The Broken West I Can't Go On, I'll Go On by: Wal Cross Mon:28-May-07 Label: Merge Year: 2007 WB rating 76 out of 100

L.A. foursome The Broken West deliver an impressive debut album to follow their EP The Dutchman's Gold, which was released under the name The Brokedown. Their EP took them across America and into the hands of Merge Records (Arcade Fire) who signed the lads up for their first full length, I Can't Go On, I'll Go On. Drawing inspiration from The Kinks, The Bryds, and label mates Spoon, The Broken West have created an album that ventures into alt-country infested waters, a treasure chest of tight melodic songs and catchy hooks. It’s a voyage that steered the band into Grey’s Anatomy, with album track ‘Down in the Valley’ on the new indie band-breaker. Will the mass exposure lead to an instant sell out, or will they be among Gomez and the lucky few (not Snow Patrol) who escape the hospital unharmed? Hopefully the first, as The Broken West is in excellent working order and heading in the right direction.

All tambourine shaking and pulsing drums, The Broken West open the full length with the Elvis Costello sounding tune 'On the Bubble'; lead vocalist Ross Flournoy providing a soothing vocal. His voice is the focal point of this album, able to hit the highs and the emotional peaks needed to carry these songs.  This guy is singing the right songs, in the right band and is well backed by guitarist Dan Iead’s tremolo soaked country breaks.

'So it Goes' is the song you introduce your mother to. It's clean,  shiny almost, with dream-like harmonies, xylophone solos, solid piano lines and no mess pop drums. 'Down in the Valley' is a muddier, heavier track, with production that sounds like pressing record on a tape deck in the back of the room. This is the most surprising aspect of the song’s inclusion as a Grey's Anatomy featured track. The album is a mix bag of lollies, with many other sweeter songs than this black jelly bean. Such a decision may eventually may work in their favour by escaping the ‘Chasing Cars’ fiasco of over exposure Snow Patrol brought upon themselves, but if they wanted a stickier song, ‘Shiftee’ would have been the chocolate frog.  

Because of this very quality 'Shiftee' is the most impressive track on the album, its acoustic picking and shaker momentarily ripped into by heavenly, Beatlesque harmonies and Harrison-inspired guitar licks. With a chorus catchy enough to certainly become the sing-a-long favourite, the mix of homage and originality ensures that it stands as familiar, but not derivative.

For the Australian listener Broken West have included their EP hits, ‘Sparks’ and ‘My Love is True’. ‘Sparks’ has a feel borrowed from The Church’s 'Under the Milky Way', but is glazed with country influences, mainly found in the guitar breaks. The song is less pop than the album tracks, and is more of a history lesson than a stand out. ‘My Love is True’ is more complex, verging on new rock, and sounding like a thousand other bands smashing around the same three chords. The inclusion of these EP tracks prove that the band has really grown since their 2004 release, but still they should have had the balls to leave their old 'crowd favourites' off their debut, as history has always been boring.

The Broken West have delivered an outstanding debut album. It’s original pop, which is often hard to come by, but yet feels familiar after a few listens and, until the EP tracks, never stoops to filler. Don’t buy the Best of Grey’s Anatomy Volume Six to hear this band, they’re worth it by themselves.