Album Review – Justin Wells – “Cynthiana”

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photo: Cowtown Chad

#570 (Americana) on the Country DDS.

“Cynthiana” is not the name of the wife of singer and songwriter Justin Wells. Andrea is her name. Cynthiana is the town in Kentucky where the two met, and the name of Justin’s latest record that he dedicates to his wife Andrea, and released on her birthday, February 20th.

Cynthiana is one of those albums that it doesn’t really matter what you and I think about it, because it wasn’t meant for us. It was meant for Andrea. And as long as she is happy with it (and by all accounts, she is), then it’s mission accomplished. But as is often the case, when an artist circumvents commercial calculations and instead creates something that they want to hear and that expresses what they want to say, the result is an elevated level of art for everyone to enjoy.

This album does more than just buy Justin Wells some grace the next time he leaves the toilet seat up or the milk out on the counter. By mining his deepest emotions of love, devotion, and thankfulness, he composes songs that resonate deeply with anyone who finds themselves in similar circumstances, and those who aspire to. The result is poetry, including lines of loyalty like “I’d tear the world wide open bleed the ocean out of blue,” that makes a dozen roses and a Hallmark card seem ineffectual.

Cynthiana is a far cry from the snarl of Justin Wells’ Southern rock band Fifth on the Floor where he started his music career. But since going solo he’s fallen into the habit of always trying to write memorable songs, including Saving Country Music’s 2016 Song of the Year “The Dogs.” Each time Justin writes a new song, he’s trying to outdo himself. Whether he succeeds or not, the outcome is one quality song after another.


Of course it’s the love songs like “Counting Days” and “Queen of Queens” that define the Cynthiana experience. “‘Til The Stars Won’t Burn” is a great exploration of the textures of Justin’s voice; you feel the “whoas” deep in your marrow. But the album starts with Justin addressing internal anxieties in the song “Little Buildings,” which is also one of the more upbeat moments on the album. Another standout song is “Up There With The Angles” about the rising oligarchical structure of the United States.

Cynthiana isn’t for the passive listener. The melodies are more involved and nuanced than infectious. Justin doesn’t utilize a lot of lyrical hooks, and instead relies on the weight of the moments and emotional haymakers to make a song memorable. It’s a heavy record. He asks a lot from his audience. But patient listening is rewarded, like the dreamy ending of “Big Benjamin.”

In the attention economy, artists like Justin Wells, and albums like Cynthiana are often in arrears for the attention they deserve. But the secret is understanding that none of that matters. Making music for yourself, your friends, your family, and whomever else wants to listen in is the only way to keep the intentions pure, and the results something you can be proud of no matter the financial outcome. Cynthiana was written and recorded for an audience of one. But its appeal extends to the many.

8.1/10

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