Justin Wells – Sad, Tomorrow (2025)
With ‘Sad, Tomorrow’, Kentucky favourite Justin Wells has fantastically explored friendship and the struggles that come along with it. Taken from his new album Cynthiana, ‘Sad, Tomorrow’ is a song full of feeling and all the qualities you’d expect in a truly skilled bard like Wells.
From the beautifully composed guitar to the harmonica spread throughout the track, I was captivated straight away. I think Wells’ storytelling and exploration of himself really elevates ‘Sad, Tomorrow’ to a song which is not easily forgotten. With the classic country twang in his vocals, there is no denying where he’s from, and it’s easy to see why he is regarded as such a beloved figure in the Kentucky music scene.
‘Sad, Tomorrow’ really struck a chord with me; I could completely empathise with what Justin Wells was trying to convey. Especially upon hearing what he had to say on the single: “I wanted to write this song about that feeling of helplessness you have when a friend is struggling with depression, when the only thing you can do sometimes is just be there.” This quote just emphasized how personal this subject is and how tough it can be to cope with feelings of helplessness when it comes to the people we’re closest to.
I’m always looking for the next act to deep-dive into, and with Justin Wells I’ve found just that. He told Rolling Stone, “I don’t make country music. I don’t make Americana music. It’s blue-collar music… It’s for people who struggle day-to-day in this world. Ultimately, it’s about the human condition, distilling your story down to the common thread.” Reading this quote, my interest was piqued further, and I can’t wait to listen to Cynthiana in its entirety.
Find out more about Justin Wells on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
Listen to more country music on The Other Side Reviews Country playlist:
