90年代初就成立了的Rialto在1997年进行了重组，由融合The Beatles加Punk/Glam Rock的Kinky Machine核心搭档Louis Elliot与Jonny Bull 改组而来，当时是组配备有双大鼓的6人乐队。第2年他们发行了首张同名专辑Rialto。这Rialto让世人惊艳于他们承接Scott Walker/Phil Spector与Johh Barry的完美编曲声响，建立他们几乎可媲美Pulp/My Life Story与Divine Comedy等同侪的优雅曲式实力。
Louis Elliot and Jonny Bull began their Brit-pop ventures in fall 1991 under the guise of Kinky Machine. With a dedicated, albeit small cult following, they broke into the U.K. Top Ten in 1992 and added a Manic Street Preachers tour to their credentials. 1993 brought a debut album and a 1995 sophomore effort, Bent; however, their style decreased in rarity as acts like Elastica exploded internationally. This, fueled by management and label woes, caused Kinky Machine to dissipate. Early in 1997 Bull and Elliot, along with the latters old friend and bassist Julian Taylor, drummer Pete Cuthbert, and Toby Hounsham, who responded to an advertisement placed in the Melody Maker, rejoined and formed Rialto. Their unusual name is traced back to a local U.K. (now bankrupt) theater chain. This cinematic reference is consistent with Elliots fascination with films, soundtracks and scores, as they admit to being heavily influenced by cinema. They cite industry giants such as Elvis Costello, Lloyd Cole, Leonard Cohen, Elliot Smith, Brian Wilson, Ennio Morricone and John Barry as influences and objects of their musical admiration.
Second drummer Anthony Christmas is a major contributor to this bands unusual sound, following the musical footsteps of Phil Spector and Adam and the Ants with two simultaneous, equi-balanced drummers. Given an eight-track home studio by their recording company, they emerged late in 1997 (under Bulls production talents and Elliots lyrical guidance) with a new, innovative signature sound and contagious tunes chock full of script-like, empathetic tales.
In 1997 they produced their first singles, When Were Together and Untouchable. The latter was re-released in January 1998; it quickly penetrated the Top 20 and was soon accompanied by their next single, Dream Another Dream. Despite their proven success and much anticipated arrival of their self-titled debut album, East-West Records dropped them. China Records, the label under which Morcheeba rose to fame, released Rialtos album in July 1998. The six-track Girl on a Train followed two years later, receiving accolades from NME and Q. By the time Rialto gathered to make a second album, Hounsham had left the group. Rialto was now a four-piece and they spent most of 2001 perfecting electronic sounds for Night on Earth, which was issued in March 2002.