Saw them at the borderline in london a couple of years ago; was one of the best live shows I've ever seen. Still not tired of the Meadowlands.
― G00blar, Monday, 28 July 2008 10:01 (fifteen years ago) link
i throw "the meadowlands" on a few times a year and it still sounds totally sad and real and close to the bone. saw them live in 2003? 2004? and they were totally excellent and very funny.
― Emily Bjurnhjam, Monday, 28 July 2008 10:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Boy did I forget about the Wrens. I mean, I clicked on this thread thinking, "never heard of this band", and read like five posts before I realized I once owned The Meadowlands. I must have sold it or something because I no longer have it and it clearly didn't leave an impression on me...considering giving them another shot...
― RabiesAngentleman, Monday, 28 July 2008 10:23 (fifteen years ago) link
I take The Meadowlands off the shelf, listen to "Happy" and "She Sends Kisses," and put it back. But damn am I satisfied.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 28 July 2008 14:18 (fifteen years ago) link
There are a lot of bands where the bio seems beside the point, but I know the Wrens' backstory makes the band mean more to me. My introduction to them was this still inspirationalTimes article that I can't separate from what's on The Meadowlands. Everyone Choose Sides and This Boy Is Exhausted put their daily struggle front and center, which makes all the relationship songs feel epic because you know what it took them to get to the point of being able to tell their tale. The Wrens = hope for all middle-aged rockers.
― dad a, Monday, 28 July 2008 15:19 (fifteen years ago) link
The Meadowlands is: totally fantastic, totally emo, totally not indie-pop. The beginning of this thread is: totally hilarious.
― St3ve Go1db3rg, Monday, 28 July 2008 18:10 (fifteen years ago) link
i still haven't heard Secaucus... i liked meadowlands fine (it did seem a tad over-hyped at the time) and i'll pull it out every six months or so.
saw em live last year in Philly in the basement of a church(?) and they were pretty fuggin great
― will, Monday, 28 July 2008 18:32 (fifteen years ago) link
I didn't get Wrens - that Meadowlands was overrrated - i cheated it in the wrong sequence - then i saw them (THE WRENS) live. Oh man. The reasons I love music
― Fer Ark, Monday, 28 July 2008 21:23 (fifteen years ago) link
Noodle Vague.
Next time Jacko does one hold a Vague banner.
― Fer Ark, Monday, 28 July 2008 22:17 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm ashamed at the number of "though it was overrated"s in this thread
― skygreenleopard, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:53 (fifteen years ago) link
Don't be ashamed ^ we all got there in the end but maybe not as quickly as you. Well Done
― Fer Ark, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 17:03 (fifteen years ago) link
Are we not liking this record now? For crying out loud, what the hell is there not to like? It's on the shortlist of best records of the 2000s, people! Geez louise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 17:17 (fifteen years ago) link
ten tons against me and you've goneI put your favorite records onand sit aroundit spins aroundand you're around againstruck dumb while drugs run at how high reedscue every memory at half-speedsjust like....charles, hold-me-downsI'm-coming soundscut crap, who's filling shoes like these anymore?past clumsy crushes beneath Thrill Pierhopes pinned to poses honed in men's room mirrorsa sophomore at Brownshe worked Lost & FoundI put your face on her all yearfrom five rows of photos when you wroteof posed you, dressed blue, a backyard boatsigned at the bottom with this quote:(#4 North Shore) a cape may addressyour new one I guess'all's well in hell and all here's hoping'she sends kissessome signed 'with Love, Beth oooooo xxxxx'she sends kissesour oldest jokesome signed 3 sixesour shore town knockdown sure was funyeah, white trash, what have youI fired replies back gun by gunpast Seven Wrecks I read your four answers: 1. your move 2. I'm tres involved 3. move on 4. love, BethI walk it downthis tourist town'just thought I'd' callsjust friendsshe sends kissesand all at once back doors blow openshe sends.... in envelopes stamped w/ 'Hope & Hearts' - ripped right openshe sends...but I'm corrupt - I wrote back good luck
― DUDE, I DON'T LOSE (call all destroyer), Friday, 12 June 2009 20:43 (fourteen years ago) link
from the above lyrics, the following line stands out for me as incredible:
"hopes pinned to poses honed in men's room mirrors"
such a great observation, expressed with a great deal of poetic poise.
― charlie h, Monday, 17 January 2011 10:29 (thirteen years ago) link
I still don't get it.
http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/the-wrens-meadowlands-round-14-toms-selection/
At what point does its brilliance reveal itself?
― yugi ex, Monday, 19 September 2011 21:41 (twelve years ago) link
it took me at least 5 listenings spread throughout the course of a month before i even began to consider coming back to individual songs.
they have their strong moments, but the lyrics in "happy" make me cringecringeCRINGE despite being my favorite song of theirs. and i spent too much of my disowned teenage years listening to nu-metal that that ~voice~ has always struck me as the kind you'd hear opening for Staind that sometimes i turn it down on the bus just in case anyone is actually critical enough to judge the squibbles emitting from my headphones
― Hullo, I'm Jon Moss (kelpolaris), Tuesday, 20 September 2011 01:55 (twelve years ago) link
I like the album a great deal but it's not by any means an easy listen.
― Anakin Ska Walker (AKA Skarth Vader) (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 September 2011 02:01 (twelve years ago) link
Apparently the new record's done, partially spurred on by a near-death experience. They signed a new deal a few weeks back.
http://wrens.com/25th-year-wrap-up_and_record_is_wrapped
― Simon H., Friday, 5 December 2014 17:13 (nine years ago) link
Neat. Scary circumstances though, yikes.
