Pokey LaFarge’s newest release is a throwback for modern times, deceptively weaving contemporary criticisms within juke‑joint nostalgia. His career has dedicated over two decades to the landscape of modern Americana—the result is a unique blend of architectural rock sounds that charm beyond pure revivalism. Undoubtedly inspired by the hardships of touring musicianship, Rent Money demonstrates the relevancy of the pre‑war, working‑class struggle to that of today’s. Written with wife Addie Hamilton as well as having production efforts from Elliot Bergman, the album coats tape‑worn grain across fantastic guitar plucks and wonderful melodies.
“The Thing” is an excellent primer for the record’s ethos that lodges the disillusionment of success within a rockabilly riff. It’s an outspoken statement that challenges kitchen‑table issues with fulfillment. “My Baby Loves Me” is equally blunt, opening with “They don’t like the way I look / They don’t like the way I talk”—a wry declaration of authenticity that doubles as a critique of conformity in the pursuit of success.
LaFarge’s greatest strength comes from his ability to lean into the shared DNA of various American rock traditions and treat genre as connective tissue. The title track channels the well‑known grind of financial survival and landlord hassle through a reggae groove. Broad relatability surfaces in lines like “I know I’ll get ahead, the day that I’m dead,” a morbidly funny distillation of working‑class fatalism that feels both lived and communal. The southern‑rock grit and gospel chants of “Work” further underscore the through‑lines LaFarge meticulously identifies, particularly rhythmic kinship, and allow him to seam genres together at their natural joints.
In his consistent lyrical refusal of capitalism, resolution is offered through Christian faith. “Can’t Take It with You” warns of the fate of the afterlife over a funk‑rock lick reminiscent of David Bowie’s “Fame,” using its elastic rhythm to make a similar commentary on materialism. These spiritual and economic tensions give the album its emotional ballast, grounding LaFarge’s retro palette in something more urgent than nostalgia.
LaFarge’s hard turn into past Americana sounds is anything but indulgent, especially in an age where musicians are fighting against the hyper-sanitation of digital production and the encroaching threat of AI. His dedication to retro sensibilities becomes a pointed refusal of homogenization and a staunch declaration of individuality. Rent Money ultimately argues that the textures of human‑made music—its grit, its warmth, its imperfections—still carry expressive power.
LaFarge is currently on tour for the record, performing across seven countries with 39 upcoming concerts, including U.S. dates in September, November, and December 2026, plus a full European leg beginning March 2027.
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