Yoni Wolf’s vision doesn’t fit easily into any boxes, and for over 20 years, he has followed his muse, writing amusingly and unsparingly about a specific type of guy, often himself. He co-founded the legendary indie hip-hop label Anticon and was a member of the revered collective Clouddead. WHY? previously reached their zenith on Alopecia, a masterful blend of hip-hop, electronics, and pop with unforgettable, darkly funny turns of phrase and vivid, unsettling imagery.
Wolf has mentioned that he writes WHY? records when he needs to take stock of how life situations affect him. Alopecia is a near-perfect wallow in the malaise of 20-something life, but that isn’t where Wolf is anymore. This time out, Wolf writes about a breakup with his trademark unsparing frankness on The Well I Fell Into. After the introduction, “Marigold” puts it all out there in the starkest terms: “I used to be married / Now I drag around the ring in a barrel of salt.”
“Brand New” is a heartbreaking declaration of directionlessness that is highly relatable to anyone who has been put in a tailspin by love. That is arguably one of the most significant differences between this and other WHY? releases. The most powerful passages on Elephant Eyelash and Alopecia are so filled with specifics that they seem like they could have only happened to Wolf, which makes for a compelling confession.
Here, there is a reaching out; the moments are universal. Feelings are described in open-hearted, plain-spoken terms, as on “Jump”, where he sings “I need a fucking jump, man” over a thumping, lurching beat. Wolf wears this perspective shift well. This record is filled with plaintive, lacerating lines.
The lyrics are heavy, but they are supported by some of the prettiest arrangements WHY? have recorded to date. The Well I Fell Into was recorded by Brian Joseph, known for his work with Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver, and fans of those artists will likely find a lot to like here. It’s a lush, textured collection of songs featuring some of Wolf’s most traditional songwriting. But Wolf cannot be conventional, and that tension between the heartbreaking words and the carefully constructed songs makes this one of the most enjoyable WHY? records, despite the depths of the sorrow contained in the lyrics. It is easy to imagine this going all wrong in the hands of someone less talented than Wolf. “Jump” has an uneasy, heavy sound with a trip-hop adjacent beat. “Sin Imperial” shows off Wolf’s singular flow and demonstrates how he hasn’t lost his gift for vivid imagery.
To Wolf’s credit, this is not an accusatory wallow. There are no fingers pointed. It’s more “dark night of the soul” than Here, My Dear. While there are some harrowing lines and images, his eyes are trained on healing and moving on, and the catharsis on the tracks toward the end of the record. “Versa Go?!” is another highlight; it sounds like a turning point out of the darkness and toward the light. By the closer, “Sending Out a Pamphlet”, he is hopeful. The Well I Fell Into is a harrowing journey that belongs on the shelf for the next time heartbreak comes calling.