​Pokey LaFarge (from Rent Money

​Pokey LaFarge (from Rent Money

​Pokey LaFarge (from Rent Money on Boxer Boy Records/OneRPM) (by Bryant Liggett)
 
Some may call Pokey LaFarge a throwback musician. While his sound does nod toward decade’s past, and his look harkens to a 1950’s chic style, throwback is still wrong term. This is 21st Century Roots music influenced by dozens of styles, from 1950’s croon to 1980’s pop, a sound and formula he’s been curating and cultivating throughout his whole career, ever present on his wonderful new release Rent Money.
 
A guitar dances around Blues and Twang to kick off the record via “The Thing”, a cut that kicks the record off with a cool bounce. That Bluesy Twang and bounce rolls into the uber-cool “My Baby Loves Me”, with its catchy backing vocals that give the phrase ‘loves me’ a Gospel makeover, while cuts like “Work” and “Can’t Take It with You”, and their subtle, rock steady hints, could have easily been recorded in Studio One. 
“Big Boss Man” is rhythmic, with a soulfully bratty delivery, the definition coming from ‘na-na-na’ vocals, and a favorite of this reviewer is the single “Hambone”, an animated cut where Pokey LaFarge wouldn’t be out of place cutting this up to a soda-shop full of swinging youngsters. Rent Moneyproves Pokey LaFarge remains well versed in the cocktail that is Rock’n’Roll, Blues, Soul, R&B, and Garage Rock, all on display in the recording.
Hip is timeless, and Pokey LaFarge is hip. (by Bryant Liggett)
Listen and buy the music of Pokey LaFarge from AMAZON
 
For more information, please visit the Pokey LaFarge website