‘Wish You Well’ by singer-songwriter Chell. is a six track album that delves deep into our singer’s mind, revealing layers of powerful vulnerability over simple, deliberately slow instrumentation. There’s a weight to each track, the lyrics piercing through with this sense of strong emotionality that leaves an impression.
A rush of betrayal turns into quiet acceptance. This acceptance hides a deep sense of pain that is pushed and pushed until it turns into almost detached numbness. Every track offers up this poignant sense of depth in clarity, moving from one aspect of sadness to another. This eluding to this vastness that hints at this larger inner world, highlighted by the album’s overall trajectory.
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‘Wish You Well’: Track-by-Track
‘Wish You Well’ (1): ‘Little Girl’-’Who Would I Call?’
‘Little Girl’ sets the tone for the rest of the album with its minimal, ambient guitars and pretty somber tone. Its lyrics juxtapose this sense of calm, betraying this fresh, palpable sense of betrayal and abandonment.
“…How can you love me when you weren’t really there?…”.
Its lines feel autobiographical, allowing these moments this space for expression, with unbridled passion before the mood switches. Now there’s a detached sense of calm, with a kind of quiet acceptance. “…No, (I’m) not your little girl, no I never was….”. “….The memories no longer haunt me…”.
“…I just hope you find peace with your new family,
I just wish you well…”.
‘God’s Unfavorite’ feels fatalistic in the aftermath of the quiet acceptance in ‘Little Girl’. There’s this sense of guilt and regret almost, of not doing enough for the people the narrator loves. She brands herself as “…God’s unfavorite…I’ll just lay in the bed that I have made…”. Its a singular emotion that only seems to spiral downwards.
‘Hypocrite’ feels like a reply in ths dialectic, trying to be a soothing balm to the pain our ‘God’s Unfavorite’ is experiencing. The guitars get slower each song, and almost feel like they’re descending down this spiral that keeps on expanding. The song expresses this futile attempt to keep the person they’re trying to protect safe.
“…I want to keep you safe and sound, but how can I if you’re not around?…”.
This song seamless transition into the album’s interlude ‘Who Would I Call?’, a moment of respite and reflection for those listening. The spoken dialogue keeps us suspended in the headspace of the narrator, giving us time to reflect before we dive in once more.
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‘Wish You Well’ (2): ‘Alive’ & ‘Wish You Were Here’
Something happens between ‘Who Would I Call?’ and ‘Alive’ that begins this cathartic sense of resolution that’s mixed with grief. ‘Alive’ feels like an aftermath, beginning with a phone ringing and ending with a wish. The whole song is wishes for things to be different, that the person could redo all their actions for a different outcome. “….If only i could rewind…”.
But the final lines of the song make that feeling seem futile though.
“…I swear I’d redo all my actions when we were alive.
I’d give my heart up to take it.
Give up my soul so you could make it alive…”.
There’s a haunting sense of resolve in these last two songs that feel distant and numbing.
The last song on the album, ‘Wish You Were Here’ sounds like the slow drawl of time passing by. Its vibe is slow and dreamy as though we’re drifting through the motions on a warm day.
“…I fell asleep all alone in my misery…”
The lyrics ache for phantom comfort, highlighting the aching numbness in this song’s soundscape.
“…Oh how I wish you were here…
…What I would give to have you here to comfort me…”.
The numbness is a thin veil for the narrator’s guilt, seeming to hold that emotion up to a mirror even as the song’s final notes fade away.
“…I made you run away…”.
In conclusion, ‘Wish You Well’ by Chell. uses immersive lyrics and minimal soundscape to paint a picture of this vast inner-world. A world that feels large and expansive, but also like a pure expression of regret, guilt and ceaseless pain. Its a moving album, with moments that feel cathartic and whole.
The Artist
Chell. is a singer-songwriter from the Bay Area (and an aspiring stay-at-home dog mom).
Follow her on Instagram!
Listen to ‘Wish You Well’ here:
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