Guitarist/singer Ry Cooder is one of the original Americana/roots-rockers, and has been exploring the nooks and crannies of American music since the 1960s. I, FLATHEAD finds Cooder delving into blues, country, jazz, Western swing, and more. On some tracks, Cooder pays specific tribute to his musical heroes, name-checking pedal steel guitar legend Speedy West on "Steel Guitar Heaven", and serving up tunes named for Johnny Cash and Western swing sultan Spade Cooley. However traditional the setting, though, Cooder's raw, Captain Beefheart-like voice (he appeared on the Captain's first LP, SAFE AS MILK) keeps things agreeably quirky throughout the album.
