So if some old timey CMJers could help me out here, what was the big row over this album? I started hanging out at the CMJ BB just when this hooplah over the Wrens was going on. I hadn't heard the album and was somewhat curious, if not befuddled. I have just listened to the whole thing and must confess to being a bit more confused actually. It's a pretty enjoyable album, which I liked quite a lot actually, but it does not seem really polarizing. Can someone fill me in?

See PopTodd's Napoleon Dynamite thread.

Similar to that fairly middling film eliciting tremendous praise or vitriol, because no one can admit unironically that something is just "good" or "nice" anymore, the Wrens' latest was generally rote arena-pop that, for its backstory, drew raves. When it shouldn't have.

some people liked it a lot, and some people really didn't like that people liked it a lot. it really had nothing to do with the record.

True, but almost every thread got old.

chase hit it on the head. and the only reason threads get old is that people keep reading them. heck, we've got five or six sports threads on the front page right now.

What I meant was that almost every thread posted, in those days, was about the Wrens. Than it became a joke and got worse, the backlash was inevitable.

Wait I thought "Bedroom Demos" ended now, damn.

I think I'm getting the gist of the discussion now, the Napolean Dynamite thread sort of made me understand a bit better. I liked Meadowlands quite a bit actually, but by no means do I feel very effusive about it. It probably would have been a Top 20 2003 release for me. That being said, I can't imagine endlessly discussing it. It just doesn't seem to be a life alterer, but to each his own I guess. Thanks for the clarifications.


np: Electric Light Orchestra - Essential

It's discussed so much because it's been discussed so much.

Beavis: Why is Tom Petty famous?

Butt-head: Because he's on t.v.

Beavis: But why is he on t.v.?

Butt-head: Because he's famous.

Beavis: But why is Tom Petty famous?

Butt-head: Because he's on t.v.

Wren:2003::Arcade Fire (or possibly Drive-By Truckers):2004

Good albums, easy to like. Therefore, a lot of people like them, and a lot of people talk about them. Too much talking leads to backlash, silly arguments, etc.

Yeah, chase pretty much said this already.

It was sorta like what's happening right now with the Arcade Fire, which is easily the most apt comparison. Some people love the album, some don't. But if you should dare to post that you don't believe the album (Meadowlands then, Funeral now) is the single greatest work of imagination ever cut to disc then things tend to get ugly.

I know I was always tagged as a Wrens-hater, for example, even though my opinion was that Meadowlands was merely bland. Likewise, I've never said anything about Funeral other than I only sorta like it (oh yeh, I guess I did mention that, because of the album's conventional ordinariness, it's an embarassing pick for album-of-the-year honors) - and yet even that was enough to start a retardathon.

In my opinion, much of the like and the dislike of either album have very little to do with the record itself.

Remember the one that went:



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Heh heh. That was awesome.

You bastard. At least you didn't put it in the subject line.

I've barely listened to my copy of Meadowlands. There was one song I remember liking enough to put on a mix. I'm thinking of ripping it and selling it.