Product Description Ry Cooder’s Election Special is a wake-up call as the US heads into the 2012 fall election season. On Election Special, which he produced, Cooder plays mandolin, guitar, and bass and wrote all of the songs, co-writing one with Joachim Cooder, who plays drums on the record. Review Even by Ry Cooder’s characteristically rarefied standards, this is a noble curiosity. After inspirational adventures with Cuban, Mexican and many other musical styles – not to mention a series of blissfully evocative movie soundtracks – Cooder gathers up his considerable roots in blues and R&B and steams into Barack Obama’s corner to help him hang on to the US presidency.America does have a tradition of campaigning songwriting, though it has rarely been as overt as Cooder’s approach here. He plays a variety of instruments, with son Joachim on drums, on a snarling succession of songs aimed right at jugular of the 2012 election.Republican candidate Mitt Romney is mercilessly lampooned in a shuffling blues written from the viewpoint of his pet dog, while the likes of Wall Street, Guantanamo, the Koch brothers and Sarah Palin are savaged by an artist sounding more animated than he’s done for years.Amongst this incendiary fare is a Robert Johnson deal-with-the-devil crossroads moment on Brother is Gone, highlighted by a wonderful mandolin arrangement. Elsewhere, more general attacks are made on Republican values with Kool-Aid – blistering electric guitar and jagged production disguising an updated Cocaine Blues – and the stomping The Wall Street Part of Town.Nods to America’s heritage abound, both lyrically and musically, in the strident R&B of Take Your Hands Off It, while The 90 and the 9, which references The Rolling Stones’ The Last Time, is a rather touching homage to Woody Guthrie, who knew something about political observation.Obama is vigorously defended on an impassioned Cold Cold Feeling, though its sympathetic tone is distorted by Cooder’s weirdly strangulated vocals on a desperate blues depicting a slightly manic, paranoid figure, wilting under the pressures of office as he paces the White House floor.The album’s long-term problem is whether it have any meaning or relevance once the election is done and dusted. Well, no, probably not in thematic terms; but the scathing humour of Going to Tampa is timeless and the thunderous Guantanamo, the sort of song Springsteen must wish he’d written, will remain a classic, whoever’s in the Oval Office. --Mike Diver Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off in a new window
J**T
still on form
I have been a fan of Ry Cooder from the earliest - I have everythinghe's done and still listen to it regularly, particularly in myworkshop. In my opinion he's at his best when playing materialcloser to his roots - I was not so keen on "Buddy" or, goingback a few years, "The Slide Area" - even so, he can do nowrong, so this latest will join an impressive body of workfrom one of the most significant players of the last 100 years.
M**S
Righteous Ry.
After such a long,esteemed career through folkblues, Tex-Mex.funk,film soundtracks and collaborations with musicians from all over the world, from Cuba to Ireland Ry keeps recording, luckily for us. This set shows us he's lost none of the fire,from the early days he interpreted Woody Guthrie with passion, and a real social conscience, this is in that vein. An attack on the right wing of American politics, Mitt Romney firmly in his sights, this is heartfelt stuff,great musicianship as usual. Another great album from Ry Cooder.
R**T
We won!
Brilliant! I've been a great fan of Ry Cooder since the 70s and my 20s. He has probably done more than anyone to mould my musical tastes and guitar style (such as it is). It's great to hear him on top form piling in against Romney, capitalism, bankers and those who want to do down the working classes. A great return to form. Ry plays almost all the instruments on this (his son Joachim doing most of the drumming). Occasionally (Wall Street part of Town) he makes you wonder what would have happened had he joined the Stones back in '68. Styles range from R&B to Woody Guthrie folk to blues à la John Lee Hooker. Say "Thank You" Mr Obama. 5 star album!!!!!
D**P
One Star
I had to return , faulty vinyl
P**Y
Ry back to his early best.
This is Ry Cooder back to his early style of singing/writing/playing and is a great CD especially if like me you really into the "original" Ry Cooder. At first I listened to the music rather than the words but after a few plays I'm getting into the lyrics, which again are typical of Cooders early stuff, brought up to date for the topic of this CD.
