The definitive sound of early-'00s hipsterdom, The Rapture mixed up the sounds of Gang Of Four, the Cure, and Joy Division in 2003 to effortlessly bridge post-punk and post-dance genres. They're one of those bands you'll either love or hate, though, as some can't stomach whiny screams over raging cowbell. Either way, you've got to hand it to these guys for really having a hand in getting those indie rockers to shake their formerly frozen Levi's-covered derrieres.
The Rapture was formed in early 1998 by drummer Vito Roccoforte and guitarist/vocalist Luke Jenner. The whimsical indie group had extensive touring behind them by the time they recorded 1999's Mirror for Gravity. More touring ensued -- with the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate and Nuzzle -- and the band eventually relocated to New York City. They lost their original bassist and found a new one in Matt Safer, who had recently moved from Washington, D.C. After some more touring, the band recorded the six-song Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks EP and had it released by Sub Pop in 2001. Thanks to their sloppy brand of scratchy post-post-punk, the Rapture was hailed as a forerunner of the post-punk revival that was taking place in the early 2000s. Their profile increased significantly with 2002's "House of Jealous Lovers" 12"; that same year, they added multi-instrumentalist Gabriel Andruzzi to the fold. The full-length Echoes followed for Gary Gersh's Strummer label in late 2003. The follow-up, Pieces of the People We Love, was released three years later by Mercury.