Capsule Reviews: Aqueduct, Buttercup, & OHN

Aqueduct Or Give Me Death (Barsuk)

So, like, you're totally in love with synths, right? You consider laptop pop a genre? And your childhood included that period when people unironically listened to Soft Cell and Appetite for Destruction was not yet a classic, but was just like, totally, totally awesome? Then Aqueduct's Or Give Me Death is for you, particularly if you liked the last Aqueduct album. If you didn't like the last Aqueduct album, well, then you probably shouldn't listen to Or Give Me Death. But, if I Sold Gold got you all schoolgirl giddy, you'll probably like this just fine. If you were lukewarm on the former, well, forget this -- some might call it “more mature” or “melodically sophisticated” but we would call it “less exciting,” despite the record having a song about the Princess Bride on it. No, really.

Aqueduct Official
Austinist Interview

Buttercup Captains of Industry (self-produced)

Buttercup's Captains of Industry (the first of 3 EPs slated for 2007) is full up with sweet little summer songs – the sort of thing you might sip on to escape the hill country heat. Bits of 1960s folk pop swirl around filled out with a splash of indie rock and crunchy guitar lines. “In Love” is particularly endearing, though “In the Way” is similarly charming. Despite a track or two that are slightly less lovable, the sound is overall well-executed and unobtrusive with smart lyrics that steer clear of the overly clever. This is music ripe for serving up with glasses of hard lemonade at a backyard barbecue with totally retro checkered table cloths and a section of the grill reserved for meatless foodstuffs.

Buttercup Official
Buttercup Myspace

OHN Revolutionary Revolution (Ill Dough Productions)

Imagine a future in which dentists' offices look like trendy boutiques. The waiting area is filled with reproduction Eames chairs and the music piped in, well, it sort of sounds like Morcheeba, if Morcheeba did Muzak. If you can imagine this, well, you've imagined most of OHN's Revolutionary Revolution. Alternately, remember the swanky in a totally synthetic way bar that figured largely in countless late 1990s romantic comedies? Remember the unobtrusive, yet well-executed music that played in the background while the star got in a fight with the object of her affections and someone (a) threw a cocktail at someone (b) stomped out (c) screamed something totally emo and started sobbing before running out into the rain? OHN is that music. We're indifferent, but, hey, if you have deep nostalgia for Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Love Hewitt movies, be our guest.

OHN Official
OHN's Myspace