Memories, Or How Punk Rock Ruined My Life, Possibly Part 1 Of A Series

I remember back in 2003 when Echoes by the Rapture first came out. I'm pretty sure I bought it sometime in the fall of that year. I know I listened to it quite a bit. I first heard this band by illegally downloading some tracks, probably through Kazaa, or Limewire, or whatever was popular at the time. With a few songs, I had actually downloaded only loops of sections of the songs, though I just thought the songs were like that, very repetive and such. Though, it must be a testament to how great the songs are, if I was motivated to buy the album based mostly on hearing only loops of sections of a few particular songs. I was quite surprised when I heard the actual songs, disappointed even. But time went on, and I listened more and internalized the actual songs, eventually growing to really appreciate and enjoy them. I mention this album specifically, partially because the song "Olio" randomly popped into my head and I felt the urge to write, but moreso because it was a significant step in my musical taste evolution. Before this album, my taste was so rock-n-roll, particularly, various varieties of punk rock, -centric, but my taste started to finally expand into electronic genres once my appreciation for this album, this band, truly, came about. Echoes is a fusion album, with elements from various genres, though the main sythesis seems to be between rock and house. Critics often dubbed this band "disco-punk" or "dance-rock," which I find are fairly appropriate labels; I may even use them myself. And it was this fusion was necessary for me to expand my taste in music. I had so often abided by the long-held punk rock attitude of despising purely electronic music, claiming that it lacks any trace of humanity. It was the raw, energetic fusion of the Rapture that made me realize that any genre can have humanity and soul, whether it be made with guitars and screeching, or with computers and synthesizers.

I now truly resent the anti-electronic music attitude that claims it is robotic and unnatural. I sense no truth in that statement, considering, just as any genre can have humanity, any genre can also be devoid of humanity. On a side note, even when music is devoid of humanity, does that automatically make it bad or irredeemable? A question for another time.

In summation, I'm surprised by the fact that I'm still writing about and listening to (not right now, though) Echoes by the Rapture. I mean, nearly five years ago? And they made another album? And after how many times I've listened to it? And since my taste has expanded even more? I still love this album? Yes. It still sounds interesting to me.

For the precise, the last time I listened to it was January 24, 2008.

I haven't played the Rapture on MLU yet.