Perhaps some elephant brains out there remember a band called the Rapture from the first half of the past decade. Unless you're Metallica or something, a five-year gap in recorded output is a heckuva wait. Now, with a new headlining U.S. tour, the guys are ready to reintroduce themselves. The local portion of this coming-out party is set to occur in October at Grand Central in Miami.
Things were so much simpler the last time the Rapture put out an album (2006's underrated Pieces of the People We Love). Lehman Brothers was two years away from bankruptcy, and if you said Odd Future to someone, they'd probably assume you were talking about an obscure MTV variety show.
Anyhow, now is the time to get familiar with the Rapture in a hurry. We've got a five-step plan to get you going.
5. Jeepers creepers, Luke Jenner's peepers
How anyone could ever forget frontman Luke Jenner's (left) magical eyes is beyond us, but the guy has a gaze that probably would come in handy if he ever needed to sell a ton of used cars or heroin. Whether he's looking out into the air 50 feet above the stage or just standing on a subway platform, dude will not be ignored.
4. Gratuitous saxophone use
A lot of us were quite sad earlier this year when E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons passed. And though Lady Gaga recently made great use of his sound, the Rapture definitely were paying some hot homage to the Big Man on "Get Myself Into It," which happens to be a great song for roller skating too.
3. That whole DFA thing
It's hard to imagine that LCD Soundsystem was once considered a weird side project by the guy who ran DFA Records and occasionally produced stuff like the Rapture's first proper EP, 2001's Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks. But back in these halcyon days, the Rapture briefly helped rule the New York art scene roost.
2. Gratuitous cowbell use
There is no way that dance-floor lighter fluid "House of Jealous Lovers" could have more cowbell.
1. The new single kinda shreds
The Rapture - How Deep Is Your Love by DFA Records
We can imagine the guys just sitting around listening to the Bee Gees and thinking "How Deep Is Your Love" is a pretty rad title but entirely wasted on the sappy purposes of Saturday Night Fever. Sax solo alert! The track comes from In the Grace of Your Love, due out next month on DFA!
The Rapture. Monday, October 17, at Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave. Miami. Click here.
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