| Lab Partners — Seven Seas [2014] |
![Lab Partners — Seven Seas [April 19th, 2014]](/obrazek/2/seven-seas-high-res-jpg/ "Lab Partners — Seven Seas [April 19th, 2014]")
Lab Partners — Seven Seas
Formed: 1998 in Dayton, OH
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Styles: Alternative/Indie Rock, Dream Pop, Noise, Shoegaze
Album release: March 4, 2014 (Digital), April 19, 2014 (Vinyl)
Record Label: Pravda Records (Chicago)
Singles: Simple Machine, Taking Our Time, Starlight, Do You Feel Life
Duration: 48:14
Tracks:
01 Because of You / Because of Me 3:48
02 Simple Machine 4:30
03 Taking Our Time 5:22
04 Starlight 3:28
05 Do You Feel Life 5:21
06 Basket Case 3:38
07 Six Times 7:19
08 The Set Up 5:41
09 Mothman Night Terrors 4:40
10 Seven Seas 6:27
Personnel:
Γ Michael Smith guitars, vocals
Γ Amy Smith vocals, bass
Γ Mike Volk guitars, vocals
Γ Jim Macpherson drums
REVIEW
BY FIRE NOTE STAFF APRIL 23, 2014
• Fire Note Says: Lab Partners have returned with an early contender for Album of the Year.
• Album Review: Dayton, Ohio’s favorite guitar hero’s the Lab Partners have returned with their first record since their 2010’ LP Moonlight Music (By Ben Peterson 22 June 2010; Rating: 6/http://www.popmatters.com/review/127024-lab-partners-moonlight-music/), which was released by Chicago Label Pravda. The same label is behind the band’s new LP entitled Seven Seas, which was just released on Record Store Day.
• If you take 4 years between records it better be good. Well, let me ensure you that this record is well worth the wait. Ex-Guided By Voices and The Breeders drummer Jim Macpherson is behind the kit and has never sounded so fluid. Mike Smith and Mike Volk’s guitar work have gone to a new level on this recording as the sonic madness and space inspired melody rank them with peers like the Spaceman 3 and My Bloody Valentine. While you can hear their influences in their music there is a true uniqueness to their songwriting craft.
• On the opening track, “Because of You/ Because Of Me,” the band sounds ready to conquer larger stages. When Smith sing’s “We can make it happen…” you can envision thousands of rock fists raised to the sky. “Starlight” would be an instant feel good classic in any galaxy. We are just fortunate it was written in ours. The trippy guitar intro of “Do You Feel Life” is the type of sound that will get stuck in your head for weeks at a time. At 48 minutes and 10 tracks long, there is not a bad moment on Seven Seas. The band has definitely returned with a sonic vengeance, so if you get the chance to catch them live do it and for sure grab yourself a copy of the LP.
Key Tracks: “Starlight,” “Because of You/Because of Me”, “Simple Machine”
Artists With Similar Fire: My Bloody Valentine / Yuck / The Black Angels
Fortaken: http://thefirenote.com/
Website: http://www.labpartners.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/labpartners
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lab_partners
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/labpartners.net
Biography:
Γ From the creatively fertile grounds of Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright Brothers and the birth of flight, comes a new type of onward and upward venture, this time of the aural realm by veteran indie spacerockers LAB PARTNERS. Lab Partners' sound washes over you with heavy doses of celestial vocals and melodic guitars. Their massive presence is driven by larger than life drums and pulsing synth bass. With an emotional purity, Lab Partners do far more than write amazing songs, they create a dense atmosphere of true rebellion.
Γ Formed in 1998 by guitarist/vocalist MIKE SMITH and KEVIN PARRETT (A Ten O’Clock Scholar), the duo soon added keyboardist AMY SMITH to round out the lineup. Γ In 1999, drummer MATT SCHULZ, who has been a longtime collaborator with Mike Smith dating back from their days together in Honeyburn joined the band. Schulz went on to perform full- time duty with Enon and Holy F*ck. Veteran guitarist MIKE VOLK (Honeyburn, Cigarhead) came on board in late in 2001, when Kevin Parrett left to pursue other interests. Over the years, Lab Partners has had a fair share of drummers such as Ian Kaplan, Todd Carll, and Kevin Vaughn (Heartless Bastards). Today Lab Partners' drum work is handled by JIM MACPHERSON (The Breeders, Guided By Voices).
