Ry Cooder: Chicken Skin Music

BY NOW, Ry Cooder has established his niche so conclusively that you already know whether you like him or not. His curiously pinched vocals. His guitar and mandolin work, his boundless resourcefulness in seeking out material: these are all givens. He's come far enough now that when he does a blues or a country song, or a Trinidadian song or a rocker. You don't even think of those labels – all of his material sounds uniquely Cooder, regardless of where he's dredged it up or what new ethnic sounds he's utilizing for inspiration. Chicken Skin Music does him as proud as its predecessors.