The Wrens - Hopeless (The Meadowlands, 2003)
“The Wrens have found a perfect rock n’ roll balance. Charles Bissell, co-frontman and guitarist, is refined in suit and tie, strumming his guitar with yo-yo arms and a composed voice. Greg Whelan is the fiery rock star, challenging the audience with sneers and claps, damaging equipment and sweating up a storm in his sneakers and jeans. They interweave to form a band that has gained almost mythical status in the indie rock community. After a universally well received 2003 release, Meadowlands, the group has practically gone into hiding. When they do emerge, as they did late Thursday at a subterranean hip-hop venue, they leave crowds wanting more. (A shirt at the merch table told the whole story, reading, “The Wrens: Keeping Fans Waiting Since 1989.) With long sequences of airy, delay-heavy guitar, the quartet tricked the band into relaxing before blaring into one of their several indie pop rock masterpieces. Whelan sent his bass surfing into the crowd as he spazzed on stage, and the crowd of the intimate venue sang along to “This Boy Is Exhausted” and “She Sends Kisses” like it was trying to persuade the band to stick around a bit more. After a new song, Whelan announced that the group would be back in the recording studio soon, which may have garnered the biggest applause of the night.”
