REVIEW: Dewey Kincade – ‘The Dark Ages’

After stepping away from the relentless chase of the music industry, Dewey Kincade returns with ‘The Dark Ages’, a sprawling Southern rock odyssey born from the tension between responsibility and lingering artistic ambition. Relocating to Louisville, Kentucky, and embracing fatherhood shifted his world, but the music never stopped. This album feels like the cathartic product of that balancing act, a record forged in the quiet intensity of domestic life but brimming with the unrestrained power of someone who has lived, lost, and watched dreams transform.

The opening track ‘Tied to the Rhythm’ sets the tone immediately. The clavinet-inspired bounce, layered horns, and textured vocal effects push us into a restless, almost cosmic groove, where every beat suggests both struggle and persistence. Tracks like ‘Down in the Valley Again’ and ‘We’re All Alone in This Together’ confront us with a raw, emotional honesty; as Kincade doesn’t flinch from the messy truth of disappointment and isolation, yet threads in moments of warmth and solidarity that make the pain relatable and human.

His command of arrangement is particularly striking across the album’s fourteen tracks. From the gentle harmonica and organ of ‘Pissed It All Away’ to the gospel-tinged uplift of ‘Up Around the Bend’, he weaves a tapestry of sound that balances intensity with intimacy.

‘The Dark Ages’ is not an easy listen, and that’s precisely its power. It’s a record that challenges us to confront exhaustion, disillusionment, and resilience in equal measure. Dewey Kincade has crafted an album that is uncompromising yet deeply human, a reminder that even in the aftermath of deferred dreams, music can act as both confession and redemption. This is Southern rock with a conscience, a heart, and a voice that refuses to be ignored.