The Rapture undoubtably landed in the right place at the right time when they decided to follow up their debut LP with a dance infused record produced by The DFA back in 2003. Three years later Echoes is still fresh in the mind yet there is a feeling that this is a band that are yet to achieve their best.
Yet it is with some trepidation that BlackPlastic approaches Pieces of the People We Love. Gone is the support and production of the DFA label and it's time to see if Luke Jenner and Co are the real deal.
First single, 'Get Myself Into It' offers a promising glimpse of what is to come. The usual strung out vocals complement a spacey dubbed out sound in a manner that proves Dangermouse can do more than just hip-hop.
It is 'First Gear' however that really gets things moving. Over six minutes long it is an acid-pop-rock epic and by the fourth chant of "My, My, My, My Mustang Ford" BlackPlastic challenges you not to wonder why all bands can't be this fucking balls-out brave.
Nothing else comes quite as close, although 'The Devil', 'Whoo! Alright Yeah... Uh Huh' and 'The Sound' all try. Sadly elsewhere Pieces of the People We Love gets a little to The Charlatans for comfort (see 'Down For So Long').
It's a shame, since Pieces of the People We Love is not just good, it's great. Here The Rapture sound here like they want to simultaneously kill the naysayers, re-invent pop music and have a bloody good time, it's sad that at times these aims get in the way of each other.