The Dead Texan

The Dead Texan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 2, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Kranky
• ASIN: B00064X6ZG
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,582 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, February 9, 2005

By 

Lee L. (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Dead Texan (Audio CD)

Having heard a bit of a teaser in the form of a single song on the recent Kranky Kompilation 2cd set, I knew that this was going to be an amazing album. Stars of the Lid have put out some amazing drone music over the past decade, but I have to say that the Dead Texan is better than anything SOTL have ever released...even Tired Sounds.

What you'll find on this disc is incredibly hypnotic, soothing, beautiful music. This album is fantastic to fall asleep to, to read to, to do the dishes to. The bonus dvd is also a huge added bonus...it really pulled me in, making me loose track of time and before I knew it, the thing was over and I wondered how the hell I got on the couch.

This is a must for Kranky fans and drone fans

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific example of ambient music, January 9, 2006

By 

C. F Higgins (Warrenville, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dead Texan (Audio CD)

There is an obvious Brian Eno/ Harold Budd influence here, but I have to say that the efforts of "The Dead Texan" (and "Stars of the Lid" their other project) are even superior to the work of their predecessors'. The music gives the impression of vast tracts of empty savannah, mist-enveloped foot hills, and torrential rainfall. It is lightly punctuated with human voices and sound effects (rain, footsteps, etc.) and true to the ambient form, it emphasizes the space around the music as much as the music itself. Ideal listening involves a good stereo system in a large room.

The DVD contains music videos and various works of art from Christina Vanzos. The selection "Aegina Airlines" is especially good. Christina's art is almost minimalist, and blends well with the music.

There is nothing "overproduced", noisy, or chaotic about this album. It is dreamy and precise. A terrific accomplishment.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Staggeringly Beautiful, February 17, 2006

By 

Brian Sharp (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Dead Texan (Audio CD)

This album got me on an ambient kick, picking up a bunch of Labradford, SOTL, etc., but so far it beats them all hands-down. It's not ambient in the same way the others are: it's not drony and all the samples aren't super-paddy. He uses bright piano samples, vocal samples, there's a rhythm (albeit a gentle, meandering one) to the songs, and while the album flows together well as a whole, the songs are all distinct.

Plus, the album comes with a DVD! Normally I never watch those things, some music video or concert footage or whatever, but I just happened to pop this one in on a lark, and it has music videos for, I think, the whole album. Or anyway quite a few of the songs. And the music videos are really peaceful and beautiful in the same way as the music. I left them looping on my television while I worked and kept the DVD out as one I'll play again.

I've listened to this album a *lot* in the past couple months since I got it, and it hasn't gotten old at all, yet, long after I'd expected to be tired of it.