The Rapture - 'Echoes' (Vertigo)
4/5
By: Joshua K
Cowbells. Sax. Vocals that, often, ascend to a timbre best described as 'a cat in heat'. Let's face it: on paper, that's a recipe for disaster. It just shouldn't work.
So that The Rapture and production partners The DFA could take such downright un-rock n' roll elements and with them craft one of the albums of the year is sign of one thing: the rewards you get for taking risks, for trying the unexpected. That's the beauty and the power of decent music.
And oh, how this record works in all the ways you wouldn't expect. Yes, there are angular, brittle guitar-lines and the requisite, funky drums and bass (signature-track 'House of Jealous Lovers', 'Heaven', etc.). But did you anticipate straight-up acid-house worthy of 808 State ('I Need Your Love')? Ballads ('Open Up Your Heart')? Indie-pop ('Love Is All')? Short, storming, PiL-like rockers ('The Coming Of Spring')?
Or that singer Luke Jenner's voice, over the eleven tracks, would morph from an odd distraction into the most distinctive musical weapon since Perry Farrell's? For this latter point, see especially 'Killing', in which he yelps '1-2-3-4/Kick that f**ker /Out the door' to launch an incredible guitar riff. Oh yeah, it works, keeping you enthralled for 47 straight minutes.
Furthermore, after all the hype over the past year, something else has been accomplished. This LP confirms The DFA's status in the producers premier league, The Neptunes of rock. And anyone who doubts their significance to this recording need only check out the production-credits, which state: 'Produced by The DFA with The Rapture. Recorded, mixed, engineered, programmed and additional instrumentation by Tim Goldsworthy and James Murphy for The DFA.' And if this serves to prove Murphy and Goldsworthy's crowning achievement, then it's more than sufficient. But there's more to come...
Now, enough talk. Get your ass to the indie disco. And f**king dance.
Artists in this article: The Rapture
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment