Stars of the Lid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stars of the Lid
Background information
Origin	Belgium & Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s)	Drone Ambient Musical "Environment"
Years active	1986–present
Label(s)	Kranky Sedimental
Website	Official site
Members
Adam Wiltzie Brian McBride

Stars of the Lid is a band specializing in drone-based ambient music. They list among their influences minimalist and electronic composers such as Arvo Pärt, Zbigniew Preisner, Gavin Bryars, and Henryk Górecki, as well as Talk Talk, post-rock artists Labradford, and ambient innovator Brian Eno [1]. Their music are largely beatless soundscapes, composed of droning, effects-treated guitars along with piano, strings, and horns; volume swells and feedback fill the gap of rhythmic instruments, providing dynamic movement within the songs. Their sound has been described as "divine classical drones" without the tedious intrusion of drums or vocals.

1 Brief biography
2 Discography
3 Forthcoming releases
4 Trivia
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Brief biography

Formed in Austin, Texas in 1993 by Adam Wiltzie, the band has two members — Brian McBride and Adam Wiltzie. Both have released solo material, the former under his own name and the latter under the Dead Texan alias. Their most recent album, a double-LP named The Tired Sounds of..., was released in 2001 to generally positive reviews. Adam Wiltzie now lives in Brussells, Belgium and Brian McBride in Los Angeles.

[edit] Discography

All records released on Kranky except for Music for Nitrous Oxide (released on Sedimental).

(1995) Music for Nitrous Oxide
(1996) Gravitational Pull Vs. the Desire for an Aquatic Life
(1997) Ballasted Orchestra
(1998) Per Aspera Ad Astra
(1999) Avec Laudenum
(2001) Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid
(2004) Kranky - Kompilation (info)

[edit] Forthcoming releases

While the band's official site has been stating that there is no news on the completion of the new record since mid-2004, one new track appeared on the Kranky Kompliation CD released 1st Nov 2004. The new track was titled Even if You're Never Awake (version), which was reminiscent of the work the duo provided for their Tired Sounds of Stars of the Lid release. Brian McBride however has stated that a new record is finished and will be released on Kranky "hopefully before 2007"[2]

In December 2006 Pitchfork Media announced that a double album entitled Stars of the Lid and Their Refinement of the Decline, would be released on April 2, 2007. One track titled December Hunting For Vegetarian Fuckface was named in the statement.