The Rapture: “Pieces of the People We Love”
The Rapture’s Pieces of the People We Love was more or less an album that lived and died on the strength of two exceptional singles, so while it’s logical considering the popularity of the Rapture in the UK, it hadn’t even occurred to me that a third single would be on its way before too long. It’s arrived now in the form of “Pieces of the People We Love”, the title track off of the band’s aforementioned 2006 LP, and well, it’s a farrr cry from “Get Myself Into It” and “W.A.Y.U.H.”. That said, it’s just pleasant enough to get your fingers snapping and your feet tapping, and it just might make you break into an involuntary strut if you find yourself rocking this on a metropolitan side street. It’s a classy track, you see - all steady, languorous drums and plodding basslines - nearly as classy as the video that accompanies it, one of the band’s best to date (see below). Then those “na na na”s hit and your destined to have this one bouncing around your head for at least a week’s time. You may return to “Pieces” a few times more after that, but coming from a band that’s made their name on effortlessly fun, disco-friendly dance tracks, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Neither terribly original (haven’t we heard those na na na’s at least a million times before?) nor terribly, y’know, fun, “Pieces of the People We Love” is still a good way to pass the time, even if we’re all aware that New York’s favorite dance-rockers can do much better than this.
MP3: “Pieces of the People We Love” - The Rapture
Alright, I’ve said it: the song’s not much to write home about. But damn, the video sure as shit is. In the band’s third collaboration with Waverly’s Ben Dickinson, whose teamed up with Jon Watts on this occasion, they manage to capture the perfect video. It’s so perfect in fact, that it achieves the rare feat of actually making the song more enjoyable and even manages to eclipse Dickinson’s previous two clips for “Get Myself Into It” and “W.A.Y.U.H.”, the latter of which was my #3 video of 2006. Having seen the video, I can’t hear the song without smiling and picturing Matty Safer swirling a glass of brandy in his sharpest suit and wishing I was doing the same thing. The whole thing is executed beautifully. It’s flawlessly composed, and the desaturated coloring is wonderful, the subtle color tones of the clip taking the whole venture to new heights. Hell, even Luke Jenner’s glitter suit dancing breakdown is fantastic, reminding you that no matter how classy the Rapture may come off as in this clip (and they come off as very classy), they still know how to have a good time. Furthermore, the choreography is excellent as well and the climbing-from-the-shadows effect is an interesting idea that’s just icing on the cake here. Loving it.
Video: “Pieces of the People We Love”
Artist: The Rapture
Director: Ben Dickinson & Jon Watts
Watch: [YouTube]
Download: [Quicktime • 49 MB]
MOTHAFUCKA’S GONNA DROP THE PRESSURE
So thanks to reader Nathan, I’ve now got the Feeling’s cover of “Doctor Pressure” (the Miami Sound Machine vs. “Drop The Pressure” mash up) and I must say I’m both pleased and disappointed at the same time. For the most part, I like it. But then they hit the chorus and… “bidi-bidi-bidiii drop the pressure”? BIDI-BIDI-BIDI?! Seriously, what the fuck? I mean, I guess they can’t say the actual lyric on air, but then why cover the song if you’re going to remove its most integral part. Bummer. Decide for yourself below.
MP3: “Doctor Pressure” - The Feeling
SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, WHERE YOU AT?
“It’s The Beat” has surely been in heavy rotation on all y’all’s pods since it dropped earlier this month, but it’s been a minute now since the SMD broke us off with a new remix to shake our collective stick at. Worth the wait though, as their brand new remix of Muse’s “Knights of Cydonia”, off the band’s new single release for “Invincible”, is at least three or four different kinds of ill. And it’s a good thing too, as “Invincible” by itself certainly isn’t worth your hard-earned dolla dolla bills. Sure, they’ve done better (see: “Magick”), but you’ve got to admit you got a little hot and bothered when you heard that “No one’s gonna take you aliiiiiiive” burst forth from the electronic mish-mashery in all its epic glory. You feel me?
