Music
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best of 2009
Best of 2008
Best of 2007
Best of 2006
Best of 2005
Best of 2004
Best of 2003
Best of 2002
Best of 2001
Best of 2000
Best of the Decade
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
75
2562
54
30 Seconds to Mars
62
50 Cent
71
AC/DC
70
The Album Leaf
52
Kris Allen
68
Tori Amos
66
Animal Collective
84
Animal Collective![]()
77
Annie
57
Apse
63
Asobi Seksu
59
Bad Lieutenant
83
Julianna Barwick![]()
82
Beach House![]()
72
Beak>
72
Bibio
65
Justin Bieber
76
Biffy Clyro
74
Blakroc
75
Mary J. Blige
78
Blockhead
52
Bon Jovi
54
Susan Boyle
57
The Bravery
39
Chris Brown
64
V.V. Brown
70
Basia Bulat
79
Chew Lips
74
Citay
65
Clipse
66
Cold War Kids
75
The Cribs
58
Dashboard Confessional
81
Dave Rawlings Machine![]()
70
Delphic
78
The Doors
58
Echo & The Bunnymen
73
Edan
59
Editors
69
Eels
80
Felt
74
First Aid Kit
69
Flyleaf
83
Four Tet![]()
82
Ben Frost![]()
82
Fucked Up![]()
83
Charlotte Gainsbourg![]()
63
The Gilded Palace Of Sin
68
Githead
65
Joe Goddard
58
Good Shoes
72
Gucci Mane
75
Holopaw
82
Jesca Hoop![]()
79
Hot Chip
72
The Hot Rats
88
Ray Wylie Hubbard![]()
54
Hurricane Chris
66
Allison Iraheta
59
Jay Sean
82
Freedy Johnston![]()
57
Nick Jonas And The Administration
73
Norah Jones
49
Juvenile
58
Ke$ha
62
R. Kelly
66
Alicia Keys
68
Kid Sister
81
King Midas Sound![]()
63
Lady Antebellum
76
Lady GaGa
71
Adam Lambert
78
Lawrence Arabia
61
Leona Lewis
74
Lightspeed Champion
36
Lil Wayne
82
Lindstrom & Christabelle![]()
77
Lissie
78
Los Campesinos!
70
Lostprophets
73
Magnetic Fields
72
Massive Attack
64
John Mayer
71
Paul McCartney
58
Katherine McPhee
86
Memory Tapes![]()
72
Midlake
88
Motion City Soundtrack![]()
63
Mr. Hudson
53
Mudvayne
75
Oh No Ono
70
OK Go
72
Ola Podrida
61
OneRepublic
80
Owen Pallett
80
Pantha du Prince
90
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers![]()
80
Phantogram
60
Pit Er Pat
63
Priestess
70
Radian
79
Corinne Bailey Rae
54
Rakim
79
Real Estate
77
Retribution Gospel Choir
76
Rihanna
64
Rjd2
65
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
77
Sade
77
Gil Scott-Heron
72
Shakira
82
Shining![]()
61
Snoop Dogg
62
Snow Patrol
71
The Soft Pack
80
Spoon
64
Ringo Starr
59
Stereophonics
76
Angie Stone
79
Surfer Blood
74
Switchfoot
75
Them Crooked Vultures
74
Robin Thicke
50
Timbaland
79
tUnE-YaRDs
80
Vampire Weekend
79
Laura Veirs
79
Tom Waits
78
Wale
65
The Watson Twins
66
Kanye West
76
The Whitefield Brothers
64
Robbie Williams
80
Yeasayer
62
Young Money
75
Neil Young
61
Rob Zombie
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
The Meadowlands

Universal acclaim
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 84 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Absolutely Kosher
Release Date: 09 September 2003
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Indie, Rock
Summary
The indie rockers took four years to record this third album.
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Pitchfork
In trading the adolescent kick of Secaucus for ripened resignation, meticulous refinement for crippling maturation, they have realized their magnum opus.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Unlike the overstuffed Silver or Seacaucus, The Meadowlands manages to reveal the expanse of the Wrens' vision without trading on their intimate charms.
