In House #1787: The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On; New Menomena

Rock n' roll albums with a lasting sense of uncontrived cohesion are a rare enough thing. When one of those albums also doubles as a young band's debut, that's practically unheard of. Such is arguably the case with The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On, out next week on Merge. The Los Angeles (Silver Lake)-based quintet's first full-length follows an acclaimed self-released EP with hook-filled songwriting and classic arrangements. While contemporaries like labelmates Spoon or even Wilco may be touchstones for the band's music, one is better served to notice the classic flavors The Broken West serves up: Big Star's sugary power-pop, The Byrds' SoCal canyon twang. Add to those leanings a precocious intellect (the album's title is lifted from a novel by the very un-rock n' roll Samuel Beckett), and you've got anything but a trend-toeing flavor of the week. Indeed, the artists formerly known as The Brokedown appear to have the controls set for the center of the California sun.

The Broken West

In House #1787.
Airdate: 1/17/07
Focus: Debut release out next week, from The Broken West, I Can't Go On, I'll Go On, plus new music from Menomena, Harlem Shakes, The Shins, The Ponys, and more.

BONUS MP3s-
The Broken West, from I Can't Go On, I'll Go On:
"Down In the Valley" (MP3)
"Brass Ring" (MP3)

The Harlem Shakes, from the Burning Birthdays EP:
"Old Flames" (MP3)


PLAYLIST

Get The Broken West's I Can't Go On, I'll Go On at Insound.