The Wrens

[saved]

If anyone has ever paid any attention to my "5 cd's this week" posts, you probably know that I listen to these guys a lot. "Secaucus" and "Silver" are two of the finest albums ever recorded, in my book. Well, after a seven year absence, the boys have dropped their new one, "The Meadowlands". As I've said on another board, this is not just the best album of the year, in my opinion, but the best album in the last four or five years. Think along the lines of Pixies filtered through The Beach Boys with enough hooks to feed 5000. There are a couple of mp3's (very low quality that pale in comparison to the real deal) available on their website, www.wrens.com if you feel like wading through that maze. The official release of the album isn't until May, but they've made available a limited edition (1000) version, hand silkscreened by the band, that includes four bonus tracks. You can pick it up at www.absolutelykosher.com . I wouldn't go on like this if I didn't feel so strongly about this band and record, and you know I'm not a street-teamer. Heck, these guys are as old as I am and all live in the same house. They probably don't even know what a street team is.

[slow-dog]

Thanks for the heads-up saved! I'm slightly hesitant about this album, because the versions of two songs I heard (already released on the You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again comp) seemed worse than the earlier versions. Still, I'm interested to see what came out of all this.

[dcXhc]

I don't have Silver, but I do have Secaucus and agree that it is arguably the most underappreciated albums of the '90s.

I heard the Wrens had a party to destroy the master tapes for the new album so that they wouldn't be tempted to keep re-mixing and re-mastering, as they have allegedly been doing since 1999. However, I think I first heard that story about a year ago, which leads me to wonder what they've been doing since then.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm a bit apprehensive about whether the new album can live up to the sublimity of Secaucus, especially since it's had seven years to ferment. I hope it does.

[zippy]

secaucus is a great record.

[saved]

Slow-dog, I believe that you're referring to "This Boy Is Exhausted" and "Miss Me" from that Drive-In comp. The reworkings for the Meadowlands place those songs definitely into more of a pop vein, but they fit so much better with the overall album than the earlier versions would have. "Miss Me" has been retitled "Boys You Won't Remember" and has not been reworked as drastically as "This Boy Is Exhausted". I think when you hear the whole album you'll get it.

It's a beauty, but then you'll just have to see for yourself.

[slow-dog]

Saved,

Those are the two I was talking about. I'll keep that in mind when I listen to the album.

[saved]

I don't mean to beat my own dead horse here, but would it make any difference if I said *satifaction guaranteed*? Seriously, I know of at least a dozen people over at another board that I frequent that have picked "The Meadowlands" up, and every single one of them have absolutely flipped over it. Don't miss out.

[slow-dog]

Saved,

You finally prodded me into action. My copy of the special edition showed up today (#411 out of 1000). I'll post my thoughts after I've listened to it a bit.

[saved]

Cool. If nothing else, you'll definitely have the 4-1-1.

[slow-dog]

Okay, I wrote something about it (http://www.monosyllabic.com/rotation/archives/000315.html#000315).

[saved]

Very nice, slow-dog. Very nice indeed. If you're anything like me, now you'll go through a different favorite song from the album for the week thing. I'll admit that I turned loose with an audible "whew" when I read that. Nothing worse than disappointing someone with a record recommendation. Well, maybe being hit in the face with a 90 mph fastball is worse, but it's close.