And Their Refinement Of The Decline
by Stars Of The Lid
  • Record Label: Kranky
  • Release Date: Apr 7, 2007
User Score
7.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 103 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 103
  3. Negative: 23 out of 103

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  1. ChillyB.
    Dec 2, 2007
    3
    Remember when new age music came around and people were all like "marvelous". Then remember how new-age was decided as being garbage. Then remember how a huge portion of the "indie" music scene is a rehash of previous music scenes. Then remember how another shitty new-age....oh wait sorry..."Rock,Electronic" album was christened holy great album of the century. So now that i have trashed Remember when new age music came around and people were all like "marvelous". Then remember how new-age was decided as being garbage. Then remember how a huge portion of the "indie" music scene is a rehash of previous music scenes. Then remember how another shitty new-age....oh wait sorry..."Rock,Electronic" album was christened holy great album of the century. So now that i have trashed something that so many people love i guess its only fair to state what i like so the rage can come back to me and not be inflicted on someone else. Kaada - Music for movie bikers...kind of like this...but not shitty.… Expand
  2. MartyM.
    Dec 8, 2007
    0
    If you'd like to hear the next stars of the lid album, lie down next to your fridge for about 50 minutes complete rubbish.
  3. RobinC.
    Nov 18, 2007
    2
    This is a joke,right? These critics have such a wacky sense of humour.
  4. CarmichaelC.
    Dec 12, 2007
    3
    It's liking (or pretending to like) this sort of thing that gives critics a bad name.
  5. DennyF.
    Dec 8, 2007
    3
    The album reminds me of what Brian Eno does better, esp. Music For Airports.
  6. ChrisC
    Nov 17, 2007
    3
    Indie kids decided that the new vogue was a bunch of random tones slowly fading in and out? Why didn't they send me a memo?!
  7. EdR
    Nov 21, 2007
    2
    It's just plain boring, really, isn't it?
  8. Twood
    Nov 28, 2007
    2
    to quote Gertrude Stein "there's no there, there."
  9. IbanL
    Dec 16, 2007
    1
    Not only is this an inaccessible record but it has no redeeming qualities either. I liked The Tired Sounds of the Stars of the Lid because it had some really beautiful moments on it. Yet this is just so boring and sleep-inducing. 2 hours of absolutely no change. Sincerely, I'm really surprised that people can get to like (and adore) this.
  10. NickD.
    Dec 2, 2007
    2
    This album should come pre-packaged with some hard drugs because I'm assuming that's the only way this dreck is enjoyable.
  11. MattA.
    Nov 16, 2007
    1
    This album licks my balls. It's even worse than The Field and so I guess it makes sense in an ironic way that it beats out that atrocity of an album for best of the year on this web site. The critics need to get a clue that they aren't proving anything by raving about this crap. It's aimless electronic nonsense and anyone with ears and half-decent taste in music can tell you that.
  12. MichaelN.
    Nov 19, 2007
    1
    I'm not sure what the critics here are thinking because they seem to have a nice chart going and then you look at the top 2 albums and they are just ambient noise. If i want to go to sleep, i'll be a machine that plays ocean noises. If i want to listen to music, i'll put on a record that actually includes instruments and chord progressions.
  13. Stevej.
    Nov 26, 2007
    2
    Are you kidding me? this record is awful and boring... of all the other minimal electronic out there this is an overall 9.1 i cannot believe it.
  14. DanielH
    Nov 27, 2007
    2
    It's kind of pleasant to listen to.. I guess.. But music critics these days are starting to piss me off. This reminds me so much of a bunch of "intellectuals" standing around critiquing a square painted over a white background or some other "minimalistic abstract piece" like it's a masterpiece. I could create the same sound at home on FL studio. Just open up some string effects, It's kind of pleasant to listen to.. I guess.. But music critics these days are starting to piss me off. This reminds me so much of a bunch of "intellectuals" standing around critiquing a square painted over a white background or some other "minimalistic abstract piece" like it's a masterpiece. I could create the same sound at home on FL studio. Just open up some string effects, string together a bunch of major chords and there you have it: masterpiece.… Expand
  15. Mark
    Nov 29, 2007
    1
    As the music drifts in an out of consciousness I found myself doing the same thing. If I wanted to make a physical comparison, this album is something of a desert. Like the deserts dunes this undulating soundscape ultimately leads you nowhere until you die of thirst.
  16. SpencerT
    Dec 12, 2007
    2
    The next person who says they love this album MUST explain why it isn't just another 80s/90s sci-fi movie soundtrack. There is NOTHING novel about the sound or melody (both words are singular - not plural) in this album.
  17. CC
    Dec 14, 2007
    2
    There's a difference between minimalism and beautiful minimalism, this one falls into the former.

Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best Album of 2007
46
#46 Most Discussed Album of 2007
65
#65 Most Shared Album of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. AllMusic
    90
    It's an awesome thing, this album, and anyone, virtually anyone who encounters it will be in some way moved by the impure music it contains.
    Read full review
  2. Almost Cool
    85
    Call it music for lucid dreaming, call it music for daydreams, or call it music for simply strolling in the dusk, this is another album that will stretch time and take you to another place.
    Read full review
  3. cokemachineglow
    82
    If nothing else, Stars of the Lid have achieved Adam's goal of making music "to really relax to," abjectly defying intent listening, laying waste to the established vocabulary of music production and appreciation.
    Read full review
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