Hurray for the Riff Raff, akaname of New Orleans-based singer-songwriter Alynda Lee Segarra, has unveiled the title track from her forthcoming album, The Navigator.
Much like “Rican Beach,” which was released this past December, the tune is more rhythmically complex than most of her previous output. That should come as no surprise considering the fact that forthcoming album features percussionists Juan-Carlos Chaurand, Gregory Rogove (Rodrigo Amarante) and a trio of Bomba drummers.
According to the earlier press releases, The Navigator “tells an interwoven, cinematic story of a wandering soul at a crossroads of identity and ancestral weight. It finds a street kid named Navita traversing a perpetually burning city in search of herself.”
“The Navigator is the call of your ancestors asking you to finally make things right,” Segarra wrote in a Facebook post. “The Navigator is you trying to make your way through a society that says you are too brown, too female, too queer, or too smart for your own good. The Navigator defies borders. The Navigator is your child who believes in love. The Navigator is your father who has been to war and prays for peace. We all have an inner navigator who will guide us through this uncertain future. It’s time to listen.”
“The Navigator” is now the third track from the upcoming album to see the light of day, with the first two being “Rican Beach” and “Hungry Ghost.” While “Hungry Ghost” was accompanied by a full music video, the newest offering only comes with a brief teaser video.
The Navigator is set for release on March 10 via ATO Records, and marks Hurray for the Riff Raff’s first studio release since 2014’s Small Town Heroes. The album will be featured as the lead review in OffBeat’s upcoming March issue. Hurray for the Riff Raff has also announced a world tour that will culminate with a Jazz Fest after show at New Orleans’ Civic Theatre.