- Brad Gardner
- Apr 16
- 16 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
Many indie Rock fans may already be familiar with the music of The Wrens. For those who aren't, I believe their music and their story as a band should be shared with all music fans.
To me, it is one of the admirable band stories filled with plenty of hardship, camaraderie, triumph and an alternate ending that I don't think any Wrens fan could have ever predicted.
Here is my retrospective look back and forward of the band and what admiring their career from the side lines has been like for me personally as devoted fan over the past 20+ years.
So, who are they? The Wrens consisted of Charles Bissell on guitar,vocals and production brothers Greg Whelan on guitar and backup vocals and Kevin Whelan on bass guitar, piano and vocals and Jerry MacDonald on drums.
When I sit down to do write something like this I like to put a playlist together of my favorite music from the band so I let it all out. I've curated a playlist of my favorite material by the band including their latest respective latest projects.
To make this as immersive as possible of a read, grab a drink and a seat and when you're ready - hit play here and read along. If you do not have apple music, don't worry I will be referencing all kinds of songs with the appropriate youtube videos as well.
Ready? Here we go .....
In about 2002 or 2003 .... I was on a music downloading fiasco at the height of napster and possibly during the inception of the virus laden limewire. I really can't recall how I was first put on to the musical scent of the band, I was probably following a one off comment from a music fan on a blog or a comment section encouraging others to listen, much like I'm doing now I suppose!
I remember typing their name to the search bar at the time and being directed to funny enough .... an unrecognizable in today's standards amazon.com. There were 30 second snippets of their songs and i'm pretty sure it said not available for purchase in your country at the time.
Even with those tiny 30 second clips, I remember feeling like I had just struck absolute gold. From those very first snippets that I heard I felt an immediate connection to their music. It felt as if the Beach Boys, The Pixies and Millencolin had a musical love child called The Wrens.
That was just me grasping at comparitive musical straws of course. In reality, The Wrens were a band, a sound and a story completely unique to themselves.
Ultimately The first songs I was able to get a hold of in their entirety were "Dance The Midwest" "Won't Get Too Far" and "Surprise honeycomb" from their sophomore album Secaucus. The musical hunt was on.
After much internet surfing and forum chatting with fellow music nerds I was finally able to track down the album Secaucus in its entirety via download. I listened to it on repeat, and was so in love with their sound and had definately found a new all time favorite band.
Roughly a year or so later, it is now the year 2003 and I was moving to London Ontario for my one and only year of College. Fatefully, out of pure music nerd heaven came their true breakthrough album The Meadowlands . The album would go on to accompany me through all of the revelations, freedoms and heartbreaks that college had to offer.
This has happened a few times in my life. Where it really does feel like perhaps the music finds you. Yes I did all of the searching and all of the nerding out to acquire their music, but for me to have just become aware of their music and at that point they had actually been a band since 1990 and then out comes the band's third and most successful album. Right place, at the right time.
A better album isn't the right word because Secaucus has some of my all time favorite Wrens songs on it. The Meadowlands was maybe just more realized from start to finish, it played like an auditory movie. Hearing it for the first time, I will never forget that feeling, I knew I was witnessing something special and even more monumental than their previous album and that this band was one of a kind.
With me living in Canada, I hadn't really met any friends that knew of The Wrens other than one of my best friends and fellow music nerd Erik who was just as sold as I on the band and the new album.
Thankfully, we could see there was a vast community of devoted fans online that saw just how special this band was too. A Lot of them praising their live shows as well which for us, was a very exciting prospect.
I think what is so admirable about The Wrens story is the amount of DIY grit but also polish they had as a band. As indie as it gets, making the album at home through the pure devotion and hardship of 4 adults working jobs on the side to pay rent. Putting in 4 years of hard work, painstakingly reworking and scrapping material, starting over and polishing their mixes and arrangements between the years 1999 - 2003.
At the start of recording the record, drummer Jerry Macdonald had just gotten married and moved out of the house that they had all lived in since 1990. Charles, Greg and Kevin stayed in the band house with Jerry coming over for recording and songwriting sessions.
By the time the album was released in 2003 the band celebrated the albums completion by burning the Master Adat tapes to celebrate what they had all agreed, was a finished record.
But alas, it would seem the bands work had only just begun. Next they would begin to promote and support the newly born album through live shows and radio appearances.
They would then go on to tour the album tirelessly from the years 2003-2009 as the rest of the indie rock world would begin to catch up and catch on to what they were all about. During this time they too were simultaneously starting families of their own and had day jobs. Weekend Warriors in the truest sense of the word and they were showing us fellow musicians and music fans how it could all be done by leading by example.
The more the band toured and the more that word had gotten out on this initial sleeper hit of a classic indie rock album, the reviews accumulated, the distribution deals expanded across Europe and the praise was being sung for The Meadowlands.
