Parts & Labor

Hailing from Brooklyn, Parts & Labor produces energetic music built on electric guitars, minimal electronics, and rowdy vocals. The noise rock and experimental collective formed in 2002 around keyboardist Dan Friel and bassist B.J. Warshaw, who had first crossed paths in 1999 at the Knitting Factory. Although each musician had already performed with multiple noise rock groups, the addition of drummer Jim Sykes gave the project a stable foundation. Their debut album, Groundswell, appeared in 2003. When the group prepared to tour, Sykes departed for his hometown of Chicago, prompting Joel Saladino to join and play his initial gig just three days later. That year also saw the Narnack release Rise, Rise, Rise, a split effort with vocalist Tyondai Braxton that emphasized an intricate, avant-garde approach to the band’s style. Saladino exited in June 2004 to start Narchitect, after which Christopher R. Weingarten took over on drums; a 7" single for Plastic followed in April 2005. Ahead of their third album, Parts & Labor had already shared stages with TV on the Radio, Deerhoof, Melt Banana, Lightning Bolt, Enon, and Oneida. Friel and Warshaw meanwhile established Cardboard Records, which became home to Pterodactyl, Big Bear, and Aa. Returning to noise rock foundations, the group issued the raucous Stay Afraid in 2006 as its first release on Jagjaguwar/Brah. Mapmaker arrived the next year, followed in 2008 by both Escapers 2: Grind Pop and Receivers. After that exploratory phase, the band pursued greater cohesion on the tightly focused Constant Future, released in 2011.