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Terry's miniaturist inclinations don't always mesh with Aqueduct's increased technical polish.
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Or Give Me Death is fun yet serious, cheerful yet depressing, simple yet intricate.
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This disc is not always cohesive. But it is most certainly a genuine piece of art.
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Under The RadarA couple songs near the end fail to achieve the cold, dark mood they're going for, but this is still a great album. [#17, p.95]
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As Terry expands Aqueduct's sound into similar neo-psychedelic indi-pop territory as Figurines, Islands and Of Montreal, he also shares their knack for animated and robust indie-rock.
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FilterIt's enough to get a guy pining for his next ex-to-be. [#24, p.102]
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While Grandaddy may be no longer, Aqueduct appears confidently able to assume is place as a purveyor of lo-fi writ large.
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Alternative PressBeing bent out of shape never sounded so good. [Mar 2007, p.142]
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Imagine the Long Winters if they were far more in love with the synth and guitar textures of the '80s than the precious pop sounds of the '70s and you'd have this, a hard to pigeonhole album which greatly rewards multiple listens.
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Terry has clearly reached a new level of musical maturity on this album, but flirting with sounds that don't quite fit in the face of such progression only keeps Or Give Me Death from fully harnessing his newfound growth.
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Listening to this record is like hearing someone who has some moral fiber describe their first one-night stand. There is seriousness, jubilation, unease, and regret.
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A pop album that, for all the lightness and joy that come with humming synthesizers, punchy horns and sing-along melodies, requires listeners to do some pretty heavy lifting.
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Paste MagazineIt's hardly perfect, but it's bolder, more complex, and ultimately a more fulfilling release for this band. [May 2007, p.65]
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Aqueduct's most relaxed numbers are the strongest, where guitar, piano, and synth fuse in rare harmony.
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Here, the synth-pop has a monotone feel to it as track four sounds like track five, which sounds a little like track seven, etc. That's the downside of setting the bar high with your previous album.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 3 out of 6
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Mixed: 1 out of 6
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Negative: 2 out of 6
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JasonLMay 6, 2007
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BodegaNApr 10, 2007
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BillyKMar 7, 2007