Read Full Review >Splendid
The Wrens experiment with sounds and textures you don't normally hear in so-called "rock" records, but unlike many groups, they manage to do this in a way that attracts attention without upstaging the actual music. And the songwriting just keeps getting better; there isn't a lackluster track in the bunch.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
The ultimate rare treasure. [24 Sep 2005, p.47]
Stylus Magazine
With about twenty killer lines or couplets per song, unexpected hooks coming from everywhere and one of the most ingenious track sequences of the year, it’s not really so hard to imagine what The Wrens have been doing all this time.
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
A stunning return filled with irresistible pop of all varieties.... Note to major labels: you missed a gem. [#5, p.116]
Mojo
They've perfected their emo pop. [Jan 2006, p.132]
All Music Guide
It's possible that The Meadowlands might be a "better" album if it were more focused and logical, but there's something to be said for its immersive, stream-of-consciousness approach.
Read Full Review >Neumu.net
With all four members taking the mic, cohesion should hardly be expected. Yet, for all the different styles the band employs on this album, all but the closing number seem indelibly stamped as this band's work, uniquely The Wrens.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
The Meadowlands represents an impressive triumph of persistence over talent. [Oct 2005, p.121]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 84 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Pim W. gave it a10:
Wow. It feels like receiving a precious gift to discover an album like this. Never heard of the Wrens before but gave it a try after reading all the user comments at metacritic. three months later and I am still overwhelmed by the pure quality and originallity of the music. Every song has great in- and outro's and unbelievably sticky melodies. Still, the diversity is great. All songs add something to the whole instead of repeating another. Not being able to get the tunes out of my head is probably the only negativity I can think of with this masterpiece. Can''t wait for the Wrens to bring out the next. Give it a try, at least 5 times and you'll be sold completely. Enjoy!
James S. gave it a10:
Someone must have paid a pretty penny to have Q-magazine to lie and bring their metascore down. This is truely a one band in a million's masterpiece. If you spread the songs out over ten different albums with a bunch of filler (ala major label spin), ever one of these songs would be a hit single. The Wrens deserves so much more respect and praise.
[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Absolutely essential. You won't be able to get songs like "Happy" or "This Boy Is Exhausted" out of your head for weeks.
Ben H gave it a10:
Just fantastic. Right off the melodies and chords of this album is pleasing, but you can listen more and more and realize how genious the lyrics and every other aspect of the album are. This is my favorite ever.
Joachim gave it a10:
It's just an incredible album. I know I am only repeating what masses of people have said before me, but having discovered the Meadowlands album only just prior to X-mas 2006, I just can't stop playing it. There are so many totally overwhelming tunes on it, and whereas I one day can be totally in love with "She sends kisses" (which, although there's too many brilliant songs to single out one in particular, I after all must say is probably THE greatest song on this fantastic record), I can find myself in awe over "13 months in 6 minutes" the next day. Or be passionate to "Hopeless". Or indeed just chill to the tunes of "Boys, you wont". Thank you for sharing this with the world, Wrens lads.
Ttable Why gave it an8:
I had never heard of Wrens before and this is not the type of music I usually would expect to like, given that it is (for want of a better description) straightforward bar-band type rock'n'roll with just guitar, bass, drums, vocals and no real sparkly guitar riffs/melodies/solos. It is quite dark and chordy. I usually prefer psychedelic, "creative", bright melodic stuff like Super Furry Animals, Of Montreal. "This boy is exhausted" was the only song to really attract me on first listen. After about 4 listens, though I began to love all of the songs. The song structures really seep through and the depth and melodies are really beautiful and the singing is great and passionate. Its my favourite album of 2006 along with Destroyer and Midlake and Final Fantasy.
John R gave it a10:
It takes a lot of listens to fully get it but this is the greatest album I've ever played and ai've played a few thousand!
