I’ll admit that I wasn’t a big fan of The Rapture’s, Echoes. Despite that it was possibly the most important album of the movement that has (and continues to) define indie rock at the start of the millennium, it didn’t really do much for me. Even “House of Jealous Lovers”, in all its supposed cowbell-glory, got boring after Luke Jenner repeated the title phrase for the thirtieth time. The follow up, Pieces of the People We Love will be considered something of a sophomore slump to those who liked Echoes-it doesn’t really build much on what Echoes established-but with slicker production and a bit more tunefulness, Pieces... is an admirable album.
First things first, Pieces... is still a classic disco-rave-up, with spiky gang-o-four guitar and thick as fuck basslines. Jenner still shrieks and yelps like he’s being molested on the dance-floor, but he’s more restrained and melodic this time around. And while Echoes was raw and forceful in its bare production, Pieces... (which has two tracks with knobs twisted by DangerMouse) is smoother than a comb through a Greaser’s hair.
This cleaner approach becomes evident immediately, the album starts with cascading vocal harmonies that make up the excellent opener “Don Gon Do It”. The next two tracks-including the four-on-the-floor single “Get Myself Into It”-are top notch, featuring a more refined Talking Heads influenced sound. Leaving out the Mustang themed dud, “First Gear” The album is full of white-kids-trying-to-dance highlights that succeed with their playful eeriness and tight execution.
On the aptly titled “Whoo! Alright-Yeah... Uh Huh”, Jenner delivers his best verbal breakdown of the set. “People don’t dance no more/ They just stand there like this/ They cross their arms/ and stare you down/ and drink and moan and hiss”, laments Jenner, describing the end of the movement he helped birth. But while The Rapture are pegged with countless imitators and a barrage of new copy-cat bands, its good to know that those guys with the cowbell still know how to rock out. |