Ry Cooder Paradise and Lunch (Acoustic Sounds 40 Series) 180g 45rpm 2LP (Use code: FREESHIPPING at Checkout Two Orders or More UK Only)

Few artists blend roots, soul, and sheer musicianship as effortlessly as Ry Cooder. A virtuoso guitarist, producer, and musical historian, Cooder has long been revered for unearthing the heart of American music — and Paradise and Lunch (1974) stands as one of his crowning achievements.

A good 20 years have passed since a band with ancient musicians from Cuba — the Buena Vista Social Club — took the world by storm. Behind the project, in the wings yet right in the midst of this unheard-of music, was Ry Cooder, who regarded this encounter as the greatest musical event of his entire life. The bottleneck guitar hero had always been very interested in the music from the other Americas ever since the solo albums he made in his early years, in which he told the story of the American folk and blues in a multitude of styles. Paradise and Lunch is no exception.

The faint smell of a wooden church from pioneering days wafts out of the processional antiphonal song "Jesus on the Mainline" and a healthy 12-bar blues paints a picture of what silent witnesses could tell if they could ("If Walls Could Talk"). Cooder and his sidemen felt themselves perfectly at home when adventuring further afield and this is testified to in the laid-back calypso rhythm of "It's All Over Now" and the clip-clop of "Mexican Divorce."

Steeped in gospel, blues, R&B, and Tex-Mex groove, this is Cooder at his most inspired — relaxed, confident, and surrounded by an ace lineup that includes jazz legend Earl "Fatha" Hines, gospel great Bobby King, and the irresistible rhythm of Jim Keltner. His interpretations of "Tattler," "Jesus on the Mainline," and "Ditty Wah Ditty" shimmer with warmth and personality, transforming traditional material into something timeless and distinctly his own.

This is essential listening for anyone who values authenticity, artistry, and great sound.