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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Echoes
by The Rapture
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."
| LABEL: |
Mercury / Strummer |
| RELEASE DATE: |
21 October 2003 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Indie, Rock |
NOTES: UK release 8 September 2003.
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.
90
Dot Music
Almost by accident, it seems, The Rapture have pulled it off: the album of the year.
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.
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.
80
PopMatters
Echoes ultimately showcases a more sophisticated, restrained, and successful take on the fusion of guitar riffs and electronic beats.
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.
70
Rolling Stone
Fus[es] mean guitars and disco trance for a ferocious new breed of punk funk.
70
Playlouder
The Rapture may not quite be wholly heavenly, but they've made an album that's entirely admirable and often lovable.
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.
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.
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.
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.
60
The Guardian
Echoes works only when it grasps punk-funk's spirit, rather than its sound.
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.
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.
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.
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