B**S
like it but
Have always been a fan and looked forward to this. As expected, the lyrics were excellent, a real "go" at the politics of the hour but the music lacked something; I am not sure what. I enjoyed listening to it but haven't actually played it that much since the first time.
L**E
Solid production and good, if same-y, collection of songs
I would have given this 5 stars if there had been a bit more humour or more variety in the songs. Granted, this is all on a theme, at a time when it mattered to get POTUS re-elected and the tea party activists sent packing, but it's a bit too earnest for me. I prefer his other recent work, including Chavez Ravine and Pull up Some Dust.
B**R
Ry Cooder at the top of his game
This is a superb, rocking album, with strong melodies and singing. Ry's voice has really strengthened in recent years and his delivery, mostly in a blues style, is spot on. As ever, his guitar playing and arrangements are brilliant. Most of all, the political message, anger and commitment, are conveyed with conviction and humour. A worthy follow up to the trilogy of Chavez Ravine, Buddy and I Flathead.
J**Y
Classic Cooder....
I put Cooder in the same category as the late JJ Cale: a fabulous musician, song writer and story teller. In this pointed collection of songs, Cooder doesn't disappoint.
R**O
Nella media per Mr. Ry-inarrivabile per molti altri
Si, non è il massimo che Ryland Cooder poteva offrirci ma è comunque molto ben suonato.Arrangiamenti Tex-Mex, chiatarra slide in splendida evidenza ed alcune canzoni eterne, qui suonate e spesso arrangiate in modo esemplare.Sentite Vigilante Man, con una slide che questa volta non fonde l'amplificatore della chitarra di Ry (come lui racconta di un concerto precedente) ma fa venire i brividi...
A**I
insomma...
Ryland Peter Cooder. Trovare un disco che non piace di questo signore è impresa ardua. Forse non il migliore, comunque da avere.
D**M
Ry Cooders best political-social album
Any and all who appretiate Ry Cooder will have to get this album, it's that good. Reflecting the loss of middle America and the growing power gap between the elite and the majority. This slice of Southern Blues-folk music strikes chords inn us all. I highly recommend this album, ot a bad song on the whole album, rare these days.
P**N
vinile perfetto
tutto perfetto... spedizione - imballaggio - tempi di consegna - prezzo (circa 13e + 2.90 di spedizione!!!) - qualità del supporto - qualità dell'opera e dei testi delle canzoni... Su tutte, per me ... Brother is gone!Grande venditore (Blind Owl) ... Grande Ry Cooder....Caro Ry quando vieni a Torino? Forza DAIII!!!
G**E
un gigante
su ry cooder cosa bisogna dire....se attacca la chitarrA al citofono di casa sua esce musica pure da li ....è enorme...va bè forse io con ry cooder non sono obbiettivo
R**F
politique mais surtout musique
Cet album me plait bien pour son alternance entre les passages acoustiques plutôt doux et les parties électriques appuyées dont certaines ont des relents stoniens, il y a même un blues fort sympa au milieuà mon goùt meilleur que l'album de l'an dernier.
P**9
le style de musique
ry cooer a souvent enregistré des genres de musique des 4 coins du monde ( mexicaine indienne africaine ) rien de tout ça ici pas d'instrument superflus (acodeon par exemple) juste ry et son fils joachim aux percus l'un des meilleurs ry tout simplement
V**E
Du bon !
Un disque de Ry Cooder c'est toujours le plaisir de retrouver un artiste de génie qui peut tout faire et le faire bien et plus .... Ce n'est pas mon préféré aujourd'hui mais que sera demain ? Les oeuvres de Ry Cooder se suivent sans jamais se ressembler , il fait partie de cette caste d'artistes largement supérieur à la moyenne et qui d'ors et déjà est entré dans l'histoire !
M**G
Super Album
Another great album as always by the King of slide guitar.
P**6
Abrechnung
!Ich habe die Schnauze voll!" So könnte man Ry's Äußerungen kurz und bündig sagen, die zum Entstehen dieses Albums geführt haben. Sehr kritisch und das ist gut so.
