After her first sensational album release Like Water, Wendy from Red Velvet returns with her second solo project, Wish You Hell.
Wish You Hell by Wendy offers listeners a mix of addictive pop, catchy melodies, and rhythmic guitar melodies. Composed of six tracks, this album is a stark contrast to Wendy’s usual melancholic ballad-y approach, instead incorporating pop, rock, and R&B ballads into one.
The title track, “Wish You Hell,” is a simple, melodic pop-rock song that sets the “breakup” tone for the rest of the album. I really liked the punk-y, “grimy” guitar sound at the start of the song, so much so that I wish it was used a little more as I feel it fits in with the “loathing” aspect of the lyrics when she says, “I wish you hell, I don’t wish you well.” The sassiness of the lyrics fits perfectly with the song’s pop sound and is further elevated when combined with the music video.
The next track, “His Car Isn’t Yours,” is where Wendy’s voice, in my opinion, shines the most. Emotions saturate every beat and the gentle instrumental almost gives off the feeling of sobering up after “Wish You Hell’s” aggression. The R&B beats in the chorus mixed with Wendy’s ad-libs make this a loop-worthy song.
Next up, is “Best Ever.” Compared to the previous two tracks, this one is admittedly much simpler, and much more “cutesy” with trumpets and finger snaps sprinkled throughout the song.
The fourth track, “Better Judgement,” is a big contrast to “Best Ever” and “Wish You Hell,” offering a mellow mood, similar to the final stages of grief after a breakup. It almost serves as a palate cleanser before the album’s peak, “Queen Of The Party,” where Wendy sings about resolution and acceptance, ready to move on.
In “Vermillion,” Wendy’s vocals shine once again, this time with full R&B. Brassy instruments are present throughout the song while the vocals are more peaceful, elevating towards the chorus and gradually fading out, signifying both the end of her love story and the end of the album.
As much as I enjoyed this album, my only concern is how simple it is compared to what Wendy can do. Wendy is extremely capable vocal-wise, with her range reaching a high of G5. I don’t mean she should be belting out in every song, but I feel that “Wish You Hell” doesn’t accurately display Wendy’s capabilities.
In conclusion, Wish You Hell is an excellent debut into more of a pop-punk sound, bringing in a brand new style with so many different sounds highlighting her softer vocals. However, these six tracks only showcase a quarter of what Wendy can do.
With that in mind, I can only wait patiently for her next project, whether it be another solo or a group comeback.
Wish You Hell is available to stream on all major music platforms.
