Charles Bissell has done it again. At this point in time, it is hard to say what this 'it' even means. We have long entered the stage where the idea of a new album by The Wrens album makes no sense at all. At best, it is silly. At worst, tiresome. Nobody asks questions, nobody calls bullshit on a promise that is not even a promise but, rather, a feeble tweet. What? A new album by The Wrens? Like, with songs and stuff? Fuck off.
And yet here we are, at the beginning of 2021, and Charles Bissell says something about autumn and a record label that is supposed to release this bizarre novelty called a new Wrens album. There is even a journalist who has heard seven (!) songs from the album, and he swears blind they are all amazing. Well, okay. They better be amazing, because the idea of serving us the second helping of Chinese Democracy would just be hilariously sad.
I say 'us' but I should not, really. The best part of the whole saga is that I have never even been a fan of The Wrens. Their first two albums are high on energy but low on personality. A few songs aside, they never rise to the status of overlooked classics that you so want them to reach. Now The Meadowlands. It is a special album, no doubt, and you will not find me denying the sheer emotional bliss of songs like "She Sends Kisses", "This Boy Is Exhausted" or "Boys, You Won't". Seventeen years on, they are as potent as they were in 2003.
Having said that, The Meadowlands has never been my favourite album of all time (and it is the sort of album that should be your favourite album of all time, if only for a day; it is all or nothing with The Meadowlands). However, I have always been fascinated by what happened next.
Because next happened... nothing. Which is not a crime in itself, of course, there are plenty of bands who disappear after releasing their masterpiece (99.99% of bands do not even approach that masterpiece, of course, and just disappear). But it was a different kind of nothing, and it goes something like this (I am quoting from memory but the particulars are irrelevant). In 2013, Charles Bissell says that the songs for the new Wrens album are mostly there. In 2014, the release is imminent. In 2015, the songs are mixed anew but the album is almost out. In 2016, the album is not out as some more work needs to be done. In 2017, the last touches are put. In 2018, some songs have to be reworked but the whole thing is done and dusted. In 2019, everything has been finished for a while and the release might happen any day now. In 2020, some of the songs are not good enough but, fuck it, the album will probably be released anyway. In 2021, Charles Bissell says something about autumn and a record label that is supposed to release this bizarre novelty called a new Wrens album.
In other words, Charles Bissell has done it again... And you know what? I will bite. I have grown older, and I should know better, and the boy has been crying wolf like mad, but I will bite if only because it is 2021 and nobody gives a fuck anymore. A new album by The Wrens? Like, with songs and stuff? Bring it on.
