Parts & Labor
(Jagjaguwar)
Parts & Labor's sound is often compared to fellow label-mates and Brooklyn residents, experimental noise and drone fetishists Oneida. But this isn't always an apt observation.
Yes, the P&L sound is epic and their songs are rooted in big-drum bombast and keyboards that sound crunchy and mechanical, but there's an impressive sense of melody and nuance in their writing. "Nowhere's Nigh," the second song on Receivers, is a good example of this apparent dichotomy, an aggressive and turbulent tune whose soul is entrenched in a pop-music refrain. Parts & Labor can still get their drone on, though, on songs like "Little Ones" or the industrial "Prefix Tree." Dan Friel's singing style is commanding and formidable, especially when layered and enhanced by delay and reverb. His voice is often the anchor for the sometimes chaotic and sometimes precise amalgamation of sound that the band creates.
Receivers was put together using audio samples sent to the band by fans and friends. It's hard to place exactly where they all fall, since the songs comprise numerous squeals, mutters, roars, and beats. The overall effect is sometimes discordant but always interesting.
Standout Tracks: "Nowhere's
Nigh," "Prefix Free" JONAH FLICKER
