Customer Reviews

Meadowlands

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I first have to express thanks to my brother for turning me on to this album. He has said that it has been a disc that he has had trouble getting off his CD player for a long time, and I can fully appreciate why. I think the last album to hit me like this one was probably OK COMPUTER, and for many of the same reasons. Both albums feature a host of truly beautiful melodies, great instrumental hooks, and lush, startling chord changes. Also, many of the songs on both albums are beautifully constructed. The album is also beautifully sung, though I have to confess that I am so entranced by the music that I have yet to pay much attention to the lyrics. They might be profound, or they might be trite; all I know is that they are embedded in the most gorgeous sounding songs I have encountered in ages.

There really are no weak cuts on this album and absolutely no filler. There is also a lot of variety. These guys can go soft; they can go hard; they can go fast; they can go slow. What they seem incapable of doing is being uninteresting or unmusical.

I don't know a lot about the band itself, but I understand that they have had a rough time with record companies (gee, we've never heard that story before, have we?) Rough or smooth times, they have produced one doozey of an album. Hopefully their next album will receive more support from the powers that be. More and more I wonder if record companies should play a significant role any longer in the making of music. With the capacity to spread music via the Internet, they are no longer needed to make the product, and they have always played a dubious role in promoting good bands (and have on the other hand fobbed some pretty dreadful acts on the public). Musicians make virtually all their music from performing live. Just some random thoughts, but my own thought is that a system that keeps a band this great from putting their songs out for a potentially adoring public needs fixing.

It took them long enough, but The Wrens were able to follow up their brilliant effort, Secaucus, with a CD that was even better. The Meadowlands is by far their most sprawling (and crisp) work yet (okay, granted, throughout their 11 year career, they've only put out 3 CDs, two of which are out of print, and one EP). The CD grabs at you and doesn't let go, mixing soft-yet-engaging tracks with heartwrenching lyrics to upbeat songs with thrashing guitar that you can't help but get swept up by, even when they reveal an underyling cynicism.

It seems almost counter-productive to list off which individual tracks are worth listening to- there isn't an off song in the entire album. "Happy" and "She Sends Kisses" breaks your heart and then brings you back up with its grand, almost ballad quality, while "Boys, You Won't" finds you slowly nodding your head as it builds and builds. "Ex Girl Collection" and "Everyone Choose Sides" are uptempo and catchy as hell, while maintaining the incredibly strong lyrics evident throughout.

For those of you who hear from reviews here that it's "Emo", and are worried about that- don't be. Granted, I find that Emo is often overused currently, the choice word to describe an album that deals with any topic that is less-than-cheery, and the lyrics may seem to meet that qualification for some (For example- "Are you happy now?/ Got what you want/ I wanted you/ but I'm over that now"), but it's just an album with these artists dealing with themselves honestly, and it results in deeply personal, yet brilliant, lyrics.

This is a must-own-CD.

Most albums that take countless listens for them to grow on me are usually intentionally difficult records that are not supposed to be user-friendly, and were instead made perhaps with the intention of time and effort being required for enjoyment (see records by Sonic Youth, The Microphones, Black Dice, etc.). The Meadowlands, by comparison, is a rather accessible record, but one that did not do much for me on the first listen. The production was muddy. The music sounded synthetic and/or lethargic. The vocals were garbled. It wasn't a terrible listen, but after reading all of the glowing reviews, The Meadowlands came across to me as a decent college rock record instead of an indie-rock masterwork. But I'm never one to reject an album based on initial disappointment, and for a record like the Meadowlands which garnered near-unanimous glowing reviews, I figured that there had to be something great about it that I wasn't hearing. And sure enough, on subsequent listens, the power of The Wrens' music began to unleash itself. Anyone who dismisses this record outright probably hasn't read the lyrics. The Wrens' have created some of the most emotionally direct and blunt lyrics of any band in recent years. "Happy" is a brilliant, painful break-up tune while the cynical, music-world weary "The Boy Is Exhausted" and "Everyone Chooses Sides" are especially poingant when one considers the band's history. After years of label troubles, public indifference, and general bad luck, The Wrens distill all the stress, frustration, and pessimism that comes along with playing in great band that gets nothing in return. It's rather ironic then that a record without much of a trace of optimism or hope has given The Wrens' the best publicity of their career. The Wrens are a band that have long deserved their due, and if some of the best artists never earn a substantial following until years down the line, then The Wrens are destined to be legends.

