Parts & Labor make noise beautiful
Parts & Labor, "Receivers" (Jagjaguwar),
To enjoy Parts & Labor, one must first be comfortable with noise. In the Brooklyn outfit's unique vision, evocative noise pervades every corner of the mix: ambient hisses, buzzes and squeals creeping in the background, distorted voices and instruments (which might be guitars or keyboards or who knows what), imposing mountains of cacophony which gradually emerge before confidently overwhelming a suddenly immobile listener. All the while, expansive, hummable melodies splatter like soothing raindrops through a burning airplane propeller.
In the past, Parts & Labor earned many comparisons to Hüsker Dü, as much for the band's magic touch with tuneful tumult as for Dan Friel's vocal similarity to Bob Mould. But album No. 4, "Receivers," has more in common with Mould's post-Dü band Sugar in that rapturous melody is its primary focus. The blow-back-your-hair exhilaration of P&L's remarkable 2007 disc "Mapmaker" is felt in opener "Satellites," which in seven minutes builds from Friel's sizzling electronic bleeps to a hearty fist-pumper riding bassist B.J. Warshaw's crest until burning out in a glorious collision of feedback and noise. The presentation is grand, but you'll remember the song, too.
The same goes for "Little Ones," its summer camp hymnal feel augmented with stately organ tones, "The Ceasing Now," with an anthemic chorus bolstered by Joe Wong's military-grade percussion, and especially the up-tempo "Nowheres Nigh," Warshaw's coolly sung vocal melodies swelling then bursting into the catchiest indie single you'll hear this year. Although uncomplicated, these aren't hollow pop-punk melodies, rather seeming to echo from a deep, primal place of yearning.
These songs are so strong, only upon further listens can one register elements like the ghostly musical saw haunting "Mount Misery," Sarah Lipstate's Who-style guitar blasts punctuating "Wedding in a Wasteland" or the borderline orchestral euphony concluding "Solemn Show World." Then there's the noise, most of it samples and found sounds sent in by fans (the band claims they used every submission somehow). The noise provides as much substance as it does style, even as Parts & Labor's sonic attack has mellowed considerably, while its collaborative origin hints at the band's central lyrical theme of humans driven apart by concrete and wires. If there is another rock album this year that speaks as strongly to the mind, heart, body and soul as "Receivers" does, we haven't heard it.
• Parts & Labor performs as part of the Ears and Eyes Festival with Black Ladies, David Daniell and Doug McCombs, Bus Master, Touch and the Toby Summerfield Large Ensemble at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, at Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., Chicago. $12. (773) 227-4433 or hideoutchicago.com.
The Atlas Moth, "Pray for Tides" (Witch Trial)
The entire package, from the Paul Romano-esque nautical cover art to the ornery, blues-flavored guitar riffs of "Procession: Warning of the Ancients" and the title track, screams Mastodon. But The Atlas Moth is really a sludgier, crustier beast, and while reveling in drug metal miasma, this Chicago quintet doesn't indulge in their Southern forbears' progressive flights of fancy. In other words, they remind one of old Mastodon, hairy dudes who demolished many a smoky dive bar and sweaty basement show before indie hipsters and major labeldom got their hooks in 'em.
The vocals here are mostly delivered in a harsh, processed scream which counters the minimal, brooding guitar melodies of crawlers like "Hope for Atlantis" and "Beyond the Palace Walls" quite well. Yet except for brief ambient interlude "Waves," all tracks contain a segment of despondent singing, adding touches of dimension and color to the otherwise charcoal-black proceedings. The Atlas Moth isn't reinventing anything with this 19-minute debut EP, but the band shows proficiency with low-slung modern doom grooves which are surely adaptable enough to hold attention throughout a full-length album.
• The Atlas Moth performs with Nachtmystium, Wolves in the Throne Room and Velnias at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25 at Reggie's Rock Club, 2109 S. State St., Chicago. $12 advance, $15 day of show. (312) 949-0220 or reggieslive.com.
On stage this weekend
New Kids on the Block
In case you missed them earlier this month, here's another chance to see how well the '80s teen pop favorites hold up. Come on, everyone knows you still sing "Please Don't Go Girl" in the shower... so don't act like your friends are dragging you along.
8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $35-$80. (312) 559-1212.
Method Man and Redman
One of hip-hop's greatest duos returns, whetting appetites for the upcoming sequel to "How High" and their in-progress collaborative album, their first since 1999's brilliant "Blackout!" They leaked a single (a cover of "Broken Language" by Smooth Da Hustler and Trigger the Gambler) earlier this year. However, at the rate these cheeba-loving MCs are going, Meth's Wu-Tang mate Raekwon might drop his long-delayed "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II" before "Blackout! 2" finally appears.
11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24 at House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $32. (312) 559-1212.
Doug's Halloween Bash
The Halloween tradition of local bands performing as more famous acts comes to Aurora with an interesting collision of styles. It's an economically prudent, choice, too. Where else could you see the Misfits (as portrayed by Turbo Vamps), Operation Ivy (Danger Boy), The Decemberists (Sleepy Sleepy Octopus), Feist (Venna) and Limp Bizkit (Nothing Is Forever) on the same bill?
7 p.m. Sat., Oct. 25 at Doug's Rockhouse Grill, 333 E. Indian Trail, Aurora. $8, $6 with costume. (630) 892-7833.