Since their 2017 debut, Che Apalache have taken audiences by storm with their fusion of Latin and American roots music. With their stirring new record Rearrange My Heart, the band takes their global sonic sensibilities to the task of exploring social issues ranging from immigration to religious fundamentalism and beyond. Produced by legendary banjoist and multiple GRAMMY-award winning producer B...la Fleck, Rearrange My Heart uses vivid lyrical storytelling to subtly and subversively challenge hateful narratives and offer a unique perspective on the global effect of American politics. Che Apalache is led by fiddler and vocalist Joe Troop—a North Carolina native who grew up on bluegrass and old-time—and features three powerhouse Latin American musicians – two from Argentina, Franco Martino (guitar), Martín Bobrik (mandolin), and Pau Barjau (banjo) from Mexico. Rearrange My Heart is an impressively cohesive 12-track record for the many influences it melds: Uruguayan murga, candombe, flamenco, mountain gospel, Spanish Sephardic Jewish music, and straight-up, hard-driving bluegrass, to name just some. With top-notch playing, wonderfully executed Stanley Brothers-style harmonies, and powerful lead vocals from Troop throughout, Rearrange My Heart is a vision of a truly “American” music, both in sound and stories; listening to Che Apalache lay this trailblazing groundwork is exciting, moving, and full of joyous surprises.
"Championed by producer Béla Fleck, Che Apalache's Rearrange My Heart has taken folk music radio by storm with an unusual back story and very original songs by leader, singer, and fiddler Joe Troop. Troop, a native North Carolinian, met his bandmates while living in Argentina, lending Che Apalache a distinctive sound that seamlessly blends elements of Appalachian and Latin music styles. With songs that mix Spanish and English within the same song, Rearrange My Heart may not be for everyone, but is clearly one of the most important bluegrass releases of last year." - Review by Art Menius
