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.




Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info



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.




Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info



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.


New

New Jersey Symphony Presents Randall Goosby Returns

Thursday, January 08, 2026 @ 7:00pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
category: music


 

Yellow

Yellow Brick Joel: The Tribute Concert

Thursday, January 08, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 

James

James Maddock

Friday, January 09, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music


 

Candlelight

Candlelight Concerts - Tribute to Queen and The Beatles

Friday, January 09, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: music


 

Yellow

Yellow Brick Joel: The Tribute Concert

Friday, January 09, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 


 

EVENT PREVIEWS

New

New Jersey Symphony celebrates the Year of the Horse with its annual Lunar New Year concert

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Symphony welcomes the Year of the Horse with its ninth annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 7, 2026 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. Seattle Symphony Associate Conductor Sunny Xia and Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Winner Haochen Zhang make their New Jersey Symphony debuts. Showtime is 7:30pm.



The

The Scottish Rite Auditorium presents MANIA: The ABBA Tribute on Saturday

(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- The Scottish Rite Auditorium presents MANIA: The ABBA Tribute on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Doors are at 7:00pm; showtime is 8:00pm.



The

The Vogel presents RAEL - The Music of Genesis and Peter Gabriel on Saturday

(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents RAEL - The Music of Genesis and Peter Gabriel on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 7:30pm. They are a New York and Northern New Jersey-based tribute band that recaptures the energy and originality of the "early years" live stage performances by Genesis.



The

The Levoy Theatre presents Return to Paradise - A Tribute to the Music of Styx on Saturday

(MILLVILLE, NJ) -- The Levoy Theatre presents Return to Paradise - A Tribute to the Music of Styx on Saturday, January 10, 2026. Doors are at 7:00pm; showtime is 8:00pm.



NJPAC

NJPAC presents Get the Led Out

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Get the Led Out (GTLO) on Friday, January 9, 2026 at 8:00pm. The powerhouse band impeccably re-creates Led Zeppelin’s studio album sound.