Handsome Western States

Photo by David Greenwald’s camera

You may have heard of the Broken West. They’re on Merge Records, home of the Arcade Fire, M. Ward and Spoon. They play a distinctly western kind of Big Star power pop. They’re from Los Angeles and they’re really good. Their new record (due out 1/23) is called I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On, and it goes on just long enough.

Well, back in the day they were called the Brokedown, and they self-released an EP called The Dutchman’s Gold which was way excellent. It was halfway between their current sound and a more mournful, pedal steel-driven campfire vibe. It, too, was really good. Then I wrote about them in Billboard, and lo and behold, they got signed. The band seems to have had some Merge connections back at Chapel Hill, so I can’t take the credit — they’ve got songs for that.

The Broken West – “Down In The Valley”: mp3

The Brokedown – “Sparks”: mp3
(from The Dutchman’s Gold EP)

(Buy from Merge)

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