In The Loop Magazine Iconoclastic Troubadour Pokey LaFarge Drops Latest Single With New Album Out In Early Fall And Two Stops In Chicago

Iconoclastic Troubadour Pokey LaFarge Drops Latest Single With New Album Out In Early Fall And Two Stops In Chicago

Jun 23, 2026 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

Illinois native and Iconoclastic American troubadour Pokey LaFarge has shared his irresistible new single, “The Thing,” available everywhere now via his own Boxer Boy Records. An official music video – directed by Jacob Butler (LA LOM, Paul Cauthen) – premieres today on YouTube. “The Thing” marks the latest single and opening track from LaFarge’s eagerly awaited new album, Rent Money, arriving everywhere on Friday, September 11. Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now.

“The foundation of the record,” says Pokey LaFarge. “The first song written for the record and a positive retort to my own ‘F*** Me Up.’ A reminder that usually the one who craves to have more and more will usually be the most dissatisfied.”

LISTEN TO “THE THING”

WATCH “THE THING” (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE RENT MONEY

Produced by Elliot Bergman (Wild Belle, LA LOM, Natalie Bergman), Rent Money once again finds Pokey LaFarge deftly traversing the boundaries of genre, seamlessly integrating the myriad strains of 20th century American music – spanning, but not limited to, urban blues, primal rock ‘n roll, early jazz, ragtime, first wave reggae, boogie, gospel and electric country funk – with a freewheeling command of earnest songcraft, inspired performance, and subversive creativity. The album sees the Illinois native pushing forward yet again in what can be safely declared his finest collection to date, impassioned and mature, both as no-nonsense social commentary and heartfelt expression of personal experience. Driven by twanging guitars, plucky rhythms, and undeniably captivating melodies, songs like “My Baby Loves Me” and the outspoken first single and title track, “Rent Money,” soar and swing, their joyous refrains belying the kitchen-table issues and inescapable undercurrent of constant worry that permeates these troubled times.

“People are always going to tell you what they think you should play,” says Pokey LaFarge, “what you should sing about, how you should sound, how you should look, how you should act. And I’ve always just been like, nah. Nope. I’ve just completely gone my own way, and hopefully I’ve been honest and authentic in the process. “I’m just trying to make music that AI can’t replicate. Things are so homogenized right now. That’s what I’m really, really, really resistant to, especially when it comes to music. I’m not going to do it. I’m not going to conform.”

LISTEN TO “RENT MONEY”

WATCH “RENT MONEY” (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

LaFarge will introduce fans old and new to Rent Money with an epic North American headline tour featuring full-band performances and solo shows beginning July 23 at Maquoketa, IA’s Codfish Hollow Barnstormers and then traveling the continent through a holiday season finale at Los Angeles, CA’s historic Lodge Room on December 19.

For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.pokeylafarge.net/tour.

POKEY LAFARGE

RENT MONEY(Boxer Boy Records)

Release Date: Friday, September 11, 2026

TRACKLIST:
The Thing
My Baby Loves Me
Hambone
Rent Money
Stick Together
WorkStranger
Can’t Take it With You
Told You No
Big Boss Man
On and On

# # # POKEY LAFARGE – ON TOUR 2026
JULY 23 – Maquoketa, IA – Codfish Hollow24 – Berwyn, IL – FitzGerald’s Outdoors25 – Muncie, IN – Muncie Three Trails Music Series

AUGUST 27 – Arundel, ME – Vinegar Hill Music Theatre *28 – Plainfield, VT – The Creative Campus at Goddard *30 – Falmouth, MA – Hermann Theater @ Falmouth Academy *

SEPTEMBER 11 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre12 – St Louis, MO – Delmar Hall13 – Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s15 – Madison, WI – Atwood Music Hall16 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe17 – Ferndale, MI – The Magic Bag18 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall19 – Ottawa, ON – City Folk Festival20 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts of Homer22 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall23 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis25 – Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage26 – Pelham, TN – The Caverns27 – Indianapolis, IN – HI–FI Indy

NOVEMBER 10 – Somerville, MA – Arts at The Armory11 – Amherst, MA – The Drake Amherst12 – New York, NY – Sony Hall13 – Kingston, NY – Assembly14 – Camden, ME – Camden Opera House

DECEMBER 2 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall3 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line4 – Omaha, NE – Waiting Room Lounge5 – Denver, CO – The Gothic Theatre6 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s8 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Commonwealth Room9 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club11 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater12 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre13 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre15 – Sebastopol, CA – HopMonk Tavern16 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo’s 365 Club17 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall18 – Carlsbad, CA – NAMM Museum of Making Music19 – Los Angeles, CA – Lodge Room

* Solo Performance

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