Labor (album)
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| Labor | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 22, 2013 | |||
| Genre | Electropop | |||
| Length | 58:44 | |||
| Label | MEN Make Music | |||
| MEN chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Labor | ||||
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Labor is the second and final album from Brooklyn electropop band MEN. It was self-released on October 22, 2013, with full album streaming made available on Bandcamp as well as the New York Times interactive website.
The album takes a subtler, more introspective approach than the band's overtly activist 2011 debut full-length, Talk About Body, although the single "Let Them Out Or Let Me In" supporting the Free Pussy Riot movement is included. After a shuffling of the band’s lineup since their debut, Samson has said she focused more on elements of transition and change for this self-released second album. By turning inward, Labor gives JD Samson & MEN greater accessibility. The reality that activist music can only go so far, this album serves to avoid restrictive genre terminology assigned to the band such as “LGBT music”.[1]
In addition to the activist single "Let Them Out Or Let Me In", the album also contains previously released songs: all three tracks from Next EP, released in February 2012.
The band teamed up with French producer Yuksek on the single "All The Way Thru".
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Power Strobe" | 4:38 |
| 2. | "All The Way Thru" | 4:01 |
| 3. | "Club Thang" | 4:14 |
| 4. | "Making Art" | 3:16 |
| 5. | "Semenya" | 4:00 |
| 6. | "(She)" | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Greatest Hits" | 2:29 |
| 8. | "Neon Poles" | 3:25 |
| 9. | "Next" | 4:28 |
| 10. | "I Don't Care" | 4:28 |
| 11. | "Fucked Up" | 3:39 |
| 12. | "Take It Away" | 2:54 |
| 13. | "I'm Leavin'" | 3:55 |
| 14. | "Let Them Out Or Let Me In" | 5:33 |
| 15. | "Make Him Pay" | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 58:44 | |
Reception
While not getting the same media coverage as the 2011 album Talk About Body, Labor received consistently favorable reviews.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Spectrum Culture |   |
| Filter | 83% [2] |