Mapmaker

Innovative Brooklyn trio Parts & Labor raise the bar yet again on their fourth effort, 2007's MAPMAKER. As on the group's other releases, MAPMAKER offers up plenty of art-damaged noise, especially given the predominance of clattering, thunderous percussion and unpredictable sonic swerves. Yet the songs on the album also deliver more melodies and hooks than any previous Parts & Labor disc.
Opener "Fractured Skies" is a case in point in the way its heavy attack lays the groundwork for hooks and pop craft. Even at its most avant garde (as on the closer "Knives and Pencils"), Parts & Labor execute their experiments with taste and an ear toward accessibility, which makes MAPMAKER a must for those who enjoy smart, challenging experimental rock.