Broken West rocks through new tunes

I saw three bands last night whose appeal ran counter to their spot on the bill. The night opened (for me, anyway), with the Broken West, a California band whose sophomore disc, Now or Heaven, is an outstanding creative leap. While I do miss some of the raucous power pop of the band’s debut, I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On, that’s more than made up for by the sophistication on display on the new one.

Live, the band found a more fitting middle ground, adding a bit of rock muscle to the newer, more atmospheric tunes, offering listeners a bridge between old and new. The set was an even split between the two albums, with the new material easily holding its own against the older, more familiar material. “House of Lies” was the standout among the new tracks, taking on a swagger not present on the more mannered studio version. Meanwhile, older favorites like “On the Bubble,” “So it Goes” and “Down in the Valley” were welcome additions, the last of those providing a manic penultimate tune for the set, followed by a very effective “Brass Ring,” also from the debut, that was only slightly less energetic than its precursor.

If you have the chance to see this band in a club now, take advantage. I predict bigger stages for these guys in the near future.

Following the Broken West was Centro-Matic, a band that seemed to take a while to get into its set, but which delivered a nice, consistent set once it did. The charisma factor dropped considerably between the two bands, as C-M leader Will Johnson stood at the side of the stage and didn’t seem to engage the crowd much. Musically, however, the band was solid. I’ve always admired the band (and alter-ego South San Gabriel), but find their output daunting and haven’t done more than dabble (I can only follow a handful of uber-prolific artists, and those slots are taken by Robert Pollard and Will Oldham at the moment).

Headliner Langhorne Slim was a disappointment. After two hours of superior songcraft, his wordy, rockabilly schtick was tiresome. He was full of energy, but so many have done this so much better that I can only chalk up his accolades to long-term memory loss among listeners and/or the constantly renewing crop of fans who ensure that the fact that there is nothing new under the sun isn’t really an impediment. Granted, I took in only two songs before heading home for bed, but it just wasn’t doing it for me. I’d vote to give that extra stage time to the Broken West every time.