Electrifying Live Act The Rapture Announce 16-Date, North American Tour; 'Pieces of the People We Love' Set for Release Today, September 12th; Rolling Stone ****; NME 8/10 Stars; #1 Most Added on College Radio, 107 Adds.

NEW YORK -- Universal Motown Records:

--Single 'Get Myself into It' Already Critical Hit: Pitchfork ****, ROLLING STONE *** 1/2

--Upcoming URB Cover; Conan O'Brien Appearance

The Rapture are already a legendary live act. Their raucous live performances are equal parts rock 'n' roll concert, sing-a-long, and of course, dance party. The Rapture's first North-American trek in two years begins on October 26th at Washington D.C.'s 9:30 Club. After hitting sixteen cities across the U.S. and Canada, the tour concludes on November 20th, at Los Angeles' Henry Fonda Theatre. The Rapture's set lists will include material from their much-anticipated new album "Pieces of the People We Love," set for release in the United States, today, September 12th on Universal Motown. Rolling Stone gave the album a 4-star review. With a whopping 107 adds, The Rapture were the number one most added band on college radio the week of September 4th. A surprise MySpace Secret Show last night at Boston's The Middle East had fans in a frenzy. Tonight, the band will perform at The Apple Store in Soho and celebrate later on with an URB-sponsored party at Mr. Black.

In England, "Pieces of the People We Love" has already met unanimous critical praise. The NME awarded the album 8 out of ten stars, announced "the New Rave pioneers return to put the young pretenders in their place," and called the album a "full-on assault of anthems to shake your hips to." Time Out calls the album, "a hell of a party." Clash proclaimed The Rapture "one of the hottest bands of the decade" and calls "Pieces of the People We Love" "the party album of the year." Considering all these rave reviews, Dazed and Confused draws what seems like an inevitable conclusion: "Pieces of the People we Love" "is an album of epic proportions."

Critics across the U.S. are already singing the praises of "Pieces of the People We Love." Pitchfork lavished both "Get Myself Into It," the album's first single, and "Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh," with rare 4-star reviews. Not only did Rolling Stone feature "Get Myself Into It" on their editors' Hot List, the magazine also made the song its July 18th Pick of the Day, declaring that it "takes The Rapture's cock-eyed disco to new heights." In a 3.5 star review of "Get Myself Into It," also in that issue, Rolling Stone called it "a welcome return to club-shaking catchiness." "Get Myself Into It" was recently the #1 most-played song on XFM, and Music Week named it its Song of the Week. The song appears on the best-selling Madden NFL 2007 video game that released August 22nd.

"Pieces of the People We Love" is the much-anticipated follow-up to the band's groundbreaking, unanimously acclaimed debut, "Echoes," which led The New York Times to label The Rapture "a jittery, wildly electric fusion of punk and disco, of retro and modern, of perfect pop and freak-out jam." "Pieces of the People We Love" features production from Paul Epworth, Ewan Pearson, and Danger Mouse.

The band is scheduled to appear on Late Night with Conan O'Brien September 15th. After playing shows in Mexico, Japan and Dublin this summer, an extensive European tour kicks off September 20th in Berlin. Look for The Rapture to tour the U.S. starting in late October. The U.S. Tour Dates Are:

10/26     Washington, DC--9:30 Club
10/27     Toronto, ON--The Guvernment
10/28     Detroit, MI--St. Andrew's Hall
10/30     New York City, NY--Webster Hall
11/01     Boston, MA--Axis
11/02     Montreal, QC--Club Soda
11/05     Chicago, IL--Metro
11/07     Austin, TX--Emo's
11/10     Pomona, CA--Glass House
11/11     San Francisco, CA--Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
11/13     Seattle, WA--El Corazon
11/14     Vancouver, BC--Richards on Richards
11/15     Portland, OR--Wonder Ballroom
11/17     Las Vegas, NV--Celebrity Vegas
11/20     Los Angeles, CA--Henry Fonda Theatre