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"The Prodigal Son" is the sixteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ry Cooder, released May 11th, 2018 on the Fantasy label. The album was produced with his son, Joachim Cooder.
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 83, based on 11 reviews, indicating "Universal acclaim".
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In a very real sense then, The Prodigal Son lives up to its title, a return to his earliest archival sounds. “Gentrification” retraces the jaunty whimsy of his work with Taj Mahal (although the carefree rhythms and well-heeled brass also bring to mind the multicultural excursions of Paul Simon as well), while the age old blues standards “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” and “Straight Street” provide apt reminders of just how adept Cooder always is when indulging in traditional standards. Mostly though, these are songs that reflect reverence and reflection, and so it’s not surprising that “The Prodigal Son,” “Harbor of Love” “You Must Unload” and “I’ll Be Rested When the Roll is Called” temper their sentiments with a sincere sense of revival, making them songs that are celebratory even in the subtlest sense. Indeed, the faith and fervor are contagious.
That then is why Cooder is so much more than a master musician. He’s an artist who takes pride in furthering the sounds that are so essential to the broader scope of American music. (Simply listen to his stirring original “Jesus and Woody” for all the evidence neededThat in itself is well enough reason to welcome the prodigal son home.
Reviewed by Lee Zimmerman for blurtonline.com.
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