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Echoes

EMAILPRINTby The Rapture

The Rapture reviews
76
8.3 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 21 votes
Read user comments
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Album Info

Label: Mercury / Strummer

Release Date: 21 October 2003

Discs: 1 disc

Genre(s): Indie, Rock

Summary

The Brooklyn band's dance/punk/80s hybrid debut follows months of hype and anticipation fed by several years of touring. Included here is the single "House Of Jealous Lovers."

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

91

Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

This is mannerist DOR more accomplished and less sentimental than its sources.

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90

Dot Music

Almost by accident, it seems, The Rapture have pulled it off: the album of the year.

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90

Pitchfork

This perceived, grand-scheme "Importance" of Echoes is irrelevant: what matters is that it wants you to get off your ass and work it, and that you will be thrilled to oblige.

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90

Uncut

A record which transcends any scene's fleeting credibility. [Oct 2003, p.122]

90

Outburn

When you strip away all of the hype and everything you've heard about The Rapture, one thing still remains: Echoes is outstanding. [#23, p.98]

83

Entertainment Weekly

Sounds fresher and more diverse than previous releases or live shows would've suggested. [Listen 2 This supplement, Oct 2003, p.14]

80

Launch.com

Luke Jenner's vocals may drive you insane, but he is to be ignored anyway. Echoes is all about perp-walking bass, funky white-boy cowbell, and enough brain-goring good guitar riffs to make Keith Richards collapse in amazement.

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80

PopMatters

Echoes ultimately showcases a more sophisticated, restrained, and successful take on the fusion of guitar riffs and electronic beats.

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80

Urb

While a handful of tracks may... seem familiar to fans of PiL, Dinosaur L, ESG and Primal Scream, Echoes manages much more than aping influences. [Oct 2003, p.83]

80

Planet

Filled with thoughtful electronic counterpoint and personable songs. [#5, p.104]

80

Q Magazine

Not quite a masterpiece, Echoes still shows why New York rock currently feels a million times more exciting than Britain's woefully safe equivalent. [Oct 2003, p.114]

70

Mojo

If The Rapture haven't quite transcended their influences yet, they are at least making a thrilling, febrile noise on the way. [Sep 2003, p.106]

70

The Onion (A.V. Club)

The Rapture's much-anticipated Echoes doesn't represent a significant landmark along the way, but its pastiche-like approach to early-'80s Anglophilia is promising.

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70

Rolling Stone

Fus[es] mean guitars and disco trance for a ferocious new breed of punk funk.

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70

Playlouder

The Rapture may not quite be wholly heavenly, but they've made an album that's entirely admirable and often lovable.

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70

Blender

With so many hip people in the studio, it's no wonder Echoes sounds like such a party. [Nov 2003, p.119]

70

Village Voice

What makes Echoes more than the sum of its inspirations... is that the band audibly, valiantly struggle to create something bigger than they are.

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67

Spin

Unfortunately, many of the underdeveloped rockers and plaintive ballads here are dance-floor-clearing duds. [Nov 2003, p.111]

66

ShakingThrough.net

Bottom line: Some great beats propping up a not-so-tight band, making it sound much cooler than it actually is.

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63

Almost Cool

Sure, the group can rock out at moments, but the majority of the 11 tracks on this release just feel warmed-over. They feel like they've been reworked countless times to make them better (and they have), but instead of actually making the tracks better, the life and vitality was sucked out of them.

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60

All Music Guide

These flashes of greatness don't quite add up to what could have been, but the album as a whole is still quite exceptional.

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60

The Guardian

Echoes works only when it grasps punk-funk's spirit, rather than its sound.

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50

Splendid

You say you don't give a shit about lyrics? That's good; most of Echoes' lyrics aren't worth giving a shit about.

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30

Under The Radar

An astonishingly boring band. [#5, p.103]

30

Drawer B

For every badass mind-fuck like “Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks”, there are twice as many unlistenable duds in the band’s arsenal.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 21 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Mihai V gave it a10:
This album is a classic. I love it. I hope they won't dissapoint with their next.

Dimitar D gave it a10:
hellz yeah

Leonardo F gave it a10:
a classic!

matt a gave it a5:
Totally overrated. A few decent tracks but mostly just noise. Can't be compared with other good bands out of N.Y. like Stokes, CYHSY, etc.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
I really loved this album. It really grew on me the more I listened to it.

Naj A gave it a 10:
Amazing. I can't stop bobbing my head. It's todays swing of the 50s, rock of the 70s, and heavy metal of the 80s. Dancepunk is exemplified by this album, by the Rapture.

liz gave it a 10:
This album has really grown on me. It has become one of my favorites.

Read more user comments >

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