Γ Over the past 14 years, the band has put out 3 full length albums as well as several EPs. A new album, Seven Seas, is set has been released in April 19th 2014. Moonlight Music, featured 14 songs and was released in March 2010 by Chicago’s PRAVDA RECORDS. 2005's Wicked Branches and 2007's Keep Quiet e.p. was released on Portland's Reverb Records. 2002's Daystar was released on Dayton's Big Beef Records and garnered reviews from SPIN Magazine and Under the Radar. Lab Partners also self produced two early recordings Lab Partners released in 1999 and Turn It On released in 2000.
Γ Lab Partners has played several highly-regarded festivals over the course of their career, including: CMJ Music Festival in 2002 (New York), CMJ Rock Hall Music Festival in 2005 (Cleveland), South by Southwest Music Festival in both 2006 and 2007 (Austin). The band has two WOXY.COM Live Lounge Axe Sessions available for download via Itunes.
Γ The band has toured numerous times over the United States and shared the stage with such acts as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Warlocks, The High Dials, Throwing Muses, Mark Gardener, The Black Angels, Spectrum, The Sky Drops, Adam Franklin, and Paik.
Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny
Γ Dayton, OH-based dream pop quartet the Lab Partners formed in 1998 — singer/guitarist Mike Smith and drummer Matt Schulz previously teamed in Honeyburn, while guitarist Kevin Parrett previously tenured with Ten O'Clock Scholar. Keyboardist Amy Smith, also Mike's wife, rounded out the original lineup, which issued its self-titled debut EP in 1999; the Turn It On EP followed a year later. Schulz subsequently left the Lab Partners to sign on with punk-pop combo Let's Crash, later drumming in Enon as well; with new drummer Ian Kaplan, the Lab Partners signed to the Big Beef label to record their first full-length effort, the excellent 2002 effort Daystar. After completing the album, Parrett left the lineup and was replaced by another Honeyburn vet, guitarist Mike Voik.
Discography:
Γ 2002 Daystar MMG / Big Beef Records
Γ 2005 Wicked Branches Reverb Records
Γ 2007 Keep Quiet Reverb Records
Γ 2010 Moonlight Music Pravda Records
Γ 2014 Seven Seas Pravda Records
_______________________________________________________________
| Lab Partners — Seven Seas [2014] |
Formed: 1998 in Dayton, OH
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Styles: Alternative/Indie Rock, Dream Pop, Noise, Shoegaze
Album release: March 4, 2014 (Digital), April 19, 2014 (Vinyl)
Record Label: Pravda Records (Chicago)
Singles: Simple Machine, Taking Our Time, Starlight, Do You Feel Life
Duration: 48:14
Tracks:
01 Because of You / Because of Me 3:48
02 Simple Machine 4:30
03 Taking Our Time 5:22
04 Starlight 3:28
05 Do You Feel Life 5:21
06 Basket Case 3:38
07 Six Times 7:19
08 The Set Up 5:41
09 Mothman Night Terrors 4:40
10 Seven Seas 6:27
Personnel:
Γ Michael Smith guitars, vocals
Γ Amy Smith vocals, bass
Γ Mike Volk guitars, vocals
Γ Jim Macpherson drums
REVIEW
BY FIRE NOTE STAFF APRIL 23, 2014
• Fire Note Says: Lab Partners have returned with an early contender for Album of the Year.
• Album Review: Dayton, Ohio’s favorite guitar hero’s the Lab Partners have returned with their first record since their 2010’ LP Moonlight Music (By Ben Peterson 22 June 2010; Rating: 6/http://www.popmatters.com/review/127024-lab-partners-moonlight-music/), which was released by Chicago Label Pravda. The same label is behind the band’s new LP entitled Seven Seas, which was just released on Record Store Day.
• If you take 4 years between records it better be good. Well, let me ensure you that this record is well worth the wait. Ex-Guided By Voices and The Breeders drummer Jim Macpherson is behind the kit and has never sounded so fluid. Mike Smith and Mike Volk’s guitar work have gone to a new level on this recording as the sonic madness and space inspired melody rank them with peers like the Spaceman 3 and My Bloody Valentine. While you can hear their influences in their music there is a true uniqueness to their songwriting craft.
