Gil Scott-Heron : I’m New Here :: Review
Gil Scott-Heron’s album “I’m New Here” is a first in many ways. It marks the first time the legendary wordsmith and jazz poet has recorded in sixteen years and also the first album for XL Recordings. Gil Scott-Heron was signed to XL Recordings while incarcerated at Rikers Island prison on drug charges. Although Scott-Heron used to rail against drug usage in the 1970’s, it seems that he had fallen upon hard times and ultimately his music proved to be prophetic. Thankfully, “I’m New Here” offers a way back from oblivion and subsequently can introduce a new generation of listeners to the man that has been coined the “Godfather of Rap.”
“I’m New Here” is a lean album clocking in at a sparse 28 minutes. In the case of Gil Scott-Heron, less is more and he doesn’t piddle around with filler clogging up the arteries of his message. A spare acoustic and electronic setting accentuating his rough and broken voice augments Gil Scott-Heron’s message. It works, for the most part although I think his delivery might be better suited to more natural and organic arrangements.
“I’m New Here” is book ended with the autobiographical, “On Coming From a Broken Home (Parts 1& 2)” that details his raising and decries the absence of a male role model. From there, Scott-Heron delivers a harrowing take on Robert Johnson’s “Me And The Devil.” “Me And The Devil” is updated with an ominous dubstep beat with skittery electronics flittering back and forth throughout the song. The acoustic title track written by Smog offers a humorous take on Scott-Heron’s current frame of mind while “Your Soul and Mine” pilfers from Scott-Heron’s own “The Vulture.”
The forlorn piano setting on Bobby Bland’s “I’ll Take Care of You” suits Scott-Heron’s time ravaged voice that evokes the type of croak that Dylan and Waits have claimed. Scattered amongst the tracks are spoken word interludes that sound like samples of his prison diaries. “New York is Killing Me” features enough hand clapped percussion, scorched electro and a cribbed gospel choir that wouldn’t be out of place on a Moby album. On “I’m New Here” Gil Scott-Heron acquits himself of squandering time and proves that he is a survivor that hopefully you’ll hear more from before too long.
Rating: 
