Review-a-palooza #3:

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron is a man who has lived a paradoxical life. He was the voice of a revolution and for his troubles became the godfather of rap and hip-hop. He was a black Thomas Paine whose words spoke of a cultural revolution for the poor America. And then he gave it all up. He got hooked on drugs, did time and worst of all stopped recording new albums after being dropped by his label. This new album is a statement saying that whatever he had back in the day, is still with him. He still has something to say and can say it better than most.

"I’m New Here" is new and uncertain ground for Scott-Heron. Aided by the magnificent Richard Russell whose electronica influences drag Scott-Heron’s rhymes kicking and screaming into the 2000’s. This is a deeply personal album with Scott-Heron’s wicked tongue and focus turned inward. He says this best in one of the many interludes on the album, “If you gotta pay for things you’ve done wrong, I’ve got a big bill coming for me at the end of the day.”

The album has some great tracks but feels disjointed. This could be due to the fact that it was recorded over several sessions that spanned years.

The Delta blues/Robert Johnson inspired track “Me and the Devil” is the disc’s first single and one of the strongest pieces. The voice that leaks from your speakers belongs to a man who has truly lived. It’s not been the best life, but it’s the only one he’s had. The album is full of Scott-Heron’s spoken word poems set to (at times) some great ambient and electronic pieces. While not for everyone, they are undeniably deep and moving.

The album is not without it's levity. "On Coming From A Broken Home" parts 1 and 2, Scott-Heron sends love to the women that raised him and argues that you have to be smart and realize what some people tell you is broken, can work just fine.

The album is short, too short. With only nine songs over two minutes one cannot help but think, “Is that all you have to say?” But maybe, what was said is enough.

At least, for now.

Favourite tracks: "Me And The Devil", "Where Did The Night Go" and "Your Soul And Mine"

Click here for his webpage.

Here's the video to the single "Me And The Devil"

And here is a link to the haunting "Where Did The Night Go"