Parts & Labor’s sound has always been at odds with itself. On the one hand, the band plays a style of punk rock that’s straightforward and anthemic, if not particularly thrilling. On the other, though, is the band’s undeniable affinity for noise-rock. Unsurprisingly, they’ve had trouble reconciling these two strands. Too much of keyboardist Dan Friel’s electronic squibbles and the fist-pumping is obscured; without enough noise elements, the songs become too obvious.

Receivers is the closest Parts & Labor have come to getting the mixture right, but it still has all the problems of the band’s previous work. To their credit, Parts & Labor do shy away from the bombastic at times — occasionally exploring the rest of the body instead of immediately leaping for the jugular — but it’s only a matter of time before the vocals swell and the din gets stadium-sized. It’s also increasingly evident that the band’s noisier moments aren’t that interesting. Friel’s knob-twiddlings quickly become indistinguishable from one another and add monotony where they should add depth.

Receivers is a small step in the right direction, but Parts & Labor are still far from uniting their influences. Considering the disconnect within their own sound, it’s questionable whether they’ll ever get there.