Pokey LaFarge is trading melancholy for merriment on his upcoming album, “Rhumba Country,” due out May 10th, 2024. This 10-song collection marks a departure from his usual sound, embracing a kaleidoscope of influences – mambo, tropicalia, rocksteady, and even mid-century American rock and roll.
LaFarge attributes this newfound zest for life to a major life change. After years of searching for a home, he landed in Mid-Coast Maine and took a job working on a local farm. This experience, he says, rekindled his creative spark and refocused his artistic purpose.
The album’s title playfully pokes fun at genre limitations. “Rhumba Country” isn’t easily categorized, existing in a space LaFarge has carved out for himself, one that transcends labels like “folk” or “country.”
The lead single, “Sister Andre,” exemplifies this joyful spirit. Inspired by a long-lived nun who passed away at 118, the song serves as a heartwarming ode to perseverance in love. The bubbly, vintage-tinged track is a clear indication of the overall mood LaFarge is setting with “Rhumba Country” – an album promising an infectious celebration of life. – Jason Felton