Dude, remember when YOUR band was all critically acclaimed and revered by fans and respected by other bands and all that cool shit that guys-in-bands want out of their rock bands pretty much solely and deliciously ironically on the basis of your chronic nigh-total inertia? Yeah, me neither! What the hell are we doing wrong? I mean, my band hasn’t done SHIT in like 15 months, and I don’t see any increased Facebook likes or Bandcamp digital sales at all! Seriously. What GIVES, The Wrens???
Sigh. Well, anyway; maybe it’s a moot point either way, since the band recently took to both the Twitter-sphere” AND their website-cube to share a little news about the progress they’ve been steadily not-making since the triumphant release of The Meadowlands back in 2003. The complete posting reads a little something like this:
…for the first time in I don’t even know how long (years at this point!), we all four got together. The occasion? Well, I realize it’s not big news in any sense except to us, but after 25 years as a band and for the first time in 20, we, as they say, have inked a deal. Pens were handed out presidentially. Morning beers were clinked together. The devil wrung his hands in delight & vanished in a smoke puff, laughing.
Honestly not being coy but promised not to reveal details, pending a more official announcement from both parties. But wanted to say at least something, partially ‘cause we’re all super happy about it.
And partially because pretending to do this for a job (or whatever this is), there are none of the usual office trappings or career mile-markers along the way. No promotions; no HR; no office holiday party or company phone; heck, no office or company; no paid vacation; well, no ‘pay’ really…actually the more I write, the more I’m clearly describing a hobby. Anyway, so partially for myself (I signed a binding legal document! On letterhead!).
And partially to have something even a little more concrete than my usual “work continues nightly” to show that…this record is actually happening. And nearly done.
So, there you have it. Endearing pessimism! I LOVE THEIR BAND EVEN MORE NOW. HOW THE HECK DO THEY DO THAT!?! Oh well. As for the direction and/or progress of the new album in question? Basically the last thing we know is that they had agreed that 56 seconds of homophonic, diatonic, guitar-based, steady-beat-based vocal music comprised a reasonable enough guess as to what new directions their music ought to be taking here in this post-Bush era.
Stay tuned, I’m sure.
• The Wrens: http://wrens.com
• The Wrens’ Equanimous Record Label: ___________
More about: The Wrens