― Evan, Friday, 5 December 2014 17:28 (nine years ago) link
do we know which wren is writing there?
― call all destroyer, Friday, 5 December 2014 17:58 (nine years ago) link
I assume it's Kevin?
― Evan, Friday, 5 December 2014 18:07 (nine years ago) link
I was assuming Charles?
― Simon H., Friday, 5 December 2014 18:07 (nine years ago) link
I'll put in $5 on Kevin
― Evan, Friday, 5 December 2014 18:08 (nine years ago) link
some of the other recent posts are written by charles for sure
― call all destroyer, Friday, 5 December 2014 18:09 (nine years ago) link
Given their luck, maybe they all got cepsis.
― Simon H., Friday, 5 December 2014 18:16 (nine years ago) link
that'd be charles
― the portentous pepper (govern yourself accordingly), Friday, 5 December 2014 19:13 (nine years ago) link
Dammit!
― Evan, Friday, 5 December 2014 19:18 (nine years ago) link
The Meadowlands is probably in my top ten all time records. I almost dread anticipating this new record. Yet can't wait all the same.
― a pleasant little psychedelic detour in the elevator (Amory Blaine), Sunday, 7 December 2014 23:44 (nine years ago) link
Alright, looks like it reeeeaaaaally is done this time (the album)? I just happened to randomly google them to see what the latest is...
http://www.wrens.com/it-was-five-years-ago-yesterday
― Rod Steel (musicfanatic), Saturday, 5 September 2015 22:24 (eight years ago) link
aw
http://www.musictimes.com/articles/68199/20160321/wrens-frontman-charles-bissell-shares-cancer-diagnosis-news-facebook.htm
― dc, Tuesday, 22 March 2016 19:49 (eight years ago) link
just the worst news
― thom yorke state of mind (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 22 March 2016 20:05 (eight years ago) link
hopefully it's not dire. he's so self-effacing that it's hard to really tell.
― dc, Tuesday, 22 March 2016 20:48 (eight years ago) link
So apparently the new album is done; Charles has been posting invitations on FB for people to come by his house and listen to it, if there are any NJ ILXors interested. I guess we can expect a release date at some point in the near future? Maybe?
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 13 September 2017 15:40 (six years ago) link
is it actually done this time? he's been having people come by to listen to the new material for quite a while now, so until there's a release date i won't hold my breath. the last concrete details from twitter were that it was nearly all sequenced & mastered at the start of august, with only a few songs left to tweak
― ufo, Wednesday, 13 September 2017 15:58 (six years ago) link
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, September 13, 2017 11:40 AM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I thought Charles lived in BK? Or are you saying only us NJ ILXors are qualified to get an first listen?
― Evan, Wednesday, 13 September 2017 17:07 (six years ago) link
nah I just assumed he lived in jersey
― a serious and fascinating fartist (Simon H.), Wednesday, 13 September 2017 17:16 (six years ago) link
he talks about that a bit here
http://gothamist.com/2017/10/27/charles_bissell_the_wrens_interview.php
― sktsh, Tuesday, 31 October 2017 14:51 (six years ago) link
I actually went to one of his listening parties in his little studio just off the kitchen. He was very welcoming. It was great to talk about music and art and listen to the new material. The songs themselves are very collage-like and are sounding really good!
― Evan, Tuesday, 31 October 2017 15:10 (six years ago) link
Ah that's so great!
― sktsh, Tuesday, 31 October 2017 17:37 (six years ago) link
I’m curious, are they self-releasing?
― Allen (etaeoe), Monday, 4 December 2017 14:15 (six years ago) link
Bissell said about a year ago (?) that they had signed to a label, even showed him signing paperwork, but he declined to say what label. Who knows what the deal is now though
― Simon H., Monday, 4 December 2017 14:17 (six years ago) link
When I was at his place he told us the label... I'm not sure whether it's supposed to be a secret though?
― Evan, Monday, 4 December 2017 15:16 (six years ago) link
I think it is? Maybe you could tell us what it rhymes with.
― Simon H., Monday, 4 December 2017 15:18 (six years ago) link
I have an urge to tell you, but I'm starting to second guess my memory? My wife is also fuzzy on it but she agrees it's probably the one I think...
― Evan, Monday, 4 December 2017 15:38 (six years ago) link
I sorta reckoned as much anyway
― Simon H., Monday, 4 December 2017 15:42 (six years ago) link
Again, for the record we're both not 100% sure we remember correctly, but pretty sure.
― Evan, Monday, 4 December 2017 16:12 (six years ago) link
iirc he's said they're intending for the label announcement to be part of the proper album announcement and everything
― ufo, Monday, 4 December 2017 16:15 (six years ago) link
ah nice! had no idea they had a new album in the works of
I gues this puts them on track to release their 5th record some time around 2045 :D
― constitutional crises they fly at u face (will), Monday, 4 December 2017 20:24 (six years ago) link
works of
― constitutional crises they fly at u face (will), Monday, 4 December 2017 20:25 (six years ago) link
it's been in the works since 2010 and has been 'almost done' for like two years now, does seem like there's a chance of it finally coming out next year but i'm not getting my hopes up until there's a release date
― ufo, Monday, 4 December 2017 20:25 (six years ago) link