Tired Sounds Of

 

 

Create your own review

I found this album by following Amazon.com's (very helpful) "Explore similar artists" link, with magnificent Mum and Boards of Canada as my starting points. Although I forcefully reject the assumption that Stars of the Lid be in any significant way "similar" to Mum or BoC, I must say that it certainly is true that those who enjoy music by the aforementioned groups are likely to appreciate the content of this recording as well (indeed, I am living proof of this). I think explaining why in my opinion Stars of the Lid differ from Mum and BoC alike, as well as why I was nonetheless taken in by their music, might help other customers to determine where this group stands in the musical scene.
However gentle, both albums by Mum also have a strong rhythmic structure, mostly based on "micro-beats." It is the latter that provides the crackly effect people often mention when describing their music. Through repetition and layering, these micro-beats create a suggestive and very hypnotic atmosphere (the kind of warmth one feels at wintertime in front of a - well... "crackling" - fire when the wind is gushing outdoors). The female components of Mum (two twin sisters) sing to the music in a sweet, gentle, almost childlike fashion, which of course adds to the charm enormously. All in all, repeated micro-beats (often similar to the mechanical chiming of a music box), romantic overlying melodies and graceful vocal renderings make listening to Mum's music a very soothing experience.
Boards of Canada, on the other hand, use very powerful, at times overtly aggressive rhythmic patterns, notwithstanding the presence of a constant underlying hum. In any case, whether electronic or instrumental, their beat line is often very "percussional," almost tribal/pagan, and as a result very liberating. That is why one could very well dance to a good number of their songs. Although, in general, conventional singing is not present in BoC's records, the human voice does play an important part in their work, providing a sense of human presence, however distorted and disturbing it may be.
Both Mum and BoC also rely extensively on the use of sampling, making it possible for them to be ascribed to the "concrete music" bunch. Furthermore, although one could easily put on their records for ambiance and listen to them from beginning to end without paying great attention to the way each individual song is structured, it is nonetheless true that, particularly in Mum's case, each song does have a specific structure and does differ from every and any other on the record.
Turning now to The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid, the first thing that comes to my mind is that there is no strong, recognizable rhythmic structure here. I'm no music expert I'm afraid, so of course the following is to be taken as an amateur's general impression, but it seems to me like all tracks on this album are based upon "pedal points," a pedal point being "a musical tone held by the bass." Now, while pedal points usually serve the purpose of giving a musical composition a solid background for other parts to develop freely over, in this case all melodies involved are so delicate that one would be tempted to say that the pedal point itself is the main feature. In other words, the music on this record is, for the most part, a sequence of overlapping drones, with just very unobtrusive touches of the piano and other instruments. Needless to say, there is no singing involved in this record, as well as no significant use of unexpected sound samples. Furthermore, most tracks intersect, or at least meld, making it rather arduous for one to tell the difference between one track and the following. This leads to a very hypnotic atmosphere indeed, where hypnosis is no longer merely an effective image to describe the music, a metaphor, as in Mum's case, but a nearly physical effect the music itself exerts upon the listener. (In fact, based on personal experience, I have reason to believe that repeated, everlasting drones must stimulate the eardrum itself in such a way as to induce relaxation, or at least tiredness! Is it not so?)
The Tired Sounds reminds me not of something by Mum or Boards of Canada, but much more so of Terrry Riley's A Rainbow in Curved Air (and of other works by Minimalists in classical music). I have no knowledge of whether what I'm about to suggest is true or not, but the more I listen to The Tired Sounds the more I am inclined to believe that Stars of the Lid too, like Terry Riley before them, must have found inspiration in Oriental music, such as Hindu Ragas, or at least in Oriental philosophy. The Tired Sounds seem to me like an ideal background for meditation. The sense of calm, peacefulness, and utter mental "blankness" it brings about suits meditation perfectly. This record (a double CD, to be exact!) is an impressive work of art, and I'm sure its simplicity and pampering gentleness will help many to find approximately two hours of peace of mind. Not bad, I say.

(I suggest SILENCIO, performed by Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica, published by Nonesuch records, as a good addition to The Tired Sounds, for those who care to explore Arvo Part's works.)

A great ambient disc, no doubt about it. Actually, this an epic in the genre. This Texas based group has captured the qualities that Robert Rich and Steve Roach are hailed for as being superior in ambient/space music. My beef (again with these guys) is the freakin' packaging of the cd's. Again, they come in these damn cardboard sleeves with no "protector" envelopes and after pulling the disc's out a few times, they get scratched up in no time. What the hell is the matter with these people? As if paying an arm and a leg for music these days isn,t enough, they gouge us some more by trying to save some money at the buyers expense. It's up to the people to speak up about this crap, so that's what I'm doing.

"The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid" isn't the type of album that will convert a nonbeliever to the joys of ambient music. The songs are all quite sedate and reflective, with no real "hooks" to catch the ear of the listener. Also, the length of the CD is in itself daunting to some - the sheer quantity of music here means that discerning song from song requires some time. In other words, if you're not already a fan of ambient music, go ahead and click the back button. "The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid" will probably bore you into a coma.

However, if ambient music is already a taste you've acquired, then be aware that this is one of the best ambient CDs I've run across. The music is smooth, calming, and yet also rich with texture and detail that slowly reveals itself play after play. The album works simultaneously as music for intent listening, background sound, and a sleeping aid. (In fact, it seems almost perfect to drift off to sleep with.) No songs particularly stand out, but that's actually part of the album's appeal. The disc simply flows majestically from track to track.

Again, though, it's not for everybody. If you're interested in ambient music but still new to the genre, I'd recommend The Orb or Brian Eno as a starter disc. But for those who've grown to love music that celebrates semiconsciousness, "The Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid" will reward your investment many times over.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 9 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars This is Essential
I feel the need to review this disc simply due to the fact that it is so remarkable. I listen to a lot of music and probably bought between 100-150 albums last year. Read more

Published on Jan 13 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars COMPELLING!!! I LOVE IT!!
Austin Texas. Insanity. Craziness. Beauty and sheer Stars of the Lid!! This album is mesmerising and compelling, just incredible, I absolutely love this record and hope everyone... Read more

Published on May 17 2002 by Paul Jansen

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Droning, Experimental
This is the first Stars of the Lid album I've bought, and I love it! Its beautiful, droning, and experimental. Read more

Published on Jan 31 2002 by L. Jordan Bickel

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great album from Stars of the Lid
I wondered how sotl would better The Ballasted Orchestra and Per Aspera Ad Astra. Well, I'm still wondering, but they did it. Read more

Published on Jan 21 2002

4.0 out of 5 stars Another fine offering from Kranky
This is my first experience with Austin's Stars of the Lid, and it's a great introduction. The double cd (triple vinyl) comes in the requisite minimalist cardboard packaging that... Read more

Published on Nov 26 2001 by Bianchi Joe

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Some would say it's cynical to name an album "Tired Sounds" and expect people to buy it, but in this case, the title is wholly appropriate. Read more

Published on Nov 2 2001 by Roger Fingas

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 9 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!