On the Record with Parts & Labor

By Amy Kaufman
Published: October 31st, 2008 | 1:10pm

Change has been very good for the newly remodeled Brooklyn four-piece Parts & Labor. After recruiting new drummer Joe Wong, the former industrial-punk, all-male trio made room for a fourth; that’s right, guitarist and noise darling Sarah Lipstate. Totally reinvigorated, their first album together, Receivers (Jagjaguwar), showcases their softer, more cohesive collage-like song structures, packing even more electro punch, but with a neater sensibility and appeasing musicality.

In between destinations on their first U.S. tour, the group took a minute to school Venus Zine readers on the classics

Guitarist Sarah Lipstate
Dan Burke and Thomas Dimuzio
Upcoming Events

When Carlos Giffoni (owner of No Fun Productions) gave me this CD he said, "No one knows who these guys are, but it is great." As soon as I put the CD on, I was amazed. The record is based on a live collaboration between Burke and Dimuzio, and the two complement each other beautifully. The resulting sonic collage is captivating and fascinating and I hope that more people get turned on to this record.

Bassist-vocalist-electronicist BJ Warshaw
Wire
Chairs Missing (EMI)

I keep citing this record recently, but I seriously got obsessed with this album early this year and listened to it constantly while working on Receivers. Wire's always been influential to me, but for some reason this record really clicked recently, something about the relentless exploration of musical themes and tones, about them stretching out and bursting through the formula they'd created on Pink Flag, the use of synths and odd electronic noises. Plus, somehow they made a record that sounds cohesive but just jumps all over the place genre-wise. I also love the story about how EMI asked them to lengthen "Outdoor Miner" to make it long enough for a radio single!

Vocalist-electronicist Dan Friel
Cacaw
Get a Brain (Hardscrabble Amateurs)

This is a newish band featuring the ladies of Chicago's now defunct Coughs. Cacaw sounds smart, and evil, and heavy in an early-90's way, a la Amphetamine Reptile Records. So good.

iTunes link not available

Drummer Joe Wong
George Braith
Extension (Blue Note)

George Braith, along with Roland Kirk, pioneered a technique of playing multiple reed instruments at once. This album features some extraordinarily adventurous compositions and an aggressive rhythm section that works together seamlessly. A couple years ago, I had a chance to play with George in a geodesic, botanical dome on New Year's Eve. This was one of the most exciting shows I've played.

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Parts & Labor’s MySpace