New Labor to release debut 7"

​Since forming in 2008, the New Labor has played throughout town without any recorded material. That will soon change with a September 4th release show at the Hexagon.

"From time to time," singer Andy Bauer explains, "we'll take a month or two off to fuck around with other stuff like water skiing in Tommy Bartlett's ski show or learning to juggle while riding a unicycle or whatever." That lack of focus on a single subject just may explain the spastic nature of their self-titled debut.

The band, featuring former members of the Amish Armada, has four songs so full of life that they couldn't fit a fifth on the record (and, consequently, included it on the free download that comes with purchase). While the tempo and range of influence on their self-titled 7" is all over the place, Nomeansno immediately comes to mind with maybe a touch of early Mr. Bungle. As for Bauer's warbling vocals, think Jello Biafra, but in place of angry screams, Bauer favors a manic, crooning style that follows Mike Pinter's jazzy basslines instead of a traditional verse chorus verse build-up.

The band isn't afraid to momentarily slow things down. "Airports and Burger Kings" begins with a mid-tempo, melodic bit, followed by a jazzy breakdown, and then a sped-up, repeated first verse. The songwriting isn't structured purely around ADHD tempo-changes, but on creative segues and rising action while the lyrics tend to take a comedic concept, but with a deeper metaphoric quality, as expressed in "Sex-Ray Specs," as Bauer reflects: "These sex-ray specs have made a monster out of me."

Get the record from the band at http://thenewlabor.com.

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