Initially called "The Brokedown," the group changed their name in 2006 because of legal concerns with a Chicago band with a similar name. Their debut full-length release is ''I Can't Go On, I'll Go On'', referencing a
Samuel Beckett quote. Their single "Down in the Valley" was featured in an episode of ''
Grey's Anatomy''. They have played the
Austin City Limits Music Festival, and toured the U.S. and Canada with
Fountains of Wayne and with
The National. None of the band members were originally from Los Angeles. Frontman Ross Flournoy was born in
Memphis, Tennessee and moved with his family to
Santa Barbara, California when he was 11 years old. His musical pleasures growing up included
Big Star,
Teenage Fanclub, and
The Beatles. Dan Iead and Jeff Howell grew up in Branford, Connecticut. Brian Whelan split time between Seattle and Northern California. The band's second album
Now or Heaven was released in 2008 through
Merge Records. The band has broken up and Ross Flournoy released his first record as
Apex Manor on January 25, 2011, also on
Merge Records. The band's song "Perfect Games", and other songs, has been used as background music for local forecast segments on
the Weather Channel in 2012 and 2013. ==Discography==