• On the opening track, “Because of You/ Because Of Me,” the band sounds ready to conquer larger stages. When Smith sing’s “We can make it happen…” you can envision thousands of rock fists raised to the sky. “Starlight” would be an instant feel good classic in any galaxy. We are just fortunate it was written in ours. The trippy guitar intro of “Do You Feel Life” is the type of sound that will get stuck in your head for weeks at a time. At 48 minutes and 10 tracks long, there is not a bad moment on Seven Seas. The band has definitely returned with a sonic vengeance, so if you get the chance to catch them live do it and for sure grab yourself a copy of the LP.
Key Tracks: “Starlight,” “Because of You/Because of Me”, “Simple Machine”
Artists With Similar Fire: My Bloody Valentine / Yuck / The Black Angels
Fortaken: http://thefirenote.com/
Website: http://www.labpartners.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/labpartners
Instagram: http://instagram.com/lab_partners
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/labpartners.net
Biography:
Γ From the creatively fertile grounds of Dayton, Ohio, home of the Wright Brothers and the birth of flight, comes a new type of onward and upward venture, this time of the aural realm by veteran indie spacerockers LAB PARTNERS. Lab Partners' sound washes over you with heavy doses of celestial vocals and melodic guitars. Their massive presence is driven by larger than life drums and pulsing synth bass. With an emotional purity, Lab Partners do far more than write amazing songs, they create a dense atmosphere of true rebellion.
Γ Formed in 1998 by guitarist/vocalist MIKE SMITH and KEVIN PARRETT (A Ten O’Clock Scholar), the duo soon added keyboardist AMY SMITH to round out the lineup. Γ In 1999, drummer MATT SCHULZ, who has been a longtime collaborator with Mike Smith dating back from their days together in Honeyburn joined the band. Schulz went on to perform full- time duty with Enon and Holy F*ck. Veteran guitarist MIKE VOLK (Honeyburn, Cigarhead) came on board in late in 2001, when Kevin Parrett left to pursue other interests. Over the years, Lab Partners has had a fair share of drummers such as Ian Kaplan, Todd Carll, and Kevin Vaughn (Heartless Bastards). Today Lab Partners' drum work is handled by JIM MACPHERSON (The Breeders, Guided By Voices).
Γ Over the past 14 years, the band has put out 3 full length albums as well as several EPs. A new album, Seven Seas, is set has been released in April 19th 2014. Moonlight Music, featured 14 songs and was released in March 2010 by Chicago’s PRAVDA RECORDS. 2005's Wicked Branches and 2007's Keep Quiet e.p. was released on Portland's Reverb Records. 2002's Daystar was released on Dayton's Big Beef Records and garnered reviews from SPIN Magazine and Under the Radar. Lab Partners also self produced two early recordings Lab Partners released in 1999 and Turn It On released in 2000.
Γ Lab Partners has played several highly-regarded festivals over the course of their career, including: CMJ Music Festival in 2002 (New York), CMJ Rock Hall Music Festival in 2005 (Cleveland), South by Southwest Music Festival in both 2006 and 2007 (Austin). The band has two WOXY.COM Live Lounge Axe Sessions available for download via Itunes.
Γ The band has toured numerous times over the United States and shared the stage with such acts as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Warlocks, The High Dials, Throwing Muses, Mark Gardener, The Black Angels, Spectrum, The Sky Drops, Adam Franklin, and Paik.
Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny
Γ Dayton, OH-based dream pop quartet the Lab Partners formed in 1998 — singer/guitarist Mike Smith and drummer Matt Schulz previously teamed in Honeyburn, while guitarist Kevin Parrett previously tenured with Ten O'Clock Scholar. Keyboardist Amy Smith, also Mike's wife, rounded out the original lineup, which issued its self-titled debut EP in 1999; the Turn It On EP followed a year later. Schulz subsequently left the Lab Partners to sign on with punk-pop combo Let's Crash, later drumming in Enon as well; with new drummer Ian Kaplan, the Lab Partners signed to the Big Beef label to record their first full-length effort, the excellent 2002 effort Daystar. After completing the album, Parrett left the lineup and was replaced by another Honeyburn vet, guitarist Mike Voik.
Discography:
Γ 2002 Daystar MMG / Big Beef Records
Γ 2005 Wicked Branches Reverb Records
Γ 2007 Keep Quiet Reverb Records
Γ 2010 Moonlight Music Pravda Records
Γ 2014 Seven Seas Pravda Records
_______________________________________________________________