G**É
Sprühend vor Zorn und Wut
Ry Cooder hat wieder eine tolle Scheibe eingespielt (leider mit 38 Minuten Spielzeit sehr kurz, doch qualitativ umso besser!); seine Wut und sein Zorn über die nach Macht lechzenden Republicans sind fast in jeder Zeile spürbar. Ich kann ihm dabei nur beipflichten. Eigentlich sollte diese CD ein Pflichtprogramm für alle konservativen Denker sein. Romney ist ein typischer Vertreter dieses überholten Weltbildes. Die alten Muster und Denkweisen, bei der das Geld und das mechanistisch-lineare Denken im Zentrum allen Handelns stehen, hat ausgedient. Fritjof Capra hat dies in seinem Buch "Wendezeit" schon Anfang der 80-er Jahre des letzten Jahrhunderts erkannt. Ry Cooder setzt dies kongenial um mit seiner Musik! Ein Ausnahmekönner; grossartig!
ス**イ
本物のブルース・ミュージシャンになった感じ
前作「Pull Up Some Dust & Sit Down」から僅か1年、早いなあ。基本的な音はライ・クーダーと息子のヨアキム・クーダーの二人で作っているシンプルなロックサウンド。しかし65歳にもなっているのにライ・クーダーの声が元気で歌も上手い。5曲目の「Cold Cold Feeling｣なんか聴いているとこの人本物のブルース・ミュージシャンになった感じだなあ。38分と短いアルバムだが、ライ・クーダー絶好調維持の嬉しい作品だ。
W**H
Family Affair..
Ry Cooder - vocals, guitars, mandolin, bassJoachim Cooder - drumsArnold McCuller - harmony vocals on "Take Your Hands Off It"Bescheiden liest sich die knappe Besetzungsliste von "Election Special" - aber weniger ist bekanntlich oft mehr!So auch bei dieser erdigen, rootslastigen Einspielung, mit der sich - nomen est omen - der Saitenvirtuose mit seinemFilius Hals über Kopf in den US-Wahlkampf stürzt.Dass Cooder ein Gerechter ist und mit "Stray Dog Republicans" nichts am Hut hat, dürfte sich mittlerweile herumgesprochenhaben. Dementsprechend drastisch und realistisch fällt seine knallharte - musikalisch zwischen Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrieund John Lee Hooker angesiedelte - Bestandsaufnahme aus:Gleich im ersten Song - dessen Arrangement auch Tom Waits gut zu Gesicht stehen würde - bekommt Mitt Romney sein Fett weg.In "Brother Is Gone" stellt Cooder Robert Johnson`s Teufelspakt metaphorisch in Relation zu den mittlerweile berüchtigtenLehman Brothers. Thematisch ähnlich gelagert: "The Wall Street Part Of Town" - wir alle müssen für die"White-Collar-Schurkereien" tief in die Tasche greifen!Absoluter Höhepunkt, das bluesige "Cold Cold Feeling" - Cooder schlüpft für ein paar Minuten in die Rolle des imWhite House gepiesakten Präsidenten - alles republikanisch kontaminiert - nichts als Blockade - ein ständiger Kampf gegenheraufdräuende Neo-Segregation - "everything is going on wrong"!Dass die Faschingsgilde um Sarah Palin namens Tea Party in dem fröhlich intonierten "Going To Tampa" kräftig auf dieSchaufel genommen wird, versteht sich von selbst!"The 90 And The 9" rührt beeindruckend die Werbetrommel für die Demokraten, um unter deren Regie dem einen Prozent derBevölkerung, dem fast das gesamte Vermögen gehört, eins vor den Latz zu knallen.Sollte Obama - und das wollen wir doch hoffen - neuerlich gewinnen, wäre eine Cooder-Party im White House Pflicht - möglicherweiseergäbe das eine hervorragende Live-Session!
G**E
なかなかいい
殆どの歌詞が一方的な民主党支持の内容なので全体としては好き嫌いが別れるところだとは思いますが、それも含めて前の"Pull up some dust and sit down"の一線上にあるものだと思うし、曲のアレンジ等に関しては個人的にはこちらの方に親しみを感じます。話題に上る「力の入りすぎた歌い方」についても、これはライブなどでは、昔からそうだったし、彼の特徴の一つなのだと思います。一方で、歌が巧くなっている、というか非常に味が出て来たのは確かで、今は仲が悪いと言われる、ジョン・ハイアットを時々彷彿とさせるのは、皮肉です。
