|
indie-snob>+!#
Wrens @ logan sq. auditorium (3-12-04)
With bottom of the Hudson, the constantines |
 I'm not going to lie: Conor Oberst got me into the Wrens. And I'm not lying, I swear to God. He was all: "Hey Chris, this is Conor Oberst, listen to the Wrens!" Okay, so the latter never happened, but what did happen was that I noticed that a long time ago, the Wrens shared a split 7-inch with pop darlings Park Ave. Shortly after the release of Meadowlands, the Wrens first album in something like 5 years, the critics latched on. Magnet magazine went a little buck-nutty, calling the Wrens' Secaucus one of the finest albums of all time. Granted, the Wrens are an excellent band, but let's not get carried away. First to open was the Absolutely Kosher-signed band, Bottom of the Hudson. And, after 5 and a half months since seeing them, I've found it all too easy to forget, leaving me with not much to remember besides a keyboardist wearing a winter hat when it was perfectly comfortable in the building. Their recordings come off as shoegazer without any heart: no noise, nothing. Imagine the Walkmen (sober) playing with amps an eighth of the size and you'll have a slight grasp of Bottom of the Hudson. I didn't hate their set, and their performance itself was decent enough considering they were at least moving (and hey, that's more than I can say for 90% of shoegazer bands), but there's something terribly annoying about simple monotonous music. If something had been there to capture my interest, Bottom of the Hudson would have been a lot better in my mind, unfortunately, no such break occurred. Grade: C  Bottom of the Hudson The Constantines, on the other had, created the exact opposite aesthetic: it was raucous and fun, danceable, but serious. When I first heard "Nighttime/Anytime (It's Alright)", I thought it was perhaps one of the best of the garage-blues songs released at the time (but perhaps I would take anything with the failure of the Black Keys breakthrough album Thickfreakness). With a distinctive soul-inspired moan, thick distorted guitar and jangley melodies and percussion, the Constantines have more of a distinctive sound than most bands doing similar things. Their show was just as unique: clapping and tambourines, standing on amps—a genuinely good time that was actually fun to watch. Given, though, Logan Square isn't the best for any sort of loud band, so determining the true atmosphere of such a band wouldn't quite be accurate, but, with what they had, I thought it was pretty good. Grade: B+  Constantines As the Wrens came out to set up their equipment, I noticed… well, how old they are. The world of indie rock is largely young. If you're in your late 20s, it's definitely borderline for established and history. So the Wrens, who could easily be in their late 30s or early 40s, seem to defy this a little bit. What amazed me more, though, was how these old indie rockers who all live together in a house somewhere in Secaucus, New Jersey can have so much energy and such an amazing presence together on stage. I guess sometimes people forget the benefits of these long-time bands: performing is what they're used to; it's natural. Opening with one of the more lively songs off of The Meadowlands ("Happy" seems like it was correct), the Wrens got off to an amazing start, coming off of their five year hiatus with even more intensity than seen on their previous efforts. The night's performance was filled largely with songs off the new album, but also with a surprising crowd appreciation for the older songs. I guess removed from the underground scene of the late nineties, it's surprising that the Wrens have just as much respect as they do. I absolutely loved the Wrens set, though. It was loud and spirited, with the heart of old punks, but with a far greater sense of melody. The night made me realize what a wonderful album The Meadowlands is, and as I grow accustomed to the older albums, how wonderful they are, as well. I really hope this is a sign that the Wrens will be around a little more in the future… and maybe release an album more than every five years. In fact, they should be touring through September and October, so catch them if you get a chance. Grade: A Related Reviews: |