For a while, it was impossible to talk about David Bazan without addressing his well-publicized wrestling with what was once the cornerstone of his songwriting – his uncomfortably intimate observations of religion and faith. Thankfully, the brouhaha over Bazan’s beliefs has settled down a bit, and Bazan’s songwriting is moving farther away from his struggles with the big guy in the sky and more toward the struggle with his teetering belief in humanity and himself. All of Bazan’s songs have at least one turn-of-the-screw moment in them; it’s easy to get caught up in his lovely melodies only to suddenly realize Bazan’s warm, throaty voice isn’t singing sweet nothings, but painfully sarcastic confessions of shortcomings and everyday hypocrisy. Currently soliciting fan donations to help fund his new record and preparing for a winter tour with Jimmy Eat World, Bazan is sharpening his skepticism into bigger, broader territory than ever before. With Damien Jurado, The Head and the Heart. GREGORY FRANKLIN

Sat., Nov. 27, 8 p.m., 2010