In my opinion, The Meadowlands is best heard from start to finish and listened to more than once in this way, it truly is an album. As much as I can point to specific favorite songs from the Meadowlands it is a indie rock journey so intimate, so realized and varied that it leaves nothing left to be desired.
In my opinion, it is as immersive to listen to as watching an amazing movie. Just hit play and let it transport you and show you around. The music is so moving, so original and so unified that for me it inspired my own music greatly. Not to sound like them perse but certainly to embody their authenticity. You can just hear the chemistry within the band. That chemistry that was so audible on the album had been forged from years of touring their previous material together while also being signed and dropped by multiple record labels while living together and writing and recording all of their ups and downs in New Jersey from 1990 until 2003. The no quit resilience of their music and their story is one that I as an indie musician will never lose acknowledgement of.
Seeing them live
For the longest time, I had just accepted the fact that it didn't look like The Wrens were ever going to make Canada one of their tour stops while supporting The Meadowlands. I had personally messaged the band a few times and they were open to it and telling me to stay tuned but it was seeming like maybe I would have to go to the states if I was ever going to see them play live.
And then out of nowhere .... "Brad! The Wrens are playing in Ottawa" my good friend Eric had sent me a link to something called The Capital Idea festival.
Key Details of the 2007 Festival:
The Wrens Performance: The Wrens performed on June 23, 2007, with special guests Poorfolk.
Lineup: The festival included notable performances from Sunset Rubdown, The Walkmen, Frog Eyes, Fiery Furnaces, Destroyer, Russian Futurists, and Born Ruffians.
Roadtrip! All aboard to Babylon
Erinne, fellow Wrens enthusiast and concert junkie Erik all bought tickets. We were now ready and committed to driving a 5 hour road trip from Toronto to Ottawa. Solely and finally to see The Wrens play live in person for the very first time. It all felt very surreal and I was beyond stoked for this indie rock adventure.
June 23rd 2007 The Wrens Live at Babylon: Capital Idea Festival!
The hype was friggin real yo! We felt like an indie Rock Explorer team climbing a summit and arriving at the top in Ottawa to drink in more of the pure enthusiasm that got us there in the first place.
The venue was about the size of the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto I'd say. You know the type, or at least I hope you do! Lowly lit, long and narrow with that start of summer humidity eeking throughout the venue with the a Bar upfront by the doors. As you walked deeper into the venue, there was wider standing room and a good sized stage.
Looking up the Babylon venue now online, It appears to have closed in 2021 and has been replaced by a retail department store. Yet another music venue casualty endured during the pandemic it seems.
The venue had that classic indie rock comunal feel happening, lots of happy music fans who seemed to have enjoyed themselves throughout the other concerts that had taken place throughout the previous 3 days of the music festival. The room was buzzing with excitement, Ah, so here are the other Canadian Wrens fans I thought. I was also excited at the prospect for anyone hearing their music for the first time, knowing that they'd soon be fans too.
The venue was about 70% full I'd say and got more full as the night went on. The opening band Poor Folk was playing and to our surprise, the Wrens were all walking around the venue amongst us. We spotted them right away, intermingling with the crowd chatting with a few fans.
"Holy shit! There's Charles" we exclaimed. "Man they're all here just hanging out before the show. Awesome." Erinne, Erik and I approached the band and took the opportunity to share a bit about our indie rock pilgrimage with the band with whatever time we had to chat with them before they went on stage.
"Hi guys! Welcome to Canada! We've been listening to your music for a very long time and drove all the way up from Toronto for the show!" I proclaimed.
I then mentioned to guitarist Greg Whelan: "I am ashamed to admit it but i've been listening to your music for about 5 years now only on Burnt CDs from downloaded copies of your music. Can I please buy the albums from you?"
Greg Whelan smiled and said "Absolutely you can, follow me." he then gestured over to the merch booth which I hadn't taken notice of yet since we had only just arrived to the venue.
As we were both walking over to the merch table - I remember being so happy that I was finally able to legitimately have copies of these albums that had played such a major role in my life.
Greg Whelan: "Okay, so which ones did you want?" Gesturing to the table.
Me: "Secaucus and Meadowlands please!" smiling ear to ear. "What do I owe you?"
Greg then formed a shape with his hand that looked like a circle. I remember seeing the shape, and kind of stumbling with this shape "Sorry how much?" I said nervously.
Kevin Whelan "They're yours! No Charge."
Me: "C'mon, are you sure? I'm happy to pay really!" elated.
Greg:" They're yours, no need at all. Thank you for your support all of these years."
I reluctantly accepted because it seemed like he really meant this. I was so floored by this genuine act of kindness. It is said to not meet your heroes but The Wrens had unequivocally proved this theory to be wrong. Looking back this experience perhaps set the stage so to speak for me to meet many more of my musical heroes as my musical life would continue to unfold, but more about that some other time.
