Finally taking Manky's recommendation
A day in late July 2013, I got a private message from Manky, in which he recommended an album by the Wrens called The Meadowlands. Until yesterday, it remained almost unplayed, I... forgot about it, until I entered an indie rock phase. While hungry for quality albums I suddenly remembered this one...
Artist: The Wrens
Album: The Meadowlands
Year: 2003
Genre: Indie rock/pop
1. "The House That Guilt Built"
2. "Happy"
3. "She Sends Kisses"
4. "This Boy Is Exhausted"
5. "Hopeless"
6. "Faster Gun"
7. "Thirteen Grand"
8. "Boys, You Won't"
9. "Ex-Girl Collection"
10. "Per Second Second"
11. "Everyone Choose Sides"
12. "13 Months in 6 Minutes"
13. "This Is Not What You Had Planned"
I liked this album very much, from start to finish. It's filled with sometimes mellow, sometimes distorted, always great pop songs, all written carefully while keeping the charming “rough indie edges”. The album starts off with a short introduction track which fades perfectly into the bass intro of one of the best tracks from the album, “Happy”. The follow-up, “She Sends Kisses”, has been stuck in my head all day; it's definitely my favourite. The tempo is picked up a little on track four, which reminds me of “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me” by the Jayhawks..! Other good tracks include “Hopeless”, “Boys, You Won't” and “Everyone Choose Sides”. One song that annoyed me a little was “Per Second Second”, since everything was so distorted I could neither understand what was being sung nor keep track of it while reading the lyrics.
A fantastic album that you should listen to right now if possible. If not, make it work somehow.