In anticipation of the upcoming US presidential election, guitar legend and musical conservationist Ry Cooder has released Election Special, an eclectic and brilliantly executed collection of politically charged blues and roots songs.
Opening with the cleverly titled “Mutt Romney Blues”, a song about how poorly Romney treats his dog, Cooder ambles through with lines like “where I’m going, I don’t know” and “get me down, off this roof/please master boss, woof woof woof.”
Election Special traverses style as well as subject matter as it continues to “Brother Gone”, a beautifully crafted roots ballad about the Koch brothers making a deal with Satan. “Guantanamo”, “Kool-Aid” and “Take Your Hands Off It” (in reference to the American constitution) are also standouts.
While it doesn’t re-invent the wheel, Election Special is an incredible collection of beautifully performed protest songs.
– Nigel Moyes
