165:. The group consisted of Charles Bissell (guitar/vocals), brothers Greg Whelan (guitar/vocals) and Kevin Whelan (bass/vocals), and Jerry MacDonald (drums). They released three albums; a fourth album was recorded and mastered for a planned 2013 release, but was subsequently retracted. After reworking his contributions, Bissell teased a 2021 release for the new album, but the band broke up shortly after following disagreements over business arrangements. The band had a reputation for their intense live shows – following a gig at the
304:, run by their friend Cory Brown. The album was more varied than their first two records, containing longer and more downbeat songs than their previous records (a fact noted by several critics), dealing with the problems they had experienced with record labels and the concerns of a more grown-up band, such as family life and jobs. The album received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the music press, in publications such as
279:, in order to secure a record contract, none of the talks resulted in a deal. With no contract and their financial lifeline cut off, the members of the Wrens took full-time jobs while they began work on their third album in 1999. By this point drummer MacDonald was married with a young family and had moved out, but the other three members were still living together in the same house in
402:
presence online and in the music industry. Whelan said that he "was never against that, but when we started talking about how to do it, it got very drawn out and complicated” and that he was done waiting, which led to the creation of Aeon
Station to release his songs. Bissell subsequently indicated "that the Wrens were dead" and that he was planning his own album to release his songs.
339:, the band were unable to start work quickly on a follow-up album due to financial and personal constraints: Bissell had left his job in advertising to earn his living as a guitar teacher but the other three members remain in full-time employment (the Whelan brothers work for a multinational pharmaceutical company in
401:
for release in 2013 before being retracted at
Bissell's request so he could further develop his songs. In 2019, Bissell completed his contributions, then approached the rest of the band seeking a new business arrangement that reflected both his work as a songwriter and his work maintaining the Wrens'
283:, where MacDonald would join them to record new material when he was able to. The problems with the record labels are usually cited as the reason for the slow progress on the album, although in a 2004 interview Charles Bissell conceded that a far bigger problem had been the combination of exhaustion,
365:
On May 1, 2014, the Wrens' Twitter account said that the band had finished recording its fourth album. No release date was announced. In late
November 2015, the band released an alternate version of a song from the album, "Three Types of Reading Ambiguity", which was made available to premium
383:, Bissell stated that the fourth album was finished in June 2019, and that the band had signed to an unspecified record label years earlier who would hopefully release the album in 2021. Bissell noted that "we had some band stuff to work out, to get everyone back on board again".
242:
sound. Fearing loss of independence and a watering down of their music, the band refused to sign the contract. As a result, they were not offered another record deal and all production and promotion of their previous two albums was stopped. Meltzer changed Grass
Records' name to
405:
In
October 2023, Bissell announced that tracks he had initially composed for The Wrens' fourth album would be released in early 2024 under the name Car Colors via Absolutely Kosher Records. A single from the album, "Old Death," was released on November 17, 2023.
347:), and the band no longer had a single house where the members could demo ideas and record songs, as both Bissell and Greg Whelan had gotten married and moved out. In 2006, the Wrens recorded a cover of the song "They'll Need A Crane" for the tribute album
274:
was circulated, featuring early demo versions of songs that would appear on their third album, although to date this cassette has never been officially released. Despite spending more than a year in discussions with various major labels, notably
396:
with support from Greg Whelan and Jerry MacDonald, and that Kevin Whelan and
Bissell were no longer speaking. The report indicated that the fourth Wrens album had been completed, mastered, and given to
187:
Brothers Greg and Kevin Whelan formed their band in the late 1980s, recruiting former high school classmate
Charles Bissell in 1989 as a guitarist for a proposed gig supporting
255:. The Wrens battled for years afterwards to try to regain the rights to the albums in order to make them available again – in 2006 Wind-Up finally relented and re-released
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270:, was released in 1997 on Ten23 Records (the label run by the people who had originally signed the Wrens to Grass Records). The same year a cassette titled
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191:, which was cancelled in the end. Jerry MacDonald replaced the band's original drummer in 1990 and the quartet moved into a house together in the town of
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Split EP with The Five Mod Four – The Wrens tracks: "Was There Ever", "Bus Dance", "45'er" (No Karma, 2002 – reissued on
Contraphonic, 2005)
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974:"just finished my last vocal, so um..hope you're sitting down...record's done. One week mixing then handed all to mastering BY Mothers' Day"
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the band was offered a new long-term contract for over a million dollars, on condition that in the future they tailor their songs to a more
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as a "nearly universally acclaimed disc of bright literate pop". It took a further two years before the album was released in Europe on
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199:, to concentrate on their music career. After a number of name changes the group settled on the name Low, and in 1993 they recorded a
230:(1996). Both arrived to critical acclaim and gained a following of fans. In summer 1995 Grass Records was bought out by businessman
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EP (self-released limited-edition CD-R EP sold at their 20th anniversary shows at
Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey, December 2009)
372:. The song was released on a limited edition audio cassette, which also included another version of the song performed by artist
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reported that Kevin Whelan would be releasing some of his contributions to the unreleased fourth Wrens album under the name
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cassette (self-released limited edition audio cassette available to premium subscribers of Esopus
Magazine, November 2015)
420:, was released by Sub Pop Records on December 10, 2021. It was previewed by the singles "Queens", "Leaves" and "Fade".
