The restless American troubadour known as Pokey LaFarge has once again packed his suitcase, tuned his guitar, and set his sights on the open highway. This week, the celebrated singer-songwriter officially announced his forthcoming full-length record Rent Money, due September 11, 2026 through Boxer Boy Records, accompanied by the release of its title track and a brand-new motion picture now spinning across YouTube and streaming services nationwide.
For over a decade, Pokey LaFarge has occupied a singular lane within American music—equal parts riverboat storyteller, swing revivalist, folk rambler, and rock ’n’ roll preservationist. Yet with Rent Money, the musician appears poised not simply to revisit the sounds of the past, but to confront the realities of the present.
The album’s lead single, “Rent Money,” captures that balance perfectly. Equal parts buoyant and weary, the tune swings with the loose confidence of vintage rhythm & blues while carrying the unmistakable anxiety of modern survival. Beneath its infectious groove lies a familiar working-class dilemma: trying to hold onto dignity, joy, and community while the bills continue piling up.
Written and composed collaboratively by LaFarge alongside Hamilton Addie and producer Elliot Bergman, the record reflects an artist still deeply committed to the craft of songwriting while allowing new collaborators to expand the sonic palette around him. Bergman, who also produced the album, helps shape a sound that remains rooted in Americana.
Visually, the project embraces the same handmade spirit that has long defined LaFarge’s artistic identity. Album artwork, photography, and layout duties were handled by Danielle Catherine Head, whose imagery frames Rent Money as both timeless and unmistakably contemporary. The accompanying video for the title track—directed by Jacob Butler with additional visuals from Head—extends that atmosphere further, pairing the song’s ragged optimism with cinematic snapshots of modern American drift and determination.
The album itself unfolds across eleven tracks split between two sides, with titles like “Work,” “Stick Together,” and “Can’t Take It With You” suggesting a continued fascination with labor, resilience, and fleeting pleasures. Elsewhere, songs such as “Hambone” and “Big Boss Man” hint toward LaFarge’s enduring affection for early American rhythm traditions, filtered through his own weathered perspective.
To carry these songs directly to the people, LaFarge has also announced an expansive North American tour beginning July 23rd at Iowa’s famed Codfish Hollow Barnstormers venue. From there, the road stretches onward through theaters, clubs, and dance halls across the continent before culminating December 19th at Los Angeles’ historic Lodge Room. The tour will feature both full-band performances and intimate solo appearances, continuing LaFarge’s longstanding commitment to live performance as the beating heart of his work.
In many ways, Rent Money feels like a record arriving precisely when it should. At a moment when much of popular music leans toward polished detachment, Pokey LaFarge continues to offer songs rooted in humanity—songs about scraping by, holding on, and finding rhythm amid uncertainty. And if the title track is any indication, Rent Money may prove to be one of the songwriter’s most relatable and enduring statements yet.
