GIL SCOTT-HERON — I'm New Here (review)

GIL SCOTT-HERON — I'm New Here album cover

Album · 2010 · Pop/Art Song/Folk

4/5 · 2011-07-20
dreadpirateroberts

The last studio album from Gil Scott-Heron is a spoken word album, not without some musical backing, and an album which is as compelling as it is revealing.

As a writer of poetry and lyrics, this time around Scott-Heron had the advantage of looking back on quite a life, being able to draw upon a range of experiences and colour them not only with his usual razor-sharp wit, but his graveled voice too.

'I'm New Here' is an album that spreads itself over several genres. Spoken word, Interview, Soul, Electronica, Acoustic, it has a lot going on. But mostly in small doses. Pieces average two minutes each, some few get up over three and some of the 'Interludes' are under ten seconds, almost sound bites used to detail tiny insights from Scott-Heron.

Gil only sings on a few tracks, 'Me and the Devil' with its prominent beat, the Cohen-sounding 'I'm New Here,' the almost tortured 'I'll Take Care of You' and 'New York Is Killing Me.' Each have their own genre and feature fuller backings. Guitar, synth, piano and the wonderful hand-clap rhythm for 'New York...' are among the best moments on the record. But the words themselves are the focus. He is confessional, less aggressive and more reflective across these pieces. The two part, 'On Coming from a Broken Home' (which samples Kanye West's 'Flashing Lights') is a key example of this subject matter, and pays tribute to the women who raised him:

"But Lily Scott was absolutely not your mail order room service typecast black grandmother/ I was moved in with her; temporarily, just until things were patched, 'Til this was patched and 'til that was patched/ Until I became at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10/ The patch that held Lily Scott who held me and like them 4/ I became one more and I loved her from the absolute marrow of my bones."

'Your Soul and Mine' and 'Running' are two other standouts, backed by menacing synths and subtle, programmed beats. From 'Your Soul and Mine':

"Charon brought his wrath from the sea that sails on souls/ and saw the scavenger departing taking warm hearts to the cold. He knew the ghetto was a haven/ for the meanest creature ever known."

And 'Running' where his defiance shows through:

"Because running makes me look like everyone else, though I hope there will never be cause for that/ Because I will be running in the other direction, not running for cover/ Because if I knew where cover was, I would stay there and never have to run for it/ Not running for my life, because I have to be running for something of more value to be running and not in fear"

There are many other moments as powerful, and though none are as scathing as 'The Revolution Will Not be Televised' or 'H20 Gate Blues' the pieces remain strong. Simpler on some levels, but more emotive on others. If you appreciate Gil Scott-Heron's lyrics, then this is definitely worth buying. If you want a more musical album, note that 'I'm New Here' is not really comparable to 'Pieces of a Man' or funkier albums. But it's just as good, even if it comes in under 30 minutes. Four stars.