The Broken West
I Can't Go On, I'll Go On
Merge
originally published March 14, 2007
It seems like almost an admission of defeat to open up an album with the "Be My Baby" beat, the aural equivalent a note reading, "We have no new ideas, so here's some more crap from the '60s." In the case of The Broken West, though, it turns out to be a feint.
The beat in question opens "On the Bubble," backing a distorted organ hook and leading into clean-driving guitars and sweet harmonies with a tambourine hustle. Yawn. Track three has a lead so standard-issue it's impossible to hear the words for the facelessness of the music, even when more sweet harmonies crop up in the catchy chorus. The next song manages to rip off both Stephen Malkmus and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." But I Can't Go On, I'll Go On 's tide turns with "Brass Ring." The album's got its share of ripoffs (Belle & Sebastian's "Women's Realm"), but in service of a song that would justify an album's worth of sins: a sunny melody plotted over a sandpit of an arrangement, cooing backup vocals, and a bounce that could go on forever, culminating in a smiling riot. There's even a good guitar solo!
Thankfully, there's not an entire album's worth of sins for which to repent. The second half of I Can't Go On, I'll Go On is solid, and the goodness of "Brass Ring" retrospectively redeems those first few missteps. The sound (keyboards over mod rock, competent male vocals) stays the same, but the songs are more of a piece, and by the end, you're glad you overcame the initial warning signs.
If you are having problems with the site, or have questions or suggestions, please contact us here. Thanks!
Care to comment on this article? Click here!
You will be the first person to comment on this article.