The Rapture - London Carling Academy Islington - 5/9/06
4/5
By: Keri Kennedy
This review begins with a question; why can't all gigs be like this? It's possibly something to do with my age, but tonight Islington Academy is filled to just three quarters capacity, so you can get a beer in under five minutes and, best of all, short-arses can actually see the stage. Take note London venues, not all of us want to sniff the armpit of our fellow gig-goer, though I no doubtedly presume the lack of the usual tactic of cramming - in - as - many - as - is - just - about - legal is due to the fact The Rapture are treating this 500 or so XFM competition winners (I did actually win) to a preview of the upcoming 'Pieces Of The People We Love' LP, and they throw in the familiar floor-fillers to boot.
Following Paul Epworth and Ewan Pearson's techno DJ set, The Rapture lay into 'I Need Your Love', one of the most electronic tracks from 2003's Echoes. Luke Jenner wails like a six-foot-three banshee, and follows this with a much appreciated hark back to one of the best original punk-funk classics, 'Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks'. He screams out 'shake, shake, shake' over Vito's disco beat and most of the crowd are complying. Soon to become dancefloor classic, 'Get Myself Into It', goes down a storm, while fellow killer tune 'Sister Savior' (to which Luke asked the crowd of HMV the previous day to pretend they were off their heads on E in a club to) has bassist Mattie taking over wailing duty, all over a bone-shaking bass riff.
The new album title track is a real turnaround, with a heavy swingbeat, Moog style keys and an Iggy Pop feel, with another singalong 'na, na, na, na' chorus. 'Killing', far harsher in comparison, punctuated the new songs, with its twanging guitars and Luke's desperate vocal, it gives a bit of a breather before we're confronted with the ridiculously yet accurately titled 'Whoo! Alright Yeah Uh Huh'. Gabriel here takes over with an overload of cowbell and there are tonnes of bass, and we're finding impossible not to dance. It's the new 'House Of Jealous Lovers', which promptly follows - and although still one of the best Rapture tunes, it pales in comparison.
'The Sound' yet again shakes the room, another taste of what to expect from Ratpures new, while 'Heaven' induces a chant along and ends in a riot of ear-piercing feedback and white noise.
A professional bunch, those Rapture boys. Not only that, after being completely off the scene for the best part of four years, they have returned not with a new image, but new songs that take all the best bits of their former sound to create something miles ahead of anyone else. Just how the hell do they do it?
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment