The Wrens

You may remember this New Jersey combo from their two incredible, critically acclaimed releases for the Grass label in the mid-1990s, Silver and its follow-up Secaucus.

Around the time the second album was released, Grass was bought and changed their name to Wind-Up. The Wrens were told that if they don't sign their "big buck record contract" all promotion for Secaucus will be stopped. The Wrens, frowning on such tactics, do not re-sign, and all promotion (including support for a pending tour of Europe with Brainiac) is pulled. The head of the record company, infuriated, commences layoffs of involved record company personnel and vows that "the next band to walk through that door will be made famous - at any cost." The next band through the door is Creed. Creed becomes famous at any cost.

The Wrens spend the second half of 1996 and most of 1997 in a hilarious courtship ritual with various labels through their new attorney. In the meantime, the Wrens release an EP, Abbott 1135 (1997). Interscope Records A&R, on hearing the EP, continues hilarious courtship ritual. Sadly, A&R gets laid off in ugly corporate merger before signing the Wrens. Happily though, A&R later emerges at competitor label and signs the Strokes.

A cocoon-like period of reflection, re-recording and semi-retirement ensues and the band finally reemerges with their third and finest album, The Meadowlands. While older reviews namecheck the Pixies, Duran Duran, XTC, Kiss and Revolutionary-era Camper Van Beethoven, the Wrens are at the point where they just sound like the Wrens, a fantastic rock band in their prime. This is an easy candidate for the best album of the year, a record by a tremendously underrated band and a much welcome comeback.