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296:, was finally completed in early 2003. The Wrens had received an offer a few years previously to release the album on
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and lack of confidence in the new material which caused them to extensively re-write or scrap many songs.
207:, signed the band almost immediately on hearing the record. However, on learning that there was already a
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1017:"The Wrens Are Releasing New Song "Three Types Of Reading Ambiguity" On Limited Edition Cassette"
936:"Hello Radio: The Songs of They Might Be Giants - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits"
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1091:"The Wrens' Charles Bissell Releases First New Music In 20 Years: Hear Car Colors' "Old Death""
1066:"The Wrens' Charles Bissell Says Band Is Over, Announces Song From New Solo Project Car Colors"
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1233:"The Wrens/The Five Mod Four [Split CD] - The Wrens | Songs, Reviews, Credits"
992:"The Wrens Release New Song "Three Types of Reading Ambiguity" on Limited Edition Cassette"
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declared that "on this form the Wrens are surely one of the best live bands in the world".
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single with the same name which they sent out to various record companies – one of them,
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on November 14 of that year, although the label retained the rights to the records.
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956:"Music Marketing and Promotion | Digital Distribution | #1 Music Agency"
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Following the termination of their contract with Grass Records, a six-track EP,
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and MacDonald works in the sales division of a financial services company in
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595:"An Update From The Wrens On The Most Delayed Indie Album In History"
1115:"'It's repulsive to me': the bitter feud of indie-rockers the Wrens"
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1042:"ESOPUS Magazine : FALL 2015 THREE TYPES OF READING AMBIGUITY"
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479:"Life Stories from the Union" (Sonic Bubblegum Records, 1995)
1213:"Park Ave./Wrens - Park Ave. | Songs, Reviews, Credits"
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496:"Hopeless" (digital download only, LO-MAX Records, 2006)
218:
By 1996, the Wrens had released two full-length albums,
565:"The 18-Year Wait for New Wrens Music Is Over. Sort Of"
489:– The Wrens track: "Fireworks"/"James, I Wanna" (
354:. The band also contributed a new song, "Crescent", to
146:
744:
Phillips, Amy; Solarski, Matthew (December 12, 2006).
519:
215:, the band changed their name to the Wrens in 1994.
1271:Personal account of The Wrens live, with pictures
499:"Pulled Fences" (Absolutely Kosher Records, 2009)
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1170:"Aeon Station Share Video for New Single "Fade""
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884:"MUSIC; Once More to the Abyss For the Wrens"
473:"Low" (Dow Boy Records (self-released), 1993)
290:It took four years before the record, titled
1286:Indie rock musical groups from New Jersey
1195:"The Wrens - Life Stories From The Union"
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528:(self-released 10-track demo album, 1998)
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693:"Wrens' First Two Albums To Be Reissued"
650:"Home Made: An Interview with the Wrens"
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722:Schreiber, Ryan (September 30, 2003).
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482:"Rest Your Head" (Grass Records, 1996)
463:, 2003/LO-MAX Records/BB*Island, 2005)
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563:Lindgren, Hugo (September 20, 2021).
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840:"The Wrens: The Meadowlands Review"
808:Garrett, Jon (September 19, 2003).
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520:Self-released unofficial recordings
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1296:Musical groups established in 1994
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332:label, to similarly rave reviews.
