Like a bomb from Williamsburg, Parts & Labor have dropped their follow-up, Mapmaker, and it is a worthy successor to Stay Afraid in every way. If the former sat squarely on the wall-of-noise side, the new album gives the view from above: an expanse of rhythm, horns, backing female vocals and a wider spectrum of clamor.  Full text...

Almost every song still contains the band’s signature dentist drill keyboards, punk rock tempos, and post-rock rhythms, but infuses them with a kind of melody heretofore treated as anathema.  Full text...

The most exciting thing about Parts & Labor is not that they will evolve and improve and eventually release the perfect marriage of noise/electronics and punk rock, but rather that in another year when I’ve forgotten all about them, they will release an album similar in quality and scope to Mapmaker and force me to re-think silly thoughts. And a year later, they’ll do it again.   Full text...

Mapmaker is punk rock for the 2000s, and while there should be no need to reinvent the musical wheel, it doesn’t mean we won’t gladly accept a minor pressure adjustment and a re-spoking of the damn thing from time to time.  Full text...

With their fourth full-length, Mapmaker, the Brooklyn trio slides off the center, their knob-twiddling, volume-intensive, politically-charged song structure slamming down on the arena rock side, with a resounding thwack.  Full text...

It’s the sort of record that’ll brighten your most miserable of days, and it’ll do it oh my noisily. That they’ve toured with Spank Rock, An Albatross and The Hidden Cameras should tell you something: this is a quality band’s band of the utmost quality, and if you’re yet to experience them, let Mapmaker be your gateway to a summer of limb-flailing, teeth-baring, living room-shredding excellence.  Full text...

P&L have the same members as on last year's Stay Afraid, as well as the same basic sound: uptempo noise punk with the irrepressible drums of Chris Weingarten, blurting and squealing keyboards to replace guitars, and the vocals always set to a strident, monotone bellow. However, Mapmaker does everything else it can to diversify their sound without sacrificing the winning formula they've established.   Full text...

The album continues the band’s success with experimental sound by providing a steady barrage of beautiful, yet jarring, noise rock anthems.   Full text...