And I want Secaucus to be re-issued.

I have only owned this album for a month but it feels like a lifetime. The first listen was ok. Then it just got better and better and now I have listened to it probably fifty times and I cant believe how good it is. Much better than I expected. Therent arent too many albums I would give five stars to, and this is at least a 4.8 maybe higher. Let me set the record straight on one other thing, too: this is nothing like Broken Social Scene. There are no four minute insturmentals about the Pacific Ocean or songs about some guy drinking your urine and being your fag. I dont even see how comparisons between these bands are even remotely valid. She sends kisses is maybe the most hauntingly beautiful song I've heard in awhile and Hopeless is incredible. But these are just two songs. The only sucky thing is that the lyrics are delivered so muffled and cotton mouthed that its hard to understand without reading the lyrics in the linings first. But simply knowing that someone is singing along to the music is enough and you can make up lyrics to the melody. Oh yeah, there was a guy who wrote a review and said they sounded like emo: what?

This is an album that requires multiple listens, and which I admittedly didn't like the sound of when I first downloaded some of their mp3s off Kazaa. The knee-jerk reaction was that Pitchfork gave these guys a 9.5 based on the fact that it took them a little bit of work and dealing with "real-life" for them to come up with an album. Being an artist is one hell of a privelege, not a right. Is the process of recording an album that silky-smooth for everyone else? Can we think of any other artists who have had to deal with more difficult problems than "working McJobs," as one magazine puts it (which in fact are office jobs at pharmacutical companies-- these guys won't be taking your order for a happy meal) having their art dismissed, and living with the threat of possibly not being able to become a rock star? Come on. I don't believe this is the way the Wrens feel about themselves, but it is how they are portrayed. It didn't help that the first songs I heard were "Faster Gun," some bizarre classic rock throwback and "Per Second Second," a needless, clunky instrumental.

Then I heard Happy. I didn't want to like it; it didn't blow me away for the first three minutes, but I was intrigued by the melody. When the lead singer's (Mexico, I believe?) vocals rose in the mix, however, to sing "I wanted you/But I'm over that now" something immediately clicked. Then, of course, the track ends with a brilliant instrumental. I was addicted, if just only to this song.

Then I heard The House That Guilt Built. I listened to it in tandem with Happy-- my interest was definitely piquing. I realized I made an obvious mistake I usually don't make; I tried to pick out songs one at a time instead of listening to the album in full. So that's what I did, and was certainly rewarded. I still haven't gotten over my feelings for Faster Gun and Per Second Second, but there are a slew of gems on this record.

Thirteen Grand is genuinely affecting; try not singing along to the chorus. Hopeless is quite a piece of fast-paced pop. She Sends Kisses is a nice slow cut after the catharsis of Happy, and one reviewer aptly compared it to Counting Crows "A Long December." And I don't want to spoil it for you, but the last song, This Is Not What You Planned, is incredible for the drunken 1:30 it is and you will not get it out of your head.

I'll also say that I have a dissenting opinion on Secaucus, I don't like it. I think Spoon does something similar much better on A Series of Sneaks, and comparing them to Pavement is still a stretch. But this CD is definitely worth owning. I eventually bought it. It's likely you've heard all of the glorious reviews for The Meadowlands being album of the year; my advice is to take the praise with a grain of salt and don't expect to be knocked out of your seat the first listen, save for Happy. I feel there is superfluous praise for this album from critics who once dismissed Secaucus but are now revising the canon to consider it "one of the best 10 albums of all time" in some circles. Meadowlands is a slow-burner. Take time to ease into it.

The Wrens have been great forever. Their live shows are, for the most part, about the most satisfying I have ever been to, better even that all the old shows at CBGB's in the late 70's, Circle Jerk shows, and about every punk rock show I ever went to "back in the day" in NY and DC.

But this isn't about that - because I am obviously a fan - this is about an album that seems to sum up everything this band collectively and individually has gone through both musically and personally in the last decade. Every track is beautiful - the lyrics are perfect, and the production (done at their HOUSE!) is fantastic. This is a desert island disc for me and my wife as well, possibly number one on the list. It can bring me up, bring me down, make me think and make me feel. And it rocks to boot.

