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Don’t expect to find any hidden surprises at the bottom of these sugar-coated pop songs — just a lively dose of lo-fi keyboard bleeps and bloops, and one hell of a convincing drum machine. The solo project of former Oklahoman Dave Terry, Aqueduct sounds a good bit like many of its Barsuk label-mates: a bit of vocal harmonizing here, a la Death Cab for Cutie; a dork-rock synth chorus there, like the Long Winters. But it’s Terry’s earnest effort that puts I Sold Gold over the top; you can imagine him in pajamas, cradling a vintage Casio and a four-track, and tinkering away on these deliciously simple melodies until all hours of the night. Even the album’s song titles attest to Terry’s obsession with all things saccharine and satiric: “Growing Up With GNR,” “Hardcore Days & Softcore Nights.” You might even find hints of XTC here — minus the complicated parts — or a touch of Built to Spill’s power balladry. I Sold Gold may be leaden with empty calories, but what Dave Terry lacks in technical showmanship he more than makes up for with good ol’ heart and soul.
This article appears in Jan 6-12, 2005.
