Well Wishers – A View From Above

I hadn’t realized quite how prolific Jeff Shelton had been until I’d heard that the upcoming Well Wishers album is the band’s ninth. After listening to A View from Above, I’m guessing that you’ll come to the same conclusion as I. This is the best one yet.

As with all Well Wishers records, it’s a guitar enthusiast’s delight. There are some great melodies and hooks aplenty. The lead off track, “Gravity Waits”, is a good example of this with an infectious chorus that’s hard to forget. My favorite song on A View From Above may be “I Like You Better”. Every time I hear it, I imagine that Michael Stipe would have identified this as one he would have wanted to record had the guys in REM given it for him.

Shelton also included a new take on a great song he’d written for another band he’s in. “I’m Not the Enemy” was the best song on the Trip Wire album of last year so the new version is a welcomed addition to this latest collection of Well Wishers guitar pop. More power pop and less punk in it’s approach, it’s even better this time ’round.

Don’t be surprised to see The Well Wishers’ A View from Above on this site’s best of list by the end of the year. The album will be available everywhere on April 10 but you can get the physical CD today at Kool Kat Musik or the Well Wishers’ Bandcamp page. Digital files will be available through iTunes and the usual outlets.