Buy it. Buy it now. Buy 2 copies for when a friend steals 1.

I spent almost two weeks sifting through low-key record stores trying to find this pristine indie gem. I had first heard it on the net, and being instantly enamored, I set out to find it. Two weeks later, I gave up, denoting that almost all record stores are commercial descensions of mainstream feces, with all the great stuff being limited to the likes of Amazon. Of course, as I was already compelled to do so, and had been browsing here forever, I ordered with confidence.

And so I took the plunge, and paid with due haste. Three days later, sooner than expected, this arrived in the mail. The cover is simple, as is the innards. You'd think this was some kind of cheapie by the looks, but as soon as you pop it into your CD player, you know it's not, by far.

I've been listening to this album on repeat since I received it yesterday. I haven't even considered removing it yet. There's something subtly amazing about the sound, with almost-whining vocals and powerfully supporting instrumentation, that charms the listener endlessly.

It was worth the order. If you love music, you'll love this.

"Secaucus" was something that must have fell from indie heaven. Should it come as a surprise, the Wrens are back with at least as stunning an album as Secaucus was. But there's the flipside, while Secaucus was bursting with stellar hooks and fast-paced vibrancy, The Meadowlands comes off sounding like the morose twin. Kicking off with the mood-setter "The House that Guilt Built" and its quietly strummed chords, the lyrics already indicate we're not hearing too much material that resembles the dynamic indie rock all over Secaucus.

"Happy" has the most emotional guitar playing put on record this year. (Note: 2002 that could be found in "Source Tags and Codes" so it's in sublime company.) Those notes make their way into your mind, and even though it doesn't sound like anything off of Secaucus, there's somehow no mistaking that the song's brilliance could be reached by only a band like The Wrens. While being an increasingly regretful album towards the end, there are a few sudden outbursts, most prominently the fuzzy "Faster Gun" and the pixie-esque stomp of "Per Second Second." Emotional torment is present in every song however: most notably on "13 Months in 6 Minutes" and "Hopeless."

The songs are much longer here than before. But the content has similarly changed as I mentioned earlier; No more jubilancy in music. Not that it's a bad thing when the results are something like this. The album's greatest virtue isn't necessarily the sublime songs, one after another, but the seamlessness. Everything on this albums seems to interact with everything perfectly.

So, how many bands have taken a 5+ year hiatus, tried to return and failed? Your limbs won't be enough to count the number. But how many bands have been out of the picture for more than 5 years and returned with their greatest masterpiece so far? Keeping in mind that this is only the third album for the Wrens, if we're lucky there's a chance of hearing at least a couple of more discs so full of infinitely replayable music. It's not the Wrens you thought you knew, but it's the Wrens who've created an unpredictable masterpiece.

... first time through I knew it was a keeper... second time through I knew I was listening to what would easily be the 'album of the year'
I don't say that lightly, in a year that I think has been the best musically since at least 1999... there is just not a weak track on this album... I love 'Seacaucus', and when listening to this one for the first time, I kept hearing the great tracks, like "I've made enough friends" from the former album jump out, now... with a slight 'nod' to the guy that didn't like that LP at all, it took me months to get into, and that was after several listens, shelving it and bringing it back out... now I'm like, "What the HECK was I thinking?"... admittedly, it could have been 4-5 tracks shorter and used some classier production, or maybe that would have robbed it somehow...?
Anyway, when I hit 'Hopeless' on the new CD the second time around, I got goosebumps, looked at my speakers and said "F**k!"... and every track is superb... Wow!, I just want to soak in this album for the next month or so
To put it into some perspective, my Top 5 of 2003 before 'right now':
1. 'You forgot it in People', Broken Social Scene
2. 'Hearts of Oak', Ted Leo
3. 'Electric Version', New Pornographers
4. 'Chutes Too Narrow', Shins
5. 'Young Love', TV on the Radio (EP)
Yeah, I love a great pop hook... this CD blows them away
Buy it, live it, love it
You will not be disappointed

I must admit I am rather cynical of all those Pitchfork's indie darlings...most of the stuff they like is overrated beyond belief and worth a download at best.
The Wrens ARE great,though! You only need to hear EX GIRL COLLECTION or Thirteen Grand to know you're in for something completely honest, great...something that will last.
Essential.