The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site

Label: Epitaph
Genre: Folk Rock
Year: 2003
Recommended by: Abe Martinez

The first time I listened to The Weakerthans was because of their curling themed song "Tournament of Hearts". They are a Canadian Folk-Punk_Rock band. They are pretty great and I enjoy it every single time I hear a song of theirs. However, there is something that doesn't hook me in the way other bands do.

It's because they are Canadian I think.

The album is full of great songs. "One Great City!" is a pretty fantastic song, that is full of digs at the city of Winnipeg. It's great.

The Ataris - So Long Astoria

Label: Columbia
Genre: Pop Punk
Year: 2003
Recommended by: Stephen Weidner

I like The Ataris. I hate So Long Astoria. "Boys of Summer" was bad when Don Henley originally wrote it, the cover is still not good. 

I'm going to sound like a hipster, but End is Forever is The Ataris album you should listen to. It's songwriting is better, the music is more interesting, and Don Henley didn't write any of the songs.

The Ataris basically became the American Nickelback. They are an unoffensive capable band who can churn a few hits out there, but seem to be uninterested to say anything. Listen to End is Forever.

The Wrens - Meadowlands

Label: Absolutely Kosher
Year: 2003
Genre: Indie Rock
Recommending Person: Chrissy Walker

The Wrens are another in a long list of bands where I just agreed that they were a good band and sort of moved on without a second thought.

I The previous notion I had of The Wrens was that they were is a slow paced harmonic Indie Bands that were plentiful in the 2000s. I was very pleasantly surprised that The Wrens fucking ROCK.

They do have the ability to create layered melodic beautiful songs, but they are out and out a Rock Band. The intensity of every song is evident from the first second onward. The entire album is induces a constant head bop. 

The only issue is that the Wrens will never get big. They lack a big hook that leads to heavy radio play and people really getting behind a band. The closest to a big single they have on The Meadowlands is easily "Hopeless" and that is still a bit clustered in the repetitive nature of big pop songs on terrestrial radio. That doesn't matter, because The Wrens are great, I hope they only become big because people love The Wrens, not a great chorus.