| Rapture, The - Echoes | Label: Universal Release: 2003 Tracklisting: 1. Olio 2. Heaven 3. Open Up Your Heart 4. I Need Your Love 5. The Coming of Spring 6. House of Jealous Lovers 7. Echoes 8. Killing 9. Sister Savior 10. Love is All 11. Infatuation |  (View Larger Image) 
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Average Blamo User Rating:   (6 votes) |
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| CD Review by heart of zero (View Other Reviews by This Person) | |
| The Rapture is one of the groups in 2003 that come flying into our stereos backed by praise and hype. Journalists have also reveled in documenting the influence that timeless and brilliant bands like Depeche Mode, the Cure, Joy Division and other 80’s groups have had on Interpol, Hot, Hot Heat, The Rapture and others. This thrust into the limelight is always fraught with danger for obvious reasons, but this time there is merit involved.
The Rapture does wear its 80’s influences proudly on their sleeve; from the opening of “Olio” one can hear the echoes of Robert Smith in Luke Jenners vocals. However there are more ingredients in the melting pot that are over looked by singling out the ones already mentioned. The title track is a beautiful sonic collage, laced with jangling, noisy guitars which are more indie rock than new wave. The arrangement and instrumentation on “Killing” is rooted in 80’s house and PiL influences, while “Love is All” harks back to the 70’s power pop of Big Star and Badfinger. But sonic diversity and tempos makes listening to this album a rewarding experience, it’s richly layered with Gabriel Andruzzi's gorgeous saxophone parts, driving house beats, keyboards and percussion and sparkling electronic effects. The Rapture are armed with a fresh exciting sound that demands repeated listens, it successfully separates them from their peers, while also identifying themselves from their influences. The Rapture aren’t unashamed to loose themselves in the excess’ of a dark, sexy, melodramatic soundscape. Echoes wonderfully melts one track into the next, making one grand musical statement. In a music world recently dominated with bland, throwaway over-productions in Pop, Rock and R&B, the breath of fresh air and ecstasy a group like The Rapture provides is more than very welcome, and all the more satisfying. Song Highlights Olio Open Up Your Heart House of Jealous Lovers Reviewer Rating of CD : | |
