Moments into Parts & Labor’s vehemently assertive new LP, those without a stomach for distorted squawks of raw sonic manipulation may find themselves hard-pressed to listen further, sadly never getting the chance to discover the chaotic pop spectacle that lies just below the surface. There’s a melodic sensibility, akin to the best moments of Hüsker Dü, that runs through P&L’s latest full-length — the first to feature vocals — and it’s a triumphant development for the band, infusing their layered racket of tweaker noise with anthemic direction and some heart-stopping hooks. Opener ‘The Great Divide’ may be the band’s strongest achievement to date; massive drums give way to an unforgettable vocal line before thick walls of guitar and chirping electronics crash down like some sort of punk rock tsunami. Things never let up from there, and by the epic finale ‘Changing of the Guard’, Parts & Labor’s B.J. Warshaw, Dan Friel and new drummer Christopher Weingarten have collectively torn down the barrier between melody and noise, unleashing a fantastic new beast onto an unsuspecting pop landscape.
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