After my awesome interaction with Greg Whelan, Erik had been speaking with Jerry the drummer and asked if he could sign his newly acquired copy of The Meadowlands. Jerry then proceeded to find the other band members to sign his CD for him. Erik also asked if they had the album on vinyl.
To which Jerry replied "Yeah for sure" he then wrote down an email address and told Erik to email his shipping address when we got back home to the Toronto area. And guess what? Kevin Whelan shipped a vinyl copy to him and did not let him pay either. He sent the rare vinyl record out to him from New Jersey free of charge. What amazing people.
Erik sent me a picture of his signed copy of the CD from that night.
Needless to say, The Wrens were in person as sincere and genuine as their music and we all felt like extremely lucky people that night, and the show hadn't even started yet!
"Thank you so much! Have a great set, I can't wait to see you guys play!" I beamed.
The Set of all sets
The show that followed was one truly everything my friends and I could have ever hoped for. It wasn't just the roadtrip, It was the sense of community the band were able to conjure up so quickly between the audience and the band.
On stage, they truly did it all as a band and their 4 years of touring the latest album was palpable and I was taking many mental notes. The guitar acrobatics, Charles Bissell made bloops, squeaks and twangs that even I had never heard before. His pedal board seemed to have enough sounds on it to rival Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine.
Charles's arm would fly around his elbow like a propeller, if you don't know what that means watch this . Live, they had Perfectly arranged parts, and vocal harmonies and had complete of command of the stage and audience.
While frontman and bass player Kevin Whelan was Jumping all over the stage, erupting, pushing, pulling his mic stand while vacillating between his bass guitar and his electric piano.
They were talkative with the audience, continuing make the audience feel very much a part of what was going on. So much so that 3/4s into their iconic set. The Drummer Jerry, grabbed quite literally a bucket of drumsticks.
He then walked to the front of the stage passing out drums sticks out to the audience, almost as if he had a bouquet of rhythmic flowers at his disposal for us. My friends and I each grabbed a stick, and then lead singer Kevin Whelan seated at the piano gestured for everyone to come on stage, as many that could fit anyway.
"Holy shit let's go!" Eric and I exclaimed, Erinne was feeling shy and said "I'll hold your beers and watch from here" with a huge smile on her face.
We fucking ran up there with the other fans that were all as stoked as we were to be taking part in this incredible show.
And there we were, kneeling on the stage, newly acquired drumsticks in hand with our eyes locked on our rhythmic flower conductors a.k.a The Wrens awaiting instruction for whatever the fuck was about to happen next.
Kevin was playing piano while Jerry the drummer then showed us all what to do next by tapping 8th notes on the stage floor. First with his drumstick motioning for us all to all do the same.
Within split seconds, "Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick" first just jerry, then as we all eagerly joined in we collectively created an an ambience that sounded like a woosh of wooden rain drops.
The remaining members of The Wrens then joined us with their guitars, piano drums and we collectively, improvisationally and magically performed "Boys you won't" altogether.
Pure, live music magic.
The band played everything I as a diehard Wrens fan could have hoped for. They gave that show 150% and you got the feeling they did that everywhere they played. You could tell looking around the room that night they had made this concert something truly awe-inspiring for everybody involved. Indie Rock memories for a lifetime.
The Recording of the Follow up LP4
Despite the critical praise and noteriety amongst fans of The Meadowlands. The band had some personal and financial obstacles ahead of them before they could start recording their follow up album.
There were many fans of the band like myself who were speculating online what a follow up album would entail and where they would go next musically as band. I was also hoping they would properly break the Canadian market because, well they freaking deserved it.
At first things were sounding quite optimistic, I can't seem to find the clips anymore on youtube. But at one point if memory serves, in about 2011 or so the band had set up cameras and microphones and an initial recording session of new songs had began and the band posted a video of rough sounding snippets that all sounded awesome.
The wrens train was rolling and maybe just maybe if we were lucky they're be done recording in a year or two.
After that initial post things were taking time, year after year was passing by with the odd soundcloud snippet coming out from Producer Charles Bissell but also long blog updates that we're hopeful at times, and at others not looking good at all.
To simplify the delays for you, Charles Bissell had been diagnosed with myeloma Cancer and they all had families to support with full time jobs demanding their time. For bissell the combination of his diagnosis and very expensive experimental drugs were taking a massive toll on Bissell's mental health. He mentioned in one of his blogs that working on the album was his escape the heaviness from life but that the pressure and issues within the band dynamic were also becoming a leading cause of depression for him.
For a while early on it was sounding like the band had agreed that Kevin was recording his songs for the album at his home, and Charles was recording at his at his home and then Charles was going to mix it all together. In 2014 the band had announced that the album was complete and they had a label in place to put the album out. However, Year after year, master announcement after master announcement it was seeming like this album might not come out.
