I bought the Wrens’ Meadowlands album because the cover is cool and because a massive 49 reviewers on Amazon gave the album an average of 4.5 stars. Also because “Customers who bought this title also bought: Broken Social Scene, The Shins, Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab for Cutie, Decembrists, Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, and Walkmen.” Why else would I buy it?
I’m pretty into this little album, by a bunch of guys from New Jersey. Their influences are many, and the album builds in that the each tightly written song on the list is better than the next one. The entirety is accomplished but I mostly appreciate the odd sonic surprises throughout, mostly during a song’s bridge.
Bands seem more heavily influenced by other bands than ever before. Here are Wrens’ recognizable influences:

• The Pixies
• Lush
• My Bloody Valentine
• Flaming Lips
• The Vines
• The Strokes
• Grandaddy