Stars of the Lid had made a career out of carefully crafted ambient sounds, mixing more guitars into the electronic stew than some of their peers, but turning out just as placidly entrancing and hypnotic a result. THE TIRED SOUNDS isn't a drastic departure from the group's established format--there are no pop choruses, reggae beats, or free jazz explorations here--but there's enough development to keep things interesting. Two discs in length, this is undoubtedly the group's most elaborate and extended sonic statement. At times, the textures are lush and full-bodied, encompassing what sounds like orchestral tones. Other moments are poignant in their small-scale fragility. The emotional tone of the record is varied as well, from cautiously sunny to moody and shadow-filled. That the Stars of the Lid can achieve such a breadth of evocations using little more than drones and slow washes of sound is a testament to their skill with their chosen palette.