In the days following their sixth U.S. tour, Brooklyn trio Parts & Labor challenged themselves to write a unique, 50-song EP in two days -- Escapers Two. Toying around with a musical invention they dubbed "grindpop," the band machine-gunned out a blast of super-short songs that have the speed and energy of grindcore, but with the triumphant pop hooks that fueled their last proper studio album, 2007's Mapmaker.

Dan Friel (electronics/vocals), BJ Warshaw (bass/electronics/vocals) and Christopher R. Weingarten (drums) wrote and recorded these songs over Memorial Day Weekend, 2007, in the Ocropolis (the basement studio of Brooklyn buddies Oneida). The three set up in the middle of the room, facing each other, and took turns writing songs on the spot. Most tracks on Escapers Two are first takes, with vocals added at home over the following weeks (again using as few takes as possible to preserve the of-the-moment feel of the EP).

The result is a warts-and-all cram session of ideas snatched from the Melvins, Man is the Bastard, Melt Banana, and Napalm Death, as well as 80s indie/punk songsmiths like Mission of Burma, Husker Du, Minutemen and The Wipers. In some parallel universe this unholy alliance took the underground by storm around 1993. In our universe Escapers Two doesn't sound much like anything else.

This EP is the second in Parts & Labor's series of experimental "Escapers" EPs. Escapers One was an all electronics LP released on Broklyn Beats in 2006. Escapers Three will likely follow in 2009. This EP is also the final recording session with former P&L drummer Christopher R. Weingarten, who left the band to devote himself to running music website Paper Thin Walls.

Important facts for lazy writers:
--51 songs, 29 minutes
--Escapers Two is the second album in Parts & Labor's experimental Escapers series of EPs. The first was the all-electronic Escapers One released on Broklyn Beats in 2006.
--The proper follow-up to Parts & Labor's breakthrough Mapmaker is due on Jagjaguwar in the Fall.
--This is the final recording session with former P&L drummer Christopher R. Weingarten, who left the band to devote himself to running music website Paper Thin Walls. Parts & Labor's new drummer is Joe Wong, who is also a sick drummer and swell guy.
--Escapers Two was self-recorded by Parts & Labor in Oneida's Ocropolis Studio in Brooklyn, with additional mixing and recording by Warshaw in The Glitch Cave.
--Parts & Labor have toured with Battles, Matt & Kim, Erase Errata, ADULT., Wilderness and have performed with Mission Of Burma, Clinic, Les Savy Fav, Deerhoof, Lightning Bolt.