Jagjaguwar
2007
Mapmaker
About This Album
2007 sees Parts & Labor -- Dan Friel, B.J. Warshaw and Christopher R. Weingarten -- moving back toward more song oriented material. While their brash, noisy amalgam of multiple instruments, electronics and heavy percussion is still part and parcel of their sound, the melodic approach that the group adopted on their last Jagjaguwar release Stay Afraid in April of 2006 has been refined here to include more hooks, more structure, and yes, more noise. From the slamming "Fractured Skies" that opens the set, Parts & Labor indulge freely the blastbeat percussion-heavy attack of heavy metal while maintaining an indie rock approach toward songcraft. The tune is virtually an anthem. Harmonic invention and shifting parts where instruments come and go all under the guise of Weingarten's skin attack befits a much more guitar heavy band, but with the skittering electronics winding their way through every aspect of their compositional method -- check "Vision of Repair," "New Crimes" and "Ghosts Will Burn" -- the band rely on strong vocal performances to make these songs find their way into the ears of the listener in a friendly and memorable manner. For all their chaos, one can hum any song on this record.
Track List (try tracks 1,2,4,5,6,9,10 and 11)

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