Shame, delusion and resignation are everywhere on Winners Never Quit. David Bazan's grim songs come off like allegories without the comfort of clearly stated life lessons. The listener is left to sort out the meaning or moral of gloom-ridden scenarios featuring troubled characters who live in America, the land of the winner. "To Protect The Family Name" is a painfully poignant depiction of a vulnerable drunk who's fallen off the wagon and is begging for another chance. Bazan's slow, almost slurred singing deftly places the listener in close proximity to the drunken protagonist. The drums have a murky sound quality that nicely reflects the song's theme and mood. Similarly, the title tune's enervated drumming matches the sentiment at hand. It closes out the album with just a glimmer of hope, as Bazan sings, "Count it a blessing / that you're such a failure / your second chance might / never have come." --Fred Cisterna