MP3: “Knights of Cydonia” (Simian Mobile Disco Remix) - Muse
April 17th, 2007 at 1:46 am
Derek– im loving this video addition to your last few posts. keep it up babe
April 17th, 2007 at 2:33 am
dude, kind of have to disagree on all fronts. POPWL had far better singles potential than echoes. yeah, there was never going to be another ‘house of jealous lovers’ but ‘the sound’, ‘don gon do it’ & ‘the devil’ all kick the two released singles’ asses (not that ‘get myself into it’ and WAYUH aren’t great, they are). universal just dropped the ball big time with the promotional efforts on that album.
i really don’t get this SMD mix of ‘knights’…there’s nothing particularly interesting left of the original and the new beat just isn’t working for me. it reminds me a lot of the only other remix they’ve done i didn’t like, which was for WAYUH. if it wasn’t such a unique standout track to being with maybe i’d be more forgiving, but honestly there’s no excuse for them not making a better remix than this.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:37 am
I saw the Rapture preform every song off the new album live. i don’t understand a 6 / 10. I guess you just haven’t been in the crowd dancing, and loving every beat and riff…
April 17th, 2007 at 10:22 am
yeah i agree, SMD butchered knights of cydonia.
and POPWL is a great album.
April 17th, 2007 at 11:30 am
Yeah - the SMD mix of muse could have been absolutely mindblowing, but it just sounds lazy - like they put a couple of samples over an old beat they had lying around. A pity - they have a lot more potential.
April 17th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Same here, the original Knights of Cydonia is way better. Alot of remixes I found on the net these days, don’t do justice to the original track (except for SebastiAn’s bloc party remix, thanks for that!).
April 17th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Thanks for these, dont think much of the smd remix but hey, not everyting they touch turns to gold
April 17th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
I have a non “BIDI-BIDI-BIDI” version of the Drop The Pressure/Dr Beat mashup if you want it - let me know how best to get it to you - it BIDI-BIDI rocks!!!
April 18th, 2007 at 12:16 am
hey, this is a music blog right? so lets post some real music!! (seriously, click the link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3up7SvFcgs&mode=related&search=
April 18th, 2007 at 5:28 am
that Zach kid is hardcore.
I’m off to that SMD/Sebastian/FoxNWolf excitement tonight in Milan. I’ll send some photos on friday.
big ups to your site.
April 18th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
that SMD remix is dope. for sure not their best but it rocked fabric when they played it there.
April 18th, 2007 at 6:39 pm
i think the server is down again
April 18th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I also think the two best songs on POTPWL were never singles–”Don Gon Do It” and “The Devil” were my faves.
Also, the youtube link is to a short promo video for the album, not the video for the song.
April 19th, 2007 at 2:09 am
I can’t open the link to the Muse mix….
Can someone post the song in another one?
Txs
April 19th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
agreed. id love another link to the muse track.
and i envy anybody who saw smd at fabric. ive been there once and it was bar none the best night of my life.
April 20th, 2007 at 8:12 am
SMD are incredibly overrated in my books. Seriously, one great tune - I Believe - and one great remix - Downtown - the rest has been all hype and no delivery.
April 21st, 2007 at 9:30 am
I love SMD and (in my opinion) the content they put out is of a consistenly high standard.
You have to approach electro tracks in a different way from traditional indie pop because obviously they’re totally different. A great remix takes a few listens to really get into the groove of it and appreciate it. Often it doesn’t have the immediacy of an ordinary pop tune.
Sean, I beg to differ about the WAYUH mix. It’s my favourite of all of SMD’s tracks - I really like the bassline and the little glitches that keep it interesting. The stratospheric synth in the middle is amazing.
Anyway, just looking for the Muse mix on Napster.
April 21st, 2007 at 6:07 pm
The thing is, they didn’t turn it into an electro track. I wish they’d done that, because that’s what I expected when I heard of it the first time. Instead it’s just some random beat with the occasional Matt Bellamy vocal filtered here and there. It just really has nothing to do with the original except in name. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were under contract to do the mix, so they just spit this baby out to fulfill the obligation.
As for the WAYUH mix, I dunno man, it just feels like they sucked all the energy out of the song. They know how to make a nice mix so glitches just don’t win me over as easily as they once might have.
April 22nd, 2007 at 2:29 pm
hmm, SMD/Sebastian/FoxNWolf
i would die for that show
April 22nd, 2007 at 4:29 pm
smd are oh so average.
hustler is great. magick is great. it’s the beat is great but the remixes are the best bit. their new remix of let’s make love and listen to death from above is so boring! i’ve still yet to hear the knights of cydonia mix, but a) where else can i get it now before it’s out, and b) has anyone else remixed that track?
April 26th, 2007 at 7:11 am
can someone repost the smd mix, so i can hear whether it truly is average or its a lot of muse fans who dont dig smd beyond their original tracks.
oh and the CSS mix is intensely good, it just takes a bit of time to get into
z
September 14th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Depo Provera Side Effects
Depo Provera Side Effects