The Dark Ages is the new record from musician Dewey Kincade. The songs that make up The Dark Ages were written at a time when a career in music seemed far out of reach for him. Kincade left New York City with his wife and newborn daughter to begin a new life in Louisville, Kentucky. Chasing record deals gave way to raising children and simply making a living. And yet, the songs kept coming – songs that are strikingly good.
Right from the start, Tied to the Rhythm sets the tone with a furious burst of energy: horns, a kaleidoscopic instrumental palette, a keyboard solo with a touch of The Doors vibe, and Kincade’s manic vocal refrain – “I’m tied to the rhythm again” – which pulls you headfirst into this fourteen-track record.
The album covers wide stylistic ground. While influences from the ’60s and ’70s often bubble to the surface, We’re All Alone in This Together feels warm and timeless, carried by gentle backing vocals and the rich color of Kincade’s voice. The following Borderlands opens in a folky register but quickly shifts shape – its midsection blossoms into a hypnotic instrumental passage led by synths, pushing the song into an otherworldly space.
This is the first album recorded entirely in Dewey’s own studio. Grammy-nominated Andrew McKenna Lee co-produced alongside Dewey. And the production truly shows – it’s an absolute pleasure to listen to.
You Don’t Know (What You Think You Know) channels the spirit of Bruce Springsteen or the Drive-By Truckers, and this slightly melancholic mode is perhaps my favorite on the record – catchy, tightly crafted, and emotionally resonant. It flows beautifully into the ballad-like Shadow, where the guitar work shines; every second radiates the chemistry of a remarkably talented band assembled for these sessions.
The album features the Louisville lineup of The Navigators (Glen Howerton, Tim Halcomb, Woody Woodmansee, Mike Snowden, and Tonya Buckler), along with Fellow Travelers (Danny Flanigan, Steve Sizemore, Jordan Berger) and a wide circle of Louisville luminaries (Steve Cooley, Kimmet Cantwell, Meredith Noel, Leigh Anne Yost, Small Batch Brass, and Donna Mason). Even the next generation joins in with Sam Yost and Penelope Kincade. A lot of people contributed to the album, and it may sound like a cliché – but you can really hear it.
Shit Piles Up has clear single potential, but for me the more melancholic I Can’t Get to Sleep hit harder on an emotional level. Kincade’s raw vocal cuts through, especially when the instrumentation drops back in the final minute and his voice rises with sharp intensity – it’s one of the record’s most powerful moments.
On Pissed It All Away, the addition of harmonica gives the track a fresh texture. Toward the end, the duet Let It Go stands out with its strong folk-country vibe, recalling Eddie Vedder’s soundtrack for Into the Wild. (Why Can’t You) Read My Mind injects a burst of energy into the closing stretch, before Up Around the Bend wraps things up – a title that inevitably recalls Creedence Clearwater Revival, a band whose spirit (along with The Band) surfaces throughout the listening experience. It’s a fitting and satisfying conclusion.
The title The Dark Ages refers to the period during which these songs were written, when Dewey was working under the weight of failure. Yet listening to this record fills you not with darkness, but with optimism, joy, and the sense that music matters – even if it never reaches millions.
This album was discovered via SubmitHub
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