Glory, Glory

Dewey Kincade, the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Navigators, was born in St. Louis but put his band together after moving to New York City, and their EP Glory Glory seems to reflect this fusion of Midwestern sensibilities and Big City sophistication. Glory Glory's six tunes are intelligent and evocative and cover a broad palette, from the historical folkie simplicity of "Bow" to the sleek, shimmering textures of "The River" and the R&B-influenced strut of "I See You Clearly." But whichever way the group goes, Kincade's passionate, twangy vocals twist themselves to their surroundings with precision, and bassist Andrew Emer and drummer Phelim White give the songs a lean, organic groove that puts solid flesh and muscle on the frameworks of the melodies. The Navigators have a strong belief in the value of dynamics, and Glory Glory moves back and forth between the quiet and the raucous, but the band does so with a firm sense of purpose, and the approach suits Kincade's lyrics, which are literate but rooted in a sensibility that's pure and emotionally honest. The Navigators might seem arty and sophisticated compared to most of their peers in the roots rock/alt-country community, but Glory Glory never sounds pretentious; instead this is music that takes its influences and lets them follow new and different directions while respecting their original ideals and intentions, and the result is music that fuses several sensibilities while honoring its sources, recalling past, present, and future in one gesture. Glory Glory is fine stuff and confirms Kincade is a songwriter to watch.