But I, as a forever fan personally never lost hope. And I was really enjoying what ever snippets that were coming out on soundcloud and youtube. And I for one was never leaving their side and their story.
Sadly, for years, following that initial 2014 announcement for the most part, crickets. With the occasional health and album update from Charles Bissell at https://www.wrens.com/news-etc .
Thank fuck for the internet
While writing this article and looking for youtube clips that I thought would be good to support in this blog and to support a bit about the bands story and history from my eyes.
I out of nowhere discovered this, a fan has somehow obtained what Wrens album number 4 was sounding like as of 2014. This if anything, gives us a better glimpse into what album number 4 was sounding like. I've also read that the album was going to be titled "The Wildwoods" and is labeled on youtube as Album 4.5.
But then, after years of silence ..... new news! Aeon Station was here.
Who is Aeon Station? Aeon Station was the new band and album headed up by Kevin Whelan released on September 21st 2021. The new band consisted of Kevin, Greg and Jerry of the Wrens with new band members on guitar and piano. Five of the ten songs are said to be Wrens songs that got reworked, removing Charles parts on the album and adding some other non Wrens related Material to complete the album. The new band was also signed to the infamous indie label Sub Pop and announced the albums arrival via the New York times.
After reading the news, I remember being equally excited to hear some of the much speculated about material but I was also feeling a bit heartbroken about the final outcome of the release. I really do believe that all good things do take time and I thought this album would happen no matter how long it took.
So here it was, kind of. After 14 years of patiently watching, reading and listening, Us Wrens fans were finally getting to hear much of Kevin's new material with a new band and a new sound.
I remember hearing the new material and definitely liking it but I did feel abit of grief with the new news as a fan. I can only imagine what Kevin and the other band members went through to arrive at this stage with the material.
For me as the fan, it did feel a bit like if The Beatles made an album with Paul, George and Ringo. I kind of just didn't know how to feel about this at first. I felt like we were leaving a friend behind. Whelan's new band Aeon Station went on to tour and did press for the well received album as well.
Time heals all wounds
Last fall, I decided to listen to the Aeon Station album again. With fresh ears and a new outlook to what happened to the band. And finally it clicked, the album is fantastic and I am fully on board with that album and I do not feel like I am betraying Charles bissell in enjoying the music. It really is a complete piece of amazing work and the vinyl of the album is on my shelf.
Check out the Aeon Station set on KEXP here. And Listen to Aeon Station - Observatory where ever you get your music.
Car Colors
On November 17th, 2023 Charles Bissell shocked Wrens fans with a new band name as well. The first single morosely titled "Old Death" was immediately recognizable as some of the small soundcloud snippets I had heard over the past 14 years. But this was definitely revamped and mixed with new drums and finally I could listen to the whole song.
The new release came in the form of 3 new songs for fans to finally enjoy. EP was released not as the Wrens or Charles Bissell but instead under the name Car Colors. The bandcamp page was sloggened as Born 1964. Reborn 2023. Keeping folks waiting..since 1989. you can listen to the awesome EP here https://carcolors.bandcamp.com/album/old-death
Like Aeon Station, the songs took multiple listens for me to adjust but they are all amazing contributions to fans and to this songwriters legacy of recordings.
Car Colors and Aeon Station in 2026
The past is indeed the past and all of these musicians have given music fans so much I am so grateful for all of their respective work. They have certainly made a sincere impact on my life, as inspiration but also as serving as familiar voices to the soundtrack of my life and so many other music fans out there just read the comment sections to their videos.
That voices are those that clearly understand hardship, personal triumph over obstacles and resolve which are themes that I think any musician or music fan can relate to. In our present day reality, both Aeon Station and Car Colors really seem to be completely relevant in 2026.
A time post covid, where social media has turned into let's be honest anti social media, politics are a mess and the advent of a.i is infiltrating all kinds of different facets of our lives including out most sacred thing of all, our music.
As of August 2025 Charles Bisselle stated that he does plan to put out more music under the Car Colors name and also in 2025 Aeon Station appears to have been in studio working on new material. Hopefully we get new music from them all, but if they are taking respective breaks,we fans obviously understand that too, and I mean I waited 14 years for the new music that I am still enjoying, I can wait another 14 years if that's what they need.
The best part about The Wrens, Aeon Station and Car Colors? For me, it's that the whole journey for all of these musicians has been completely human, full of emotion, hardship, learning and new beginnings. I thank them all dearly for their amazing music and kindness they have always shown to their fans and of course, I thank them for their brilliant music.
I look forward to seeing what happens next for all of these amazing human beings, and they are all to me, and will always be indie rock gods that will always deserve to be recognized and celebrated.
written by Brad Gardner April 16th 2026
