"I went here," Parts & Labor singer and bassist B.J. Warshaw plainly sounded off in the middle of the band's set at Tufts' Oxfam Cafe on Friday. "You're wasting your time - I'm living proof of that." Never was a less untrue statement uttered that evening, as the Brooklyn quartet agilely ripped through a set that included a fair set of highlights off of last year's excellent Receivers. The group showed off why they're one of music's best kept secrets, swiftly moving from the sweeping anthemic bursts of "Satellites" to the post-hardcore agit-punk of "New Crimes" with the ease of an act that's been performing together for decades.
Though Receivers sounds like the epitomal record any band would be happy to have made, it was clear that there's still plenty of great music to come from Parts & Labor in the years ahead. The group premiered a new song, a celtic-flavored blast of noise that fit perfectly in the middle of their set, all while displaying a group mindset and camaraderie that is often quite rare. Though the P.A. at times sounded like it was in its last thralls of life, and Oxfam Cafe felt a bit too much like a dorm basement, Parts & Labor made the entire evening at Tufts quite a pleasant stay.
Parts & Labor singer and electronics wizard Dan Friel took some time to answer a few questions about the band's last year, his solo work, the record label he and B.J. run (Cardboard Records), and what's next for the group.
Bostonist: You guys recently returned from a European tour opening for Wire. How was the trek?
Dan Friel: Funny story... Wire had to reschedule all of those shows because their bassist/vocalist fell off a ladder. We were pretty heartbroken, but the remaining shows were really fantastic. I spent the days we were supposed to be out with Wire getting to explore Berlin. A personal high point was sneaking into an abandoned US military base in a park outside of the city. It's now basically a graffiti museum.
Bostonist: It's been almost a year now that Parts & Labor has existed as a quartet. How has the changeover in personnel transformed the band in the past twelve months? Did your long friendship with B.J. impact the group dynamics when Joe and Sarah first joined?
DF: It's been pretty exciting. Being a quartet allows us to branch out a bit, and I feel like we've only scratched the surface. I also have to say that it make shows a lot more fun for me not having to switch instruments.
Bostonist: With Sarah in the P&L fold, there are now three members of the band with their own solo projects (Sarah performs as Noveller and B.J. as Shooting Spires). How have you managed to balance all your individual needs in an expanding group with a rigorous tour schedule?
DF: Actually all four of us are pretty busy with outside projects. I think the fact that every one of us has these outlets makes scheduling easier in a way, since we can all agree that we need time to work on them. We're all really supportive of each others projects, and I think it adds something for us and other people to be able to see what each member is doing on their own.
Bostonist: 2008 was a big year for you, with Escapers Two, Receivers, Ghost Town, and Love and Circuits all produced with your handiwork. How were you able to manage all these projects in the span of a year? Do you ever find it to be too much?
DF: Well, it is kind of too much, but it doesn't really matter if you're proud of each of the things you're producing.
Bostonist: With all of these projects, you've amassed a heap of critical acclaim. Considering P&L have always stuck to the "DIY" mindset of remaining an independent band in every sense of the word, does the sudden swarth of attention ever phase or distract you?
DF: Not at all. All we're thinking about at this point is what we're going to do on our next record.
Bostonist: For Receivers, you asked fans to submit short clips of sounds that answered four questions you posted on on the P&L website. How did you decide what sounds to place within the context of the album, and make it fit so well?
DF: It was mostly based on what sounded best and where, although some fit the subject of the songs rather nicely. The first song on the record ("Satellites") is about information/media overload, and the indifference that can come from it. The song opens with the sound of every sample we were sent, playing at the same time, and ends with a lot of samples playing alongside us while the song basically implodes. It's not the best place on the album to listen to individual sounds, but I'm really happy at how integrated the sounds are into the song on a few different levels.
Bostonist: Receivers embodies the idea of an "album," well thought out from beginning to end. 2008 seemed to be a year when, despite the growing presence of the single in digital music consumption, countless bands focused on a thoroughly fleshed-out album (The Mae Shi, TV on the Radio, etc) rather than making some stand out singles. Is this a trend you've noticed among other acts in the community, or just happenstance from a number of musical acts that are finally getting credit for their work?
DF: I don't know if I'd call it a trend. Personally, all of my favorite bands/artists are my favorites because of their albums, not singles. They created their own world within those albums to an extent that you just can't do with much detail on one song.
Bostonist: Parts & Labor were chosen by the ominous "fans" to play this year's "ATP vs The Fans." Anyone you're looking forward to seeing at the festival?
DF: I'm probably going to implode after seeing Sleep and Jesus Lizard in the same weekend.
Bostonist: Cardboard Records has an impressive roster of acts under its belt. What should people be looking out for from the label?
DF: Cardboard is going to be slowing down a bit in 2009. Part of that is because we're getting too busy with our own music, but a bigger concern is that the DIY '80s/'90s model of an indie label is becoming really outdated. We need to figure out a better, more current way to operate. Our only planned release right now is a reissue of Groundswell, our first record.
Bostonist: Considering all the work you've done in the last year, do you ever think "where do I go from here?"
DF: Honestly, no.
add to digg
add to stumble upon
add to reddit