New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Makin Waves Album of the Month: "Promises" by The Well Wish


By Bob Makin

originally published: 09/20/2023

I love the romance of Asbury Park-based The Well Wish. Two singer-songwriters, PJ Angeloni and Anya Schildge, become musical partners, fall in love, and also become life partners.

The Angelonis’ marriage permeates some of The Well Wish’s long-awaited EP, “Promises,” a five-song affair that is a follow-up to the three-song 2016 debut, “Of Heart and Mind,” and the 2019 stand-alone single, “Peace - Love - Truth.”

Each track on the new outing chronicles a promise of one kind or another, as well as the complicated intricacies of relationships. The poppy jangle ‘n’ mash of the opening “Here When You Call” is about the steadfast loyalty and trust required of any lasting relationship, especially a marriage.

The sweet, rootsy pickin’ of the soulful, driving title track builds into a surprising but energetic break up song about broken promises. A different direction than the opener allows The Well Wish to mix things up nicely.

An ocean allegory about the depth of true love, “Follow Me Down” has a beautiful haunting guitar akin to late Chris Isaak guitarist James Calvin Wilsey, but PJ’s take on “the King of Slow” features one of Anya’s best vocals.




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



The obsession chronicled in the unrequited girl group nod “Everywhere I Go” and the Sarah McLachlan-like closer “Nothing But a Lover” close out the all-too-brief collection, every track of which deserves as much adult contemporary and adult album alternative airplay as possible. I especially like Anya’s Roy Bittanesque piano run that ends the EP.

Joining the creative and seemingly happy couple on “Promises” is another Asbury husband-and-wife team: backing vocalist Sarah Berardi and drummer-percussionist Rich Berardi. Rich stands out most on the rhythmic feast of “Everywhere I Go,” while Sarah’s strong harmonies makes Anya’s delightful lead vocals even more impressive. Helping to hold down the rhythm throughout is bassist Prash Singh.

Recorded and mixed at Retromedia Sound Studios in Red Bank by Adam Vaccarelli (The Successful Failures, The Ribeye Brothers) and mastered at Daughterboard Audio by Elaine Rasnake, an acclaimed singer-songwriter in her own right, “Promises” can be heard live at two tasty gigs. On Sept. 30, The Well Wish will play Asbury Park Porchfest at 3 p.m. at 830 Dunlewy St. Donations collected at Porchfest will benefit Mercy Center, a nonprofit guided by the social justice tradition of the Catholic women’s organization Sisters of Mercy to alleviate generational poverty in the Greater Asbury Park area with services, programs and education, and Asbury Park African-American Music Project, a volunteer-run, community-driven project that celebrates the stories of Springwood Avenue through historical research and interviews, educational outreach, and public events.

The Well Wish also can be enjoyed 4 p.m. Nov. 18 at Transparent Clinch Gallery, also Asbury Park. For more about the quintet/duo, visit https://www.thewellwish.com.

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at makinwaves64@yahoo.



New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.




Reach New Jersey's largest arts & entertainment audience, click here for info on how to advertise at NJ Stage



FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


<sRyan Lee Crosby>

Ryan Lee Crosby

Thursday, April 02, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music


 

Nish

Nish Kumar: Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy

Thursday, April 02, 2026 @ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
91 University Place, Princeton, NJ 08540
category: music


 

Billy

Billy Ocean

Thursday, April 02, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Kean Stage - Wilkins Theatre
1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
category: music


 

Bywater

Bywater Call

Friday, April 03, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music


 

Candlelight

Candlelight Concerts - Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons

Friday, April 03, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: music


 


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Kean

Kean Stage presents Tito Puente, Jr.

(UNION, NJ) -- Tito Puente Jr., son of legendary American salsa and Latin jazz musician Tito Puente, will perform at Kean Stage on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The concert takes in Wilkins Theatre at 7:30pm.



Grunin

Grunin Center presents Latin Grammy Award Winner, Nella

(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Renowned singer Nella brings her multilingual artistry to Ocean County College, performing on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at the Grunin Center for the Arts. Showtime is 7:00pm.



The

The Newton Theatre presents The Wailers on May 16th

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Wailers are celebrating 50 years of "Rastaman Vibration" with a tour honoring one of Bob Marley & The Wailers' most influential albums. The tour comes to The Newton Theatre on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 8:00pm.



The

The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jonatha Brooke on Friday April 24, 2026 at 7:30pm. The singer-songwriter merges evocative folk, melodic pop, with an edgier roots rock sensibility.



Adelphi

Adelphi Orchestra to present "Soaring Melodies" in NJ and NYC

(RIVER EDGE, NJ) -- The Adelphi Orchestra, under the direction of Kyunghun Kim, presents Soaring Melodies, an inspiring program of classical masterworks to be performed on May 8 in NJ and May 16, 2026 in NYC.