The first time I heard Pokey LaFarge was in 2013, when Third Man Records released his sixth album. It was good, old timey fun and for a while, it was in heavy rotation. Since then, I had lost track. Maybe I thought LaFarge was more of a novelty, a little too cute to be taken seriously, and I simply lost interest. Cut to over ten years later, and my friend Jeff, the same guy who hipped me to Pokey in the first place, asked if I had heard his new one, "Rhumba Country." I hadn't, so I gave it a go. It was not what I was expecting...at all.
"Rhumba Country" still has a bit of novelty to it, but only because the arrangements are fresh and unique. It no longer sounds like Pokey LaFarge was trying to make music in 1928. This is a solid collection of pop, with hints of rhythm & blues, rockabilly, and even a bit of rhumba, as the title suggests. All of these tracks feel special thanks to that Pokey spin and style.
I'm going to spend a bit more time with "Rhumba Country" and then work my way backwards to see what I've missed. Check out these samples and maybe you'll enjoy Pokey's new one as much as I did.
8 comments:
Another great discovery from Burning Wood!
Randy
Be sure to check out this one while you can! You have to sign in and be 18 to watch the official video.
"Fuck Me Up"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q872Vo-OfCw
I'm liking it.
First heard Pokey in the front seat of an Armenian multi-millionaire's Range Rover. He was interested in some property I was selling. I was introduced to him by my neighboring property owner's real estate agent. Her name was Myra and she was a gorgeous blonde woman of 45. She told me that Hagop, the Armenian dude, was really interested in my property and wanted to do a deal without a broker or agent. I asked her what was in it for her. She said nothing. She was a friend of the dude and wanted to turn me on to him. She gave me his number. A couple of days later I called the guy and told him Myra gave me the number. He informed me that Myra had dropped dead the day before. It was shocking and awkward. Nevertheless, he set up a get aquainted business-dinner meeting at El Coyote. Turned out the meeting landed on the day of Myra's funeral. So we ended up going to her funeral together before El Coyote. The services were at the Fukui Mortuary, a name we both found amusing. On the way up to the funeral he was playing some really weak new age jazz bullshit. I think he was trying to be sure not to offend me. The shit was worse than Scott Cossu, which I didn't think was possible. When we left the Fukui Mortuary I asked him if he had something else to play. That's when he whipped Pokey out. My ears perked up. It was "The Middle of Everywhere" album. It might have been a throwback sound, but the guy had a one of a kind voice. He wrote pretty good songs too.
So about a year later. my daughter is pestering me to go to a Jack White concert at the Wiltern with her. I told her "Fuck the Wiltern. They should have never ripped the seats out." He was doing two nights. My daughter, being a fan of all things Jack White, was going both nights. After the first night, she was telling me about the concert. She asked me if I had ever heard of Pokey LaFarge. I asked why she asked. She told me Pokey was Jack White's opening act. That's why I went with her the second night. Saw him four times since but not after 2016
His sound began evolving in 2017 with Manic Revelations. I think, like me, Sal would approve of the 2017 > 2024 stuff. Everything before is pretty old-timey. I never considered the guy hokey. He's a major talent. But for sake of the rhyme.
VR
I'm not sure how you would describe Pokey's music to someone who hasn't heard of him but the tunes are damn catchy. Current checking out Pokey's In the Blossom ... from 2021.
Sal, the Shout It Out chat box doesn't work on my end. I was wondering if you have checked Gyasi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xJjYXGRGsM
Great stuff. I think I'll buy it.
I just listened to Rhumba Country. I'd say Pokey is the real deal.
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