Alynda Lee Segarra’s fifth album as Hurray For The Riff Raff was a dramatic departure, as she jettisoned much of the rootsy sound of her previous records and wrote an ambitious concept album with sci-fi trappings and real-world implications. “Rican Beach” confronts the gentrification of immigrant neighborhoods in New York City and the displacement of settlers to the furthest outskirts of the boroughs. The song itself is a throwback to ‘70s salsoul and Fania Records, proving that urban Latin music is just as Americana as country or bluegrass.