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1291:Absolutely Kosher Records artists
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862:"Robert Christgau: CG: The Wrens"
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379:In a January 2021 interview with
300:, but decided instead to sign to
538:Three Types of Reading Ambiguity
335:Despite the critical success of
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882:La Gorce, Tammy (May 7, 2006).
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772:McMahan, Tim (March 10, 2004).
746:"The Year in News 2006: Part 2"
620:Hann, Michael (March 9, 2006).
476:"Napiers" (Grass Records, 1994)
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910:"Quit Your Day Job: The Wrens"
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737:
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593:Hyden, Steven (Jan 21, 2021).
423:
318:. The album was described by
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1:
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774:"Songs from the Meadowlands"
7:
414:Aeon Station’s debut album
30:For the doo-wop group, see
10:
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1256:The Wrens official website
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349:Hello Radio: The Songs of
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167:University of London Union
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658:(3). New York City: 43–55
461:Absolutely Kosher Records
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302:Absolutely Kosher Records
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105:Absolutely Kosher Records
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60:
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648:Lippy, Tod (Fall 2004).
32:The Wrens (R&B band)
27:American indie rock band
1143:"Aeon Station - "Fade""
622:"The Wrens ULU, London"
386:On September 20, 2021,
314:and praise from critic
1266:LO-MAX Records website
1261:The Wrens Myspace site
503:
34:. For other uses, see
864:. Robertchristgau.com
532:20 Years of Juvenilia
451:(Grass Records, 1996)
36:Wren (disambiguation)
1174:Undertheradarmag.com
491:Saddle Creek Records
351:They Might Be Giants
281:Fort Lee, New Jersey
916:. February 21, 2007
860:Christgau, Robert.
677:The Wrens Biography
1149:. 16 November 2021
1123:. 24 November 2021
889:The New York Times
699:. October 10, 2006
570:The New York Times
485:Split single with
389:The New York Times
328:and on the German
321:The New York Times
298:Drive-Thru Records
277:Interscope Records
80:1989–present
1023:. 10 October 2015
998:. 10 October 2015
838:Phares, Heather.
724:"The Meadowlands"
630:. London, England
526:Overnight Success
360:Hurricane Katrina
272:Overnight Success
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16:(Redirected from
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293:The Meadowlands
245:Wind-Up Records
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211:group named
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176:The Guardian
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132:Kevin Whelan
124:Past members
97:Saddle Creek
76:Years active
1199:Discogs.com
1179:10 December
1153:10 December
1127:10 December
978:Twitter.com
823:November 6,
757:November 6,
510:Abbott 1135
424:Discography
417:Observatory
268:Abbott 1135
253:Evanescence
224:(1994) and
130:Greg Whelan
1280:Categories
1100:2023-11-17
1076:2023-10-06
1051:2016-04-22
1046:Esopus.org
1027:2016-04-22
1002:2016-04-22
895:2009-01-05
868:2009-01-05
846:2009-01-05
842:. Allmusic
818:PopMatters
779:The Reader
703:2009-01-05
679:, Allmusic
634:2009-01-05
606:2021-09-21
576:2021-09-21
545:References
362:disaster.
197:New Jersey
163:New Jersey
161:band from
159:indie rock
65:Indie rock
55:New Jersey
914:Stereogum
810:"Review:
751:Pitchfork
487:Park Ave.
330:BB*Island
311:Pitchfork
155:The Wrens
113:BB*Island
45:The Wrens
1238:AllMusic
1218:AllMusic
941:AllMusic
788:Nebraska
448:Secaucus
306:AllMusic
261:Secaucus
236:Secaucus
227:Secaucus
209:slowcore
193:Secaucus
189:The Fixx
102:No Karma
1201:. 1995.
493:, 1997)
468:Singles
443:, 1994)
399:Sub Pop
183:History
143:Website
89:Sub Pop
662:May 3,
655:Esopus
600:Uproxx
436:Silver
429:Albums
381:Uproxx
257:Silver
221:Silver
201:7-inch
171:London
100:Ten 23
85:Labels
61:Genres
51:Origin
784:Omaha
249:Creed
1181:2021
1155:2021
1129:2021
922:2011
825:2011
795:2011
759:2011
731:2011
664:2014
259:and
251:and
504:EPs
213:Low
169:in
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