Parts & Labor

“I used to describe us as ‘loud and awesome,’ but someone at least night’s show described us as ‘blazing,’” laughed Parts & Labor multi-instrumentalist DJ Warshaw in a recent interview with Nuvo.  

Described as “Brooklyn’s noise-punks,” Parts & Labor’s two core members, Warshaw and guitarist/vocalist Dan Friel, are as busy as scruffy art-rocker types come these days. In addition to operating Cardboard Records, Washaw and Friel keep a steady schedule of “blazing, loud and awesome” live shows while recording as regularly as anyone not named Pollard or Adams. They recently, for example, wrote and recorded 51 songs in one weekend, short pop songs full of, as Warshaw described, “blastingbeats.” Going on to describe it as the band’s “grind-pop record.”

Warshaw perked when asked to better explain what he - an artist known for raucous, electro-infused speed rock - meant by “grind-pop.” “Well, it’s the last full recording we did with our previous drummer, Christopher Weingarten,” he explained. “It’s raw and noisy, and surely a departure from our full-length album material.” (Not that their past albums, most notably last year’s Mapmaker, aren’t noisy.) The new record, or at least selections from the recordings, will be released by Ace Fu Records. “It’s the second in a series called Escapers, which is a series all about trying new concepts or songwriting devices we don’t normally explore. It’s not out quite yet, but we have copies we’re selling on this tour.”

Speaking of previous drummers and tours, Warshaw and Friel have seen their fair share of personnel changes of late. In addition to a handful of other members who’ve left Parts & Labor since their 2002 formation, Weingarten - who left the band to peruse a career in rock journalism - was recently replaced by Joe Wong. “Joe is super solid and fun to play with,” said Warshaw. “We’ve already started playing some new songs that we plan to record after this tour in April for our next album.”

But that’s not all, Parts & Labor now flaunt a new guitarist, experimental stud Sarah Lipstate, who, amongst countless other notable achievements, played in Glenn Branca’s esteemed 100 Guitar Ensemble. “It’s starting to feel like this is the band we’ve been trying to be all along,” laughed Warshaw about the new addition. “Sarah has only played eight shows with us and things are already starting to feel very cohesive. We’re having more fun on stage now that Dan and I have stripped down some of our responsibilities.”

So what exactly do Parts & Labor really sound like, you ask? Brooklyn. They sound about how you’d expect the artsy back alleys of Brooklyn to sound. Not good enough? Okay, imagine Oneida, minus the thick, greasy layer of stoner-rock meandering. Oh, and be sure to throw in a fair share of well-executed (read: not cheesy) electronic elements and a little more energy.

Still not getting it? How’s this: they sound blazing. And awesome. And loud. Head over to their MySpace page, myspace.com/partsandlabor, for samples. Be sure to check out their even more lo-fi and raucous Brooklyn brethren, Pterodactyl, while you’re their, as they’re all set to open Part & Labor’s March 20 show at the Melody Inn.

Written by G. William Locke