When Brooklyn, NY noise rock agitators Parts & Labor broke up last year, they had completed their jagged journey from DIY experimentalists to consummate melody makers. On his sophomore solo LP, Total Folklore, Dan Friel strips away his former band's harmonious goodwill for something more unrefined, aged and volatile. Working with field recordings Friel took from the streets of Brooklyn, Manhattan and Tokyo, much of Total Folklore runs off unfettered and arrhythmic measures. Tracks like "Velocipede" and "Thumper" showcase Friel's collection of worn synthesizers and vintage pedals, while each of the album's nine instrumentals radiate rusty bursts that build virtually at the same infected pace. Although standouts like 13-minute reverberation exploration "Ulysses" and the crashing movements of "Swarm" feel primal and stimulating, a good portion of Total Folklore finds Friel treading the same murky path, leaving the listener with brazen, barefaced ideas and shambling, barefoot execution. (Thrill Jockey)
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