Everyone’s life story is a little unique. We are all given different opportunities and chances. We all make decisions differently and handle those outcomes in our own way. But one commonality everyone shares is the human experience. The cycle of life is inevitable. We are all in it just the same; doing it the best we can. We are in the middle of a global pandemic and even though we are all handling it differently, the fact remains that we are all affected by it. The need for empathy, understanding and patience is great right now. I have seen a lot of good happening in the world to benefit our fellow man, but I have also seen a great deal of hate and violence lately. Now, more than ever, is an important time to realize we are all in this together and although our stories are not all alike, we are all going through a unifying experience. That’s the reason Justin Wells has given us this meaningful collection of songs right now. We are and need to be The United State – a state of unity.  

Sometimes I feel like songwriters have this sixth sense or some level of enlightenment that allows them to know before we do, when we are going to need a song or songs to pull us through something. That’s how I feel about this album. It’s as though Justin Wells knew we would need a bright light in the dark we were unknowingly about to enter this year. He said that his first instinct after the entertainment industry shut down was to wait to tour in support of the album. Many artists put off releasing their albums because of this fact and he considered that himself. However, he knew that this album needed to be released and heard at this very moment, no matter what the industry’s situation was. I think he chose wisely. 

Although a few singles have already been released throughout the summer, this is an album best digested as a whole. It takes you through the journey of life and all the stages necessary to complete it; the highs, the lows and everything in between. The album opens with the ethereal pedal steel of J. Tom Hnatow, meant to symbolize the beginning of life in the womb and how a child knows the voice of its mother before birth. The significance of the title, “You’ll Never Know, Dear, How Much I Love You,” comes from Justin singing “You Are My Sunshine” to his mother when he was a kid. The outro of the album is symbolic of whatever happens or doesn’t happen after life. I asked Justin where the title “Farewell, Mr. Hooper” came from: 

“Mr. Hooper is Mr. Harold Hooper, a character on Sesame Street in the early 80’s. The actor passed away, and the writers went back and forth on how to write the character out of the show, with care and consideration for the children that were their audience. An option was to write the character as having moved away, or something along those lines. Ultimately, they went with writing it parallel to the truth, that Mr. Hooper had died. Big Bird struggles with the concept, and the adults walk him through it. This let the show address death-as-a-part-of-life as a concept to children, rather than letting it be this mysterious, frightful thing. The title of that episode was ‘Farewell, Mr. Hooper.’”

The first full track and lead off single, “The Screaming Song,” is a powerful one. It’s a thoughtful prose on the throes and wonderment of being born into this wild world. There is no other experience like it, for the birther or the being birthed. I am sure it is with good reason that a child cannot recall that memory or that the mother experiences an extremely high level of endorphins during the process, yet what an experience it must be to be born.

Following through on the timeline of tracks is the upbeat “No Time For A Broken Heart.” An ode to youth and all the reckless abandonment it carries with it. That’s the time to take the risks, rattle some cages, make your mistakes and then learn from them before the earnestness of adulthood sets in. “Let your hair down a little more/ Let it all fall to the floor/ Let the whole damn place know your name/ Leave it worse than it was before/ Be gone when they hit the door/ A young man’s gamble is a fool’s game”

The album ventures on, through piloting your individuality and independence in the stripped down “Some Distance From It All,” to the treasures and tribulations of learning the difference between lust and love in “Never Better.” Wells impresses upon the vulnerability of carving out your own path with the emotionally honey-soaked vocals that his fans have come to recognize. He and the band turn it up a notch to give us a rocker on the relationship that has come to an end in “Never Better.”

“After The Fall” received a rebirth while making its way onto this album in a soulful, bluesy rendition of love dwindling and the struggle to walk away. It was originally written for his former band, Fifth on the Floor, but only performed as a solo artist. The original song had a more honky tonk type sound that didn’t fit the composition of this album, so he changed the lyrics to give it the soulful feel it needed. “You can rob the whole world blind/ And I’ll take all the blame/ We could drive through the heartache/ We could laugh through the fall/ But you’re no angel/ And there’s no Heaven at all”

With the punchy groove, upbeat tempo and the title, “It’ll All Work Out,” one would assume that the next track oozes hope and optimism. But below the surface, the lyrics tell us that it's the contrary. From every direction in life, when we are faced with a daunting situation or decision, we are told “It’ll All Work Out.” This is where the term “blowing smoke up your ass” comes to mind. Because in reality, as we learn with experience, things in life certainly do not always work out. “I can’t keep up with Mr. Jones/ When his feet are up and mine are worn to the bone/ I left no stone unturned/ I’m crying out/ ‘But keep trying’ they said/ ‘Soon it’ll all work out’”

Fellow Kentuckian singer-songwriter, Abby Hamilton lays down the background vocals for “Temporary Blue” which is followed up by the latest single release, “Walls Fall Down.” This pair of love songs speaks to raising a family and the stability we seek in a life-long partner. My favorite of the album, “Walls Fall Down” is a reflection of devotion and unwavering love and respect. The video for the song is a nod to some of Justin’s favorite music venues in the eastern half of the country and supports saveourstages.com. Footage from eight venues in six states was shot on a cellphone by friend and musician, Adam Lee, while the directing (offsite) and editing was completed by Casey Pierce, who was also responsible for the music videos to “The Screaming Song” and “No Time For A Broken Heart.”

Finishing up the track list and closing the circle of life theme are the tender “Ruby” and “The Bridge.” “Ruby” has a funk style groove and was inspired by Justin’s grandmother and a life well lived. It’s about going out with resilience and hope of being reunited with loved ones in the hereafter. “The Bridge” brings the album full circle with the moody dobro of Laur Joamets. Justin had this to say about how this song relates to “The Screaming Song”: “no matter how many people are in the room when we arrive, no matter how many people are in the room when we leave, the transitions onto or off of this planet are wholly unique and our own.”

Under the encouragement and direction of producer, Duane Lundy, Wells was able to create the ultimate storyboard backed by some of the finest artists you could possibly muster up. Lundy and Wells first hit up The Midwest Sound studio in Rockford, IL to have brothers, Daxx (Cheaptrick) and Miles Nielson (Miles Nielsen and The Rusted Hearts), lay down the rhythm tracks. Back at The Lexington Recording company, they cut vocals and guitars with Laur Joamets (Sturgill Simpson, Drivin’ N Cryin’) and Alex Muñoz (Margo Price, Nikki Lane). GRAMMY-nominated producer/engineer/multi-instrumentalist Justin Craig covered eight different instruments for the album. Other instrumental credits go to Lee Carroll (keys), Tripp Bratton (percussion), Colin Palmer Kellogg (bass), Daniel Mohler (percussion) and the aforementioned J. Tom Hnatow (pedal steel). Additional harmonies throughout the album are provided by Miles Nielsen, Dave McClellan, and Daniel McMahon, all of Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts. The video for “You’ll Never Know, Dear, How Much I Love You” was directed by Jon Scott. Press photos by Cowtownchad (Chad Cochran). Album art by Keith Neltner of Neltner Small Batch and album cover photo, María, shot by Cristian Newman.

The album’s theme is forged in humanity, commonality and unity. Strip away all the dehumanizing things we are bombarded with every day, look past the things that make us unique and you will see that we all come into this world kicking and screaming, we all go through the same chapters of life and none of us get out of it alive. That’s what makes up The United State.

Dive in at: https://justinwells.ffm.to/theunitedstate.ofp

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