Oof, calling it a side project is a hell of a dig imo, especially when he’s just laid out exactly how much time/effort he’s put into it
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I mean I can see it from their side a little that in most people’s eyes Charles’ album is basically the Wrens album that people have been waiting for for 20 years whilst the Aeon Station one was seen more as a curio that sunk almost immediately.
But given the split seems to mainly have come from Kevin essentially saying enough is enough and going behind Charles’ back to release his songs I don’t think they can really complain.
Just revisited The Meadowlands with a few post work beers and definitely a top 5 album of all time for me.
Desperate to be in a crowd screaming “it just won’t be me ever again” and that riff kicks in on Hopeless.
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What are the impressions of this? I really like Old Death & I’ll Bear… the middle track is nothing really but overall is a very strong EP
Car Colors is a shite name for the project. Great song though
Couple of plays and can’t get into it at all. Sounds like someone has tweaked the stems of an alt indie demo in their home studio for 20 years (which is a vibe I generally am up for). Will keep trying.
Name is absolutely dire.
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Super fast strummed guitar isn’t great, thought i had my record player set up wrong but apparently after 20 years that’s what he wanted. Its ok, better than Aeon Station
Just thinking - this way of releasing the material, as opposed to actually dropping a Wrens album, is probably the only way it could realistically live up to expectations. Not that I think it’s intentional or anything but it actually probably serves the songs well.
Really like both the Aeon Station album and Car Colours songs so far although I share all concerns about two dreadful band names
Gotta admit I find it quite hilarious that this guy is the “perfectionist” half of The Wrens and then he goes and makes a song like this
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It feels perfectionist to me in the sense that it sounds like it’s been over-thought and over-written. You can see where Kevin smoothed out those sharp turns and strange structures. Although I can also see where Charles spices up Kevin’s tendencies and creates something distinctive for The Wrens.
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Car fucking Colors. Struggling to think of a worse name in recent memory. At least dull automobile adjacent band name Car Seat Headrest has something memorable about it
first listen
Old Death sounds great melodically, but some of the production just feels … off? Not bad as such, but it confuses my ears - can’t work out what instruments to focus on. I guess that is bad production sadly tbf. The big swelling horns are gorgeous though, that is so my jam
enjoy the unsettling/pretty combo in Guns and Arrows, always a sound that appeals to me. Really makes me think of The Glow Pt 2 with a bit of an emo twist
I’ll Bear is good fun, great guitar sounds. Not sure I think the drums are great though?
think Guns and Arrows actually works best tbh, it nails the style it’s going for when the other two fall a little short for me (even though they’re styles I should like a lot more)
Feels like there was something there once, but it’s overcooked. And missing the fuzzy room warmth of Meadowlands/the band to tie it all together.
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yeah it definitely feel like a one-man project, with all the downsides that usually has for me despite the songs being great (see: Empty Country vs. Cymbals Eat Guitars)
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Like the single. Not sure the abrupt ending works. Hammers home that one of my favourite things about The Wrens were Bissell’s vocals (all the best songs on The Meadowlands are his ones imo) so this feels way more like the long-awaited return the other project did.
Still mostly find it desperately sad they couldn’t work it all out to deliver something as a band. But hope finally releasing this makes Charles happy and brings him a sense of closure.
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