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Rating: - And now for something completely different....
Fantastic follow up to 'Chavez Ravine' and 'My Name is Buddy' Ry Cooder completes the trilogy with 'I, Flathead' - and another fascinating tale of life in bygone America.
I opted for the 'deluxe version' to include a small hard backed book written by Ryland himself - which could easily be the script for a cult movie.
Cooder's ramblings made compulsive reading - taking you back to childhood sci-fi magazines - and more adult themed media - with a great cast including the space visitor Shakey and his salt flats racing buddies.
Don't forget Kash Buck - and his band The Klowns who take the music theme of the CD.
Some critics panned Cooder's last effort for not sounding 'classic ... Read More

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Rating: - Motors, motels and misfits...
Here's Ry Cooder, a legitmate guitar hero of the last forty years or so, and he has, apparently, written a novella. A novella! A short novel--it's about 100 pages and it is included in the "Deluxe Limited Edition" of his new I, Flathead release...or should I say publication.

When was the last time somebody included a novel with their new music? This could be the start of something big. And it will inspire alt-indies everywhere to write short stories or novels or poems to go with their new musical material. It's like Ray Davies or Pete Townshend releasing Preservation or Tommy, complete with a lovely, printed novelization of their stories.

This new work fits nicely with Cooder's ... Read More

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Rating: - He's got this runnin fine on all cylinders
It's said to be part of Cooder's California Trilogy along with Chavez Ravine and My Name is Buddy. The other two are great in their own right but this one excels at very fine guitar work which drew us to Ry Cooder in the first place. The songs and lyrics are clever and wacky at times but the great vocal inflections and intonations give a splashing of personality that's entertaining and fun to listen to. Cooder gets right down into his subject matter be it a dialogue with his Mexican mechanic about getting his Cadillac back or a country-light whimsy about a steel guitar heaven. The last song called Little Trona Girl may not be too fancy with words but the female vocalist is perfect as is the fantastic instrumentation. ... Read More

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Rating: - California Trilogy, Part 3 maintains the high standard.
I, Flathead, part 3 of Cooder's California trilogy sees the high standards set with "Chavez Ravine" and "My Name is Buddy" continuing.

Again a concept album telling the story of Kash Buk, a drag racer who wants to be a Country Musician. Despite this the music consists of several genres Western Swing, Country,Rock, tex Mex and Cooder teams again with old partners Jim Keltner and Flaco Jimenez to great success.

Cooder has been very prolific in recent years and I heard in a recent interview that the reason is he wants to get as much music out before the recording industry collapses!

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Rating: - Ry!
OK, you don't need a whole history.
Most people don't end up here cold.
Read the other reviews or the label PR to give you the basics about this trilogy.
This record continues the eclectic journey that is the essence of Ry's music. He really goes back to the music he would have heard on the radio and in the streets of LA as a kid. Amalgam of 50's Mex-pop, big-band, jazz, blues, rock and all that. Like his recent series, he is very reserved with the guitar solos that so defined his early work. With age he's become even more subtle, as if that was possible. But, when he puts it out it is as sweet as it gets. The best way to define this is adventurous (as always), fun, retro and still progressive.
Personally, ... Read More