While this album is probably my least favorite of Pedro, it has perhaps 3 of the top 10 songs Bazan has ever written in my opinion. Arizona, Foregone Conclusions, and The Poison are all fantastic songs and make this album worth checking out. Unfortunately, the rest of the songs do not live up to the genius of the other albums.

I've been a fan of Pedro the Lion for some time, and while this album does show some progression and experimentation, it also takes several steps backwards in song-writing and melody. While Bazan clearly expresses his newfound vocal range in a number of songs, the album misses the cohesiveness and droniness of his other albums, in otherwords, this album is short on what makes Pedro the Lion great. There are some highlight songs such as "North am-transcontinental" which is cleverly written and very catchy, but overall this album has little staying power and is a far cry from past successes.

If you're new to Pedro the Lion, save this album for later and start with "Hard to find a friend" or "Control."

PS - it was supposed to be two stars, but I accidentally gave it four and I can't change that. Oops!

Pedro the Lion really has no excuse for not sucking. David Bazan has a terrible monotonous drone in place of a voice. The instrumentation and production on this album give new meaning to the term "lo-fi." And who wants to listen to songs about amputees and alcoholics anyway?

Certainly, Pedro the Lion's appeal is very limited. But those willing to gamble on his fare will find some quiet gems buried under...well, not really anything. This is essentially a bare bones album. Indie rock in the purest sense, there's nothing here but some quietly strumming guitars, light drums, barely noticeable bass and the occasional synth. And a handful of darn good stories. In each song, David Bazan takes on a new persona, confusing his experience with that of the characters he embodies, hiding his own thoughts under others' voices.

There is something strangely compelling about the song set of "Achilles Heel." When the opening chords of "Bands With Managers" begin to slog through the stereo, there is every reason to hit the stop button. The tempo is obviously far too slow. The melody is headed nowhere. And somehow, the song's total lack of pretention hits, and we realize that this scene is playing out exactly as intended. We can't help but listen to David go on and on about his hopelessness and woes because he's just so stinking honest.

The opener makes the electric opening of "Foregone Conclusions" seem that much sweeter. A song executed with such efficiency that we never really knew what hit us, it blends warm open-string chords with brilliant cynicism, as David takes on the character of the reluctant recipient of a conversion attempt. In a brilliant moment of irony, he sings, "You were too busy steering the conversation toward the Lord/To hear the voice of the Spirit begging you to shut the f--- up." The next tune finds a character (perhaps the previous song's evangelist) offering weak but honest defense of his faith.

Other highlights include the murder mystery "Discretion," which cleverly blends rhythmic feels, straightforward pop/rock number "Start Without Me," and "I Do," a unique meditation on fatherhood (postpartem depression on the part of the father). However, the true gem of the album is the peppy "Transcontinental," which tells the tragedy story of an amputee, set to sparse and eerie synths, while the drums mock the click-clack of a train. Perhaps the album's most intriguing track lyrically, this is a fantastic, pure road song. Closer "The Poison" frames the album with "Bands With Managers" and features the same, too slow, little melody feel, but when Bazan cries "My old man always swore that hell would have no flames/Just a front row seat to watch your true love pack her things and drive away," all is forgiven.

The wonders of "Achilles Heel" are true enigmas. When at their worst, the band (if it can really be called that) is an unbearable mess and at their best, a marvel of economical atmospheric magic. Thankfully, the album contains mostly the latter. And we can take the bad parts, knowing that they're really not trying to please anybody but themselves.

I didnt like this album at first,for some reason.I dont listen to many bands,but i am always looking for new stuff.
David bazan is a brilliant man,and so far,all the pedro the lion fans i have met have been really cool people.This album has some really good songs,but the lyrics seem to be lacking in places.this may not be as good as The Only Reason I Feel Secure,but still,it is pedro the lion,and if you have listened to davids stuff for any time at all,you start to look at things differently.I guess it all has to do with his words & music,how far it can take you,or how far you are willing to go.If you are looking for something new,or just looking to buy another perdo the lion album,get this.though i must say it does take some getting used to,atleast for me.

I am a HUGE Pedro the Lion fan. I own every album and know the lyrics to every song. My excitement for the release of this album was lost when I actually listened to it. The lyrics weren't as meaningful as they were on previous albums. I couldn't get into this album, despite my many efforts. Many say that this is the best they've heard yet, but I disagree. The CD is not without it's good points of course, but overall I'd say you're better off buying one of the older albums for the real taste of Pedro the Lion.