to Fleet Foxes’ Nick Peterson enjoyed a stint in the group at one point. Bazan would later re-record “Song A” a cappella and rename it “Breadwinner You” for the Secretly Canadian compilation The Unaccompanied Voice. The angel imagery of this track in particular plays in the early narrative prescribed to the act as a “Christian band,” a title that Bazan’s continued to reckon with to this day. Pedro The Lion would eventually dissolve in 2006, mirroring Bazan’s own de-conversion from his faith and kicking off Bazan’s solo career under his own name. The band recently reunited in December 2017, playing three shows at Portland’s Mississippi Studios and another three performances at The Tractor Tavern in Seattle. Soon after, the band announced that they had signed to Polyvinyl with the promise of a new on the way.

-Dusty Henry, courtesy of KEXP