Drops: The Rapture find love's 'Grace'

By STEVE KNOPPER. Special to NewsdaySeptember 2, 2011

The Rapture seems to have removed its black clothing, stepped into the sunlight and listened to a bunch of '70s Elton John and Todd Rundgren records before emerging with its third album, "In the Grace of Your Love."

Best known for 2003's Cure-like rock-and-dance hit, "House of Jealous Lovers," the New York band has reshuffled its signature touches, including Luke Jenner's spooky falsetto, droning disco beats, sharp electric-guitar riffs and skronky saxophones, to serve a pop philosophy that's sunnier than ever.

The Rapture has shown glimpses of sunlight in the past, and it's not like this album goes full-on Jackson 5 -- "Roller Coaster" is especially subversive, with a half-dozen tiny riffs designed to stick in your head, while Jenner pleads to get off the ride because it's hurting his head. Overall, the choruses Jenner chooses to repeat are telling -- "In the grace of your love / I see you shining inside," "I welcome you," "You've got me flying," "How deep is your love?" -- as they reflect a distinct change of mood. The band seems thrilled with its own dance grooves, repeating them forever, and joyfully tossing in upbeat counter-melodies such as accordions and a choir buried deep in the echoey mix.

"Miss You" and "Can You Find a Way?" have the feel of Talking Heads' David Byrne dancing in his big suit; the closing "It Takes Time to Be a Man," with its dueling piano and guitar riffs and demands of "come on baby, come on sugar, come on darling," might have fit on Rundgren's 1972 masterpiece, "Something / Anything?"; and both the title track and "How Deep Is Your Love?" recall British band Primal Scream's stretched-out, hard-rocking hymns. It's a small, fun record that the band clearly had a good time making.