| When the going gets tough, Labrador are there to lift you up. On their sophomore album, Hold the Door for Strangers – produced by Kyle Gilbride (Swearin’, Waxahatchee) – the tenderly bruised alt-country quintet have crafted a collection of compassionate story songs. Patching together ragged indie rock performances with stately strings and electrified solos, the introspective narrators of the band’s cowboy ballads wear emotional scars like a sheriff’s gold star.
“A lot of these songs focus on hard-worn lessons dealing with empathy, or discovering the capacity to be considerate,” explains Labrador’s lead singer and guitarist Pat King. “There’s a lyric in the title track that says ‘we’re all standing tall without a leg to stand on.’ That’s basically the thesis statement of the record. No matter what you’re going through, someone is going through something worse.” To prove this point, King shares how Labrador began in the wake of an accident. In 2017, while cycling through his former home of Brooklyn, the guitarist crashed and severely injured his elbow. Fearing that he may never play again, King began physical therapy to regain the strength in his left arm. “After weeks of rehabbing, I walked to a Guitar Center,” he recalls. “It was sleeting out and the terrible weather felt prophetic. I decided to take control of my life again, so I... more released January 13, 2023
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| All songs were written by Pat King except for #4. That is an American traditional tune made popular by our hero, Woody Guthrie. This one goes out for everyone fighting the good fight. Stay strong. Black Lives Matter. released July 3, 2020 Produced by Pat and Courtney King. All songs mixed and mastered by Kris Hayes. Pat King: Vocals / Classical Guitar / iPhone Field Recordings. Kris Hayes: Electric Guitars / Pro Tools. Cover photo and design layout by Eric Lee. Songs 1-3 published by Hat Guy Songs (ASCAP) No Way Of Knowing Records: 0001 |
| Released November 27, 2018
These are songs about my hometown and the people I have met since leaving. All songs were written and performed by Pat King. Kris Hayes played electric guitar on "State Line to Eagleville" and "Love is Alchemy". All songs were recorded at A Blood Good Record Recording Studio in Long Island City by Kris Hayes. All songs were mixed by Kris Hayes. All songs mastered by Eric Carlson with additional mastering by Kris Hayes. Hayes and Carlson appear courtesy of Easy Plateau Productions, Punchout, and the "Bachelor Jams" group chat. Cover art film strip was found on the street outside of the Classon Avenue Gala Fresh. |
| releases May 30, 2025
Labrador is... Pat King - Vocals, Songs, Guitars Will Hochgertel - Bass, Background Vocals, Handclaps Steve Kurtz - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals, Handclaps Additional Musicians... Kris Hayes - Lead & Rhythm Guitars on tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, & 8 Heather Jones - Keys on tracks 2, 4, 5, & 9 Mixed and Engineered by Heather Jones at So Big Auditory Mastered by Chris Walla via The Hall of Justice Produced by Pat King and the City of New York All songs written by Pat King, Hat Guy Songs (ASCAP) Additional writing and guidance on "Someday I'll Pay" and "A Favor To Someone" by Maxwell Stern. Artwork and Layout by Eric Lee. |