Pokey LaFarge
NewMusicforOldFolks says …
Part of my job at NewMusicforOldFolks is to help people discover artists that they might like that they've never heard of. One of the good things about that is that I get to learn along with them. When the site launched a couple of months back, I asked my friend Dave for some feedback and maybe some artist suggestions. It took him about two seconds to respond with Pokey LaFarge. Given the name, I thought he was kidding. Then I watched the video for "Something in the Water," and I figured Pokey was kidding. Neither of those things is true. LaFarge provides Americana music with a Midwestern feel, sometimes with tongue firmly planted in cheek. But if you get past the silly name it's very catchy and fun. I found myself singing "Something in the Water" a couple of days after watching the video.
Artist's Info
Website: pokeylafarge.net
See them live: Tour dates
Record company: Rounder
Genre: Roots, Americana
If you like this, look into: JD McPherson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Houndmouth
Bio (From AllMusic.com)
“It really feels like I’m taking a big step forward on this one,” Pokey LaFarge says of Something in the Water, his seventh album and his Rounder debut. “While we were recording it, I kept thinking, ‘Hey, we’re really onto something here.’” Indeed, the dozen-song set marks a new landmark in a career that’s already filled with musical highlights. The St. Louis-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist draws from a deep well of American musical traditions to create distinctively personal music that’s timeless rather than retro, transcending the confines of genre in a manner that reflects the artist’s openhearted attitude. (more)
Spotify sampler
Recordings
Most Recent
SOMETHING IN THE WATER (2015): Pokey LaFarge makes original Midwestern music. With one foot deep in the heart of the American musical tradition and the other firmly planted in the present, he continually challenges the notion that tradition-bearers fail to push musical boundaries. An eclectic writer and performer, he incorporates elements of early jazz, ragtime, country blues, Western swing, and beyond, transcending the confines of genre to present a sound very much his own. Something in the Water follows on the heels of his last album, released on Jack White's Third Man Records, but comes with an evolution in sound. Treated with a heavier dose of catchy rhythms and traditional drum kit percussion throughout, the 12 tracks on Something in the Water see LaFarge's sound imbued with new life. Produced by kindred spirit Jimmy Sutton, Something in Water showcases Pokey LaFarge's peerless gifts as a songwriter, performer, and entertainer, and further solidifies his place at the forefront of American music.
OTHERS
Marmalade (2006)
Beat, Move, and Shake (2008)
Riverboat Soul (2010)
Middle of Everywhere (2011)
Live in Holland (2012)
Pokey LaFarge (2013)
