Ry Cooder - I, Flathead

Ry Cooder’s I, Flathead, is the culmination of his ambitious and fascinating "California Trilogy," the last of three albums in which the singer and guitarist journeys through the real and imagined history of mid-20th century, multi-ethnic California, sampling the sounds of its barrios and byways, its nightclubs and honkytonks. He encounters the disenfranchised, the hopeful, the cheerfully strange and seriously nefarious, along with the occasional alien who races around in a souped-up flying saucer on the desert salt flats. On previous installments, Chávez Ravine (2005) and My Name Is Buddy (2007), learning the facts and stories behind Cooder’s songs made them even more compelling, whether it was the not-quite vanished legacy of the Chávez Ravine neighborhood of Los Angeles, bulldozed to make way for Dodger Stadium, or the allegorical, Bound For Glory-like adventures of Buddy Red Cat in a time of commie-baiting and union-busting. This time, however, no research is necessary: Cooder, a California native, has written a remarkable 104-page novella to accompany this disc, a surreally funny page-turner of a tale about itinerant musician Kash Buk and the various characters he meets in his travels out west, all of whom get to narrate parts of the story. If you mixed John Steinbeck with, say, Thomas Pynchon, and threw in a bit of Popular Mechanics for good measure, it might read something like the I, Flathead narrative. Amazon.com

OMG this is well done and Entertaining!

I've always heard about Ry Cooder's sterling credentials as a musican. It's just that I had the impression that most of his stuff was on the goofy side. But, since he is one of the top slide guitar players, I wanted something from him in our collection. To my surprise this is a great album and the thing that I really like about it (besides the excellent instrumentation) is that the lyrics are so entertaining. Instead of a disc to be played a couple times and put on the shelf, this is one to be played over and over and over again. October 13, 2008

fantastic and evolved Ry Cooder

I bought this for my husband's b'day. He has been a music connisseur forever...I sometimes hesitate wondering whether he will like an artist. He love this and so do I..I felt Ry Cooter couldn't loose and this release is enought of a change from the Ry Cooter of earlier days to be a fantastic and enjoyable trip into new territory with an old friend. Buy and enjoy....Great road, traveling music amd we're headed to the beach in a few days....I can feel it now... October 12, 2008

Still going strong.

This new Album from Ry Cooder is a knockout. I thought that he had topped it with Buena Vista Social Club, but this ROCKS.
It showcases every style that the man has given us........... it is SENSATIONAL.
I would LOVE to hear his next album be a classical one, as I think that that's all that is left.
For fans young and old, do yourselves a favour and buy this. September 4, 2008

5 Star Slide phenom

If you aren't well versed with Ry Cooder's music, you can be fairly certain that you'll get great music no matter which album of his you buy. This is the final of a trilogy about Los Angeles in the first half of the 20th century. Each has tells the story of the city and it's people. First was the album 'Chavez Ravine', the family oriented hispanic neighborhood cleared out to build Dodger Stadium. The second, 'My name is Buddy', is a fabulous ride through depression era migration and American socialism. If allegory leaves you cold, just enjoy the music. This album, 'I Flathead' is the final of the trio. If you really want a treat, the CD versions of Buddy and Flathead each include a very cool, small graphic novel within the CD case to accompany the album. Ry is one of our finest Musicologist and maybe the best slide player alive. (though Sonny Landreth is fabulous). August 16, 2008

Finally, an album surpassing his early work.

I love this album. I've been waiting years for Ry to equal
Boomer's Story and Borderline and his early work (most of which
I bought on casette 30 years or so ago and still have). I frequently
listen to Buena Vista Social Club, but Ry's contribution on that was
impressarial rather than musical.
This album has great electric guitar and lyrics but I believe Ry's
vocals are better than they have ever been. Maybe age has smoothed
out the gravel a bit, or maybe he just found his true voice. July 16, 2008

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