Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death

Solid outing from indie stalwarts

Fearlessly updating ’70s soft rock for The O.C. set, Aqueduct shed any pretense of indie cool with Or Give Me Death. Mixing reverb-y, Brian Wilson-inspired vocals with strutting Chicago horns and fuzzy prog-rock synthesizers, vocalist and songwriter David Terry writes songs brimming with ambition and bitter overstatement. And just when the heart-on-sleeve earnestness and pastel synths seem to be in danger of becoming a bit too precious, he'll slip in a wavering vocal or a glammy guitar line to add a little textural weight to the mix. It's hardly perfect, but it's bolder, more complex, and ultimately a more fulfilling release for this band.