Pokey LaFarge's New Album Streaming in Full at Brooklyn Vegan
By: Caryn Robbins May. 15, 2017
Pokey LaFarge's new album, Manic Revelations, is now streaming in full at Brooklyn Vegan. Of the album, Brooklyn Vegan hails, "For Manic Revelations, he's taking his sound in slightly more modern directions. The recording is more polished, and the songs are fleshed out by a bold horn section that sooner recalls soul music (or the E Street Band) than old timey folk." The album will be released this Friday, May 19 on Rounder Records and is now available for pre-order at iTunes and Amazon.
Already receiving widespread acclaim, HuffPost recently premiered the official music video for "Riot In The Streets" (watch here) asserting, "...he presents this pensive but powerful weapon of a song in the form of a lively music video...Watch the video, then continue soaking up the words of LaFarge, who turned this flashpoint in American history into an earnest message of social consciousness that should make more than a few audiences stand up and cheer." Additionally, of the song, The New York Times declares, "Here's one retro-rocker who lives in the present. Pokey LaFarge sings like an old rockabilly shouter, and his backup on this song includes old-fashioned soul horns. But listen to the lyrics, which are about a race riot after a police shooting, trying to understand what happened and is happening. It's like an explanation of now, delivered in an ancient language."
Moreover, KCMP's The Current affirms, "Each chord, each riff shades the stories he sets up in his lyrics, always in search of the purest truth within the 10 forlorn, haunting melodies on Manic Revelations. A musician, a storyteller, a narrator of the messy, unkempt American experience... Pokey LaFarge sits, he watches, he writes. Everything that's worth happening happens in his songs," while Rolling Stone describes, "Unfaltering rhythm, optimistic gospel-pop melody and bright pops of brass contrast with his pointed observations about race relations and police violence in America."
In celebration of the release, LaFarge and his longtime band will embark on an extensive summer tour with special guests Lillie Mae and Kelsey Waldon. Performances include a special album release show at St. Louis' The Pageant on May 20 as well as stops at Chicago's Metro, Nashville's Mercy Lounge, New York's Bowery Ballroom and Rough Trade and Philadelphia's World Café Live. See below for complete details.
Recorded in LaFarge's hometown of St. Louis, Manic Revelations features 10 new original songs and was produced by the Southside Collective-LaFarge, Joey Glynn (bass), Ryan Koenig (harmonica, guitjo, electric guitar), Adam Hoskins (electric guitar), Matt Meyer (drums, percussion), Luc Klein (trumpet, euphonium, piano, glockenspiel), Alec Spiegelman (saxophone, piano, tubax, organ, clarinet, flute), David Beeman (tambourine, stylophone, guitar, organ)-along with additional production by Tony Hoffer.
"The manic revelation is the state where artists create," says LaFarge. "I got to the point in writing these songs where I felt like a house on fire that just kept burning." He continues, "This album is about confronting yourself. It's about confronting your city, its relation with the world, and all its people."
Since his debut in 2006, LaFarge has released seven studio albums, including his most recent, 2015's Something In The Water. Of the album, American Songwriter proclaimed, "immensely enjoyable...the sheer joy of these performances is contagious," while The Guardian described it as, "...a spirited attempt to keep American roots music-country blues, early jazz, ragtime and western swing-alive." Additionally, surrounding the album's release, LaFarge was featured on NPR's "Fresh Air." Listen to the full interview with Terry Gross here.
In addition to his life as a musician, LaFarge recently made his acting debut on CMT's new original series, "Sun Records," playing celebrated country artist and songwriter Hank Snow. More information about the program can be found here.
MANIC REVELATIONS TRACK LIST
1. Riot In The Streets
2. Must Be A Reason
3. Better Man Than Me
4. Bad Dreams
5. Mother Nature
6. Silent Movie
7. Good Luck Charm
8. Going To The Country
9. Wellington
10. I Will Never Change
POKEY LAFARGE CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
May 20-St. Louis, MO-The Pageant‡
June 14-Des Moines, IA-Simon Estes Amphitheater#
June 15-Minneapolis, MN-First Avenue*
June 16-Chicago, IL-Metro*
June 17-Detroit, MI-Magic Stick*
June 18-Grand Rapids, MI-Pyramid Scheme*
June 21-Indianapolis, IN-The Vogue*
June 22-Nashville, TN-Mercy Lounge*
June 23-Hamilton, OH-Whimmydiddle 2017 @ RiversEdge Amphitheater
June 24-Owensboro, KY-ROMP: Bluegrass Roots & Branches Festival
June 25-Asheville, NC-The Grey Eagle*
June 28-Louisville, KY-WFPK Waterfront Wednesday†
June 30-Cleveland, OH-Beachland Ballroom
July 1-Pittsburgh, PA-The Rex Theatre
July 2-Toronto, ON-Horseshoe Tavern
July 7-Burlington, VT-Higher Ground‡
July 8-Cambridge, MA-The Sinclair‡
July 12-New York, NY-Bowery Ballroom
July 13-Brooklyn, NY- Rough Trade NYC‡
July 14-Philadelphia, PA-World Cafe Live Downstairs‡
July 15-Greenfield, MA-Green River Festival
August 4-Wichita, KS-Wichita Vortex Music Festival§
September 23-Muncie, IN-Muncie Three Trails Music Series
September 24-Franklin, TN-Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival
September 29-Columbia, MO-Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival
*with special guest Lillie Mae
†appearing with Robyn Hitchcock, Carly Johnson
‡with special guest Kelsey Waldon
§appearing with Dwight Yoakam
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