Wells is the collaborative work of Miles R. Waltuck and Stephanie H. Shih, … Read Full Bio ↴Wells is the collaborative work of Miles R. Waltuck and Stephanie H. Shih, a team spread distantly (though sometimes nearer than not) across the East Coast. Since the summer of 2007 Wells has haltingly gathered together to record a song at a time, each in a single night. The melodies that emerge from the Waltuck family basement are sweet and fun, good for both falling asleep and waking up to. Increasingly, the pair passes itself off as musicians who actually know how to play the instruments they are playing, though listeners ought not be fooled.

Wells is also the recording project of Chicagoans Chris Howaniec and Zane Ranney, both members of now-defunct folk-rock band World's First Flying Machine. This Wells plays mid-to-downtempo rock, drawing from its influences in psych rock, slowcore, ambient and early-'90s emo. Chris Howaniec is the songwriter, arranger, vocalist and producer, playing all parts on their two EPs ("Wells" and "Feel Bad") except the drums, which Zane Ranney is infinitely better at.

Wells is also also the name of a former four-man group from Charlottesville, VA that disbanded in January 2006.

Anoxia
Wells Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Your bleeding heart
Fake purpose
Is a measure of holy impasse

And he left you all alone
No one you love
Is waiting

A purpose
No one can show you
All this lacking
Stands before you

And he left you all alone
No one you love
Is waiting
You can't pay your way home
No one you love is waiting

All your
Ends are dead

All your
Means are shit

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Wells's song "Anoxia" delve into themes of isolation, disillusionment, and the emptiness that can arise from a lack of purpose. The opening lines, "Your bleeding heart, fake purpose, is a measure of holy impasse," suggest that the singer is experiencing a deep sense of emotional pain and confusion. Their attempts to find meaning or purpose in life are counterfeit and ultimately lead to a dead end.

The lines "And he left you all alone, no one you love is waiting" depict a sense of abandonment and the absence of meaningful relationships. The singer is left feeling isolated and unsupported. The repetition of this sentiment emphasizes the emotional weight it carries.

The chorus of the song touches on the futility of searching for purpose when it cannot be externally bestowed upon oneself: "A purpose no one can show you, all this lacking stands before you." The singer struggles to understand their own purpose and feels a sense of emptiness because it cannot be found through others.

The final lines, "All your ends are dead, all your means are shit," encapsulate the feeling of hopelessness and a lack of direction. The use of strong language here intensifies the sense of frustration and despair the singer is experiencing.

Overall, "Anoxia" offers a bleak exploration of the consequences of lacking purpose and the emptiness that can result from it. It highlights the pain of isolation and the struggle to find meaning in life.

Line by Line Meaning

Your bleeding heart
Your overly emotional nature

Fake purpose
A sense of direction that is not genuine

Is a measure of holy impasse
Reflects a spiritual deadlock

And he left you all alone
He abandoned you without support

No one you love
None of the people you care about

Is waiting
Is eagerly anticipating your return

A purpose
A sense of direction

No one can show you
No one can guide you

All this lacking
All these deficiencies

Stands before you
Are present in front of you

You can't pay your way home
You are unable to buy your path back to where you belong