I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: February 9, 2010
• Label: XL
• Copyright: 2010 XL Recordings Ltd.
• Total Length: 28:16
• Genres:
• ASIN: B0034EIVKK
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,145 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A battle for your soul and mine, February 17, 2010

By 

Scott D. Gribble (Baltimore MD) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: I'm New Here (Audio CD)

The past decade has been tragically ironic for the iconic Gil Scott-Heron. The man has been the voice of a revolution whose impact reached well beyond the scope of his music; striving to rescue people from the pitfalls of society. The idea that the same man would be severing multiple prison sentences, battling drug addiction and facing a rumored HIV diagnosis in his later years is beyond belief... few have fallen from such heights. Yet, often the most masterful works result from the worst tribulations. Immersed in his personal demons "I'm New Here" follows this mold.

Followers of Scott-Heron's career might be thrown off by this record. No, he hasn't lost his mastery of words. Gil is as poignant as ever. His spoken word cuts are comparable to his earliest works and he knows exactly how to use his ailing voice to favor. It's musically and topically where this album is a grand departure from anything he's released. Scott-Heron sounds like he's literally been through hell. He touches on his demise, the fate of his soul, and living with the pain left by the sins he's committed. Tracks like the "New York Is Killing Me" are a kin to "Home is Where the Hatred Is", only further exemplified by the fact that he's no longer playing a role: he's lived it. The production of Richard Russel meets this tone head on by providing a sinister soundscape which is a perfect counterpart to the lyrics. It is more inline with the recent works of Portishead, Burial and Massive Attack than what one would naturally expect from the soul legend. Combining the man's ragged voice and the despair in his words with the dark production is a simply haunting experience.

I would honestly NOT recommend this album for people who are ONLY looking for a return to Gil's work with Brian Jackson. Even the tracks that break the bleak mold, borrow more from Hip-Hop than neo-soul. If the idea of combining Small Talk at 125th and Lenox with the atmosphere of American IV: The Man Comes Around over a Live with Me backdrop sparks your curiosity then I would highly recommend the record as the experience will be gorgeous and heartbreaking.

While Gil Scott-Heron still commands a response from his audience, he urges in a way that he never has before: that of a tortured soul, begging others not to follow his path.

(8.5/10)

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 1/2 stars-- Uncompromising and intense-- in short, everything you wanted from Gil Scott-Heron, February 9, 2010

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I'm New Here (Audio CD)

It's been quite some time now since Gil Scott-Heron's last record (Spirits) came out, long enough to make me question, between the inactivity of recording and his recent legal problems, whether or not Scott-Heron, whose political activist voice we so desperately missed during the Bush presidency, would ever return. Featuring a modern vibe from producer Richard Russell, Scott-Heron mixes blues covers, originals and spoken word pieces to great effect-- passionate to the point of painful, disarming in its honesty and at times fierce. In fact, if there was a criticism to make, it's that the record is brief (around 30 minutes). But brief as it may be, "I'm New Here" is a powerful record, and certainly one we've been waiting for.

The album has that feel of exorcism to it, whether it's the demons of stereotype ("On Coming From a Broken Home") or those more recent (the title track). Sparse instrumentation in a highly modern context-- more modern than you think an elder statesman of music like Scott-Heron could pull off, provide a backdrop for his world weary voice, having lost some of its smooth delivery but still capable of summoning extraordinary depth of emotion. I never thought I'd hear anyone match the haunted Robert Johnson, but Scott-Heron takes on the blues great on "Me and the Devil" and matches him. Likewise, he expresses a pragmatic tenderness on "I'll Take Care of You" and an odd regretfulness on "Running".

Something stops me from thinking of this like Scott-Heron's masterpieces of old-- maybe its the lack of political commentary, maybe it's the lack of explosive joy that his previous records all seemed to have-- there's no "Red, Black & Green" or "Your Daddy Loves You" or "B-Movie" on this one. But look, it's hard to speak of what could have been on an album I never expected to see. It's a great record on its own merits. Highly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars welcome return, April 17, 2010

By 

Donald E. Gilliland (Bangkok, Thailand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: I'm New Here (Audio CD)

After waiting so many years to hear new music from Gil Scott-Heron --- one of my very favorite artists/musicians/poets/singers ---- I was both eager, and scared, when I herar this album was being released. I read all the stuff about his "ravaged" voice and the shortness of this album, and the lack of "new" material, but that wasn't going to stop me from buying it. And I'm glad I did; this is great stuff. Maybe his voice doesn't quite have the same depth and dynamics it used to, but to my ears it's still powerful, and so are these songs. Okay, maybe it's not accurate to call everything on this album "songs," but these tracks, or pieces, or whatever you wanna call them, are very haunting and moving. This album is a definite keeper in my collection. I needed to hear this. And I think all Gil Scott-Heron fans should do likewise. We need this man. Welcome back!