The band’s sophomore full-length, “Pieces of People We Love”, arrived in September 2006 following a move to Universal Motown Records. Following the release The Rapture embarked on another relentless tour, for which they were becoming known opening for the Sex Pistols and touring alongside Franz Ferdinand. 32 on the UK Albums Chart and spawning the charting singles “House of Jealous Lovers”, “Love Is All”, and “Sister Saviour”. The record subsequently earned a rerelease where it enjoyed success in the UK, rising to No. Heatseekers Chart, aided by the single “House of Jealous Lovers”.

Earning widespread critical acclaim, the album was voted Pitchfork’s Best Album of 2003 and peaked at No.

Working alongside Murphy and Goldsworthy again, known as the DFA production team, The Rapture released their debut full-length album “Echoes”, in September 2003. The record was produced by James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy and generated a significant amount of exposure for the group, especially in New York. The band subsequently inked a deal with the revered independent label Sup Pop, who issued the band’s six-track EP “Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks” in May 2001. Featuring an alternating cast of bassists, it wasn’t until 2001 with the arrival of Washington D.C.’s Matt Safer, that The Rapture lineup was cemented. Released on Gravity Records the record was supported by more extensive touring alongside the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate and Nuzzle. Soon after forming, The Rapture embarked on a heavy touring schedule before issuing their debut mini-album “Mirror” in 1999. Sure, you were probably drawn to this album for one song, but actually there is a lot more to be had here, and before you know it, you’re pretty much enthralled by the whole thing, wonderful.Born in 1998 by New Yorkers Vito Roccoforte and Luke Jenner, The Rapture were soon making a name for themselves as pioneers of the new millennium's post-punk revival. The Rapture on this album seem to be helping themselves to many a genre and merging it all into one big marvellous creation, from bog standard Dance Indie to Post Punk, even finding times to marry Grunge and House with a kind of Velvet Underground/Plastic Ono Band vibe to back it all up with. The thrilling thing though about Echoes by The Rapture is the level of influences. Songs like Sister Saviour, Love is All and Infatuation, demonstrate that maybe The Rapture deserved their hype back in 2003 and today. But there are some sweet moments above all the rhythmic shebang. The title track isn’t too bad, Echoes is actually my favourite song from the album at the minute and is just one of those songs you have to play loud for the rest of the bus to hear. So, I could end it all there, but I should probably mention at least a couple of other highlights that can be found on this album as well. It seems only fitting that we look at that famous song of theirs first, House of Jealous Lovers is by definition, “a beast”, it begins with a scream, is filled with cow bell rhythm, pulsating base, whaling and angst ridden vocals and all the while, wrapped in a Stirling Morrison guitar style, in short it is one of the best songs of the decade by a country mile.

Here in Britain, despite the euphoria for this band being based upon a couple of songs, the band seemed to find themselves in the company of other NME favourites like The Strokes and The Libertines overnight. Released on DFA in 2003, Echoes by The Rapture was an instant draw for the student crowds of the UK. Thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long to find out, The Rapture’s big break came with their second studio release, an album that seemed to catapult The Rapture right above the critics and into your record player at home. Indeed the pressure was on expectations were high in the underground communities of many a US city, about what this band could potentially do. A six track EP was soon doing the rounds in the early 2000’s, entitled Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks, this was released on Sub Pop no less, so it seemed a given that this band were eventually going to do something lasting. Their break came in 99 with the release of Mirror on Gravity Records, yet more touring followed this release and more local acclaim.

They were certainly not all hype though, they just so happened to be one of the more hardworking bands from the city as well. From their early beginnings in the nineties, they have always had that air of coolness about them, and were the darlings of the trendy scene coming out of New York after all. The Rapture are a Punky, stroke Indie, stroke Dance act hailing from the New York area.

The rapture echoes