| Election Special | ||||
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| Released | August 16, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2011–12 | |||
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| Length | 38:31 | |||
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| Producer | Ry Cooder | |||
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Election Special is the 15th studio album by American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ry Cooder. It was released on August 16, 2012, by Perro Verde and Nonesuch Records. Cooder recorded and produced the album mostly at Drive-By Studios in North Hollywood, performing all of the instrumentation, including bass, guitar, and mandolin, with the exception of drums, which were played by his son Joachim.
Based in American roots and blues rock music, Election Special features upbeat melodies, simple instrumentation, and sparse arrangements as a backdrop for protest songs that continue the topical storylines of Cooder's previous album Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down (2011). Displeased with the Republican Party and its financial supporters, Cooder wanted to write an album that would address listeners during the United States presidential election of 2012, which he believed would be a critical event in the country's history. A deeply political album, Election Special expands on its predecessor's socio-political musings and current event topics with forthright, satirical lyrics and song-form vignettes. Cooder's songwriting also exhibits liberal and populist sentiments, while drawing on older musical sources such as broadside ballads and country blues.
Released one week before the 2012 Republican National Convention, Election Special was met with generally positive reviews from critics, who applauded its topical protest songs and Cooder's musicianship. The album peaked at number 164 on the US Billboard 200, but charted significantly higher in other countries. Cooder did not tour in promotion of the album, citing a lost interest in both playing large concert venues and the commercial aspect of releasing records.