Customer Reviews

Spirits

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1994, Gil Scott-Heron had not released a studio album in over a decade since by dropped by Arista in the 1980s. A lot had happened since then-- Gil Scott-Heron's musical children had gained in popularity and it seemed the so-called godfather of rap felt it was time to reassert himself.

What's remarkable is that his neither his songwriting nor his performing abilities have deteriorated-- embracing his many sounds of hte past (with many of his old cohorts alongside him including Malcolm Cecil, Brian Jackson and Ron Holloway), Scott-Heron opens the album tackling his children-- "Message to the Messengers" is a cautionary message to the rappers, delivered in spoken word over a looped spoken rhythmic figure, thumping bass, and hip hop beat. Quite honestly, it's powerful stuff, and it sets the stage for the rest of the record.

Scott-Heron proves remarkably diverse-- tackling Coltrane (proviing lyrics for "Spirits", which gets a rip roaring performance and a real highlight for Holloway), smokey r&b ("Give Her a Call") and his own jazz infused roots ("Don't Give Up"). Along the way, he brings forth a Christmas prayer as moving as anything I've ever heard ("Spirits Past") and provides a frighteningly relevent spoken word piece concerning the military industrial complex on "Work For Peace", with rhythms provided by Ali Shaheed Muhammed of A Tribe Called Quest.

But with all this, the centerpiece of the album is an extended remake (nearly 20 minutes) of "Home is Where the Hatred Is", retitled "The Other Side". A meditation on drug addiction, it provides a remarkably passionate, powerful, beautiful and horrible presentation of a man gripped by drug addiction. Scott-Heron's vocal is so powerful, given his recent troubles one can't help but wonder how autobiographical it is.

Bottom line-- there's no shortage of brilliance on this record. Comebacks are often embarassing, but this one stands up among the best of his work. It's only a pity Scott-Heron can't seem to get it together enough to release a followup. In today's political climate, "Spirits" proves as relevent as any piece written in the intervening twelve years, and it stands as a critical part of the legacy of a giant. Highly recommended.

Definetely not his best work but not awful by any stretch. Spirits was the first album by GSH on the TVT label and the first studio album from him in years.? Fans of Gil Scott's firey, angry poerty will be suprised at the fact that Spirits contains none of the youthful angry exuberrence from many of his other albums. But what is here is a more exprienced somber, reflective Gil. Gill sings mostly on Spirits. But there is some of his tradmark social commentary in the form of poems. The first track Message to the messengers he sounds as if he's passing the torch of performance poetry to todays rappers. On it he instructs and chides them on how to become a messenger. The last track work for peace gives us a down beat Gil Scott as he breaks down the military. The almost heartbreaking Give her a call is especially reflective. he laments on his mistakes with the opposite sex. On the albums center piece The other side is a three part 15 minute extremely musical ode to his strugle quitting drugs that start off almost sleepily and ends with a cresendo of Gil's wailing that he might never come home again. It's probably one of his best songs. Overall this probably isn't the album for first time GSH fans but definetely a great one for hardcore fans.

This 1994 album was Scott Heron's first release of original music after an absence of ten years. Spirits is an album of mostly intimate music in his inimitable style that is a seamless bend of jazz, soul and intelligent rap. Standout tracks include the jazzy title track, the gentle soul song Give Her A Call and The Other Side, an impressive 3-part suite with tempo changes, brilliant instrumental solos and delicious funky sections. With its poetic lyrics, Work For Peace is a great rap number, whilst Don't Give Up is another mellow track with great melody and vocals. Spirits was a welcome return for the original rapper in the 1990s.

This is a must for even softcore GSH fans. The songwriting, lyrics and musicianship are all first-rate, and every song grew on me, both lyrically and musically. I'm amazed at how well GSH has maintained his roots while adapting the music and the message to the 1990's funk/soul vernacular, and how pleasurable the results are on this album. Even seven years later, I still love and listen to Spirits regularly.

Oh yeah, that's nice baby, real cool, just the way I likes it. Not rock. Rock of ages. Not rock and roll. Rocks da house. You feel what I'm feelin! It might not be such a bad idea to buy it again. You know what? I get my wallet out and put my money right where my mouth is. Yeah, you bet! Right now. Mr Gil Scott-Heron rocks da house and the house damn gone and liked it. Five out of five from this mofo. Go out and get it brothers and sisters. With a quickness.

I was at one of the first concerts when Gil came out with this CD. It was a small theater in Baltimore and he was so close to the audience everyone felt like he was singing just to them. You could tell he tore out a piece of his heart to make this music so all the pros/cons of would be reviewers seem ludicrous if you've ever seen him live! I was playing the CD for a friend on a road trip and when the trip was over she 'borrowed' the CD and said she was never giving it back. Feel the vibe of this man and his music - get out of your head and into your SPIRIT and enjoy it! Gil Scott-Heron is transparent and transformative.

I've read some reviews that criticize Gil Scott-Heron's voice on Spirits. They say it has deteriorated and that it's no longer "great." The first thing I would say to these critics is to check out the fantastic title track, "Sprits." Instrumentally, the song sounds like a lost gem from John Coltrane's A Love Supreme; vocally, Scott-Heron sounds as strong as ever on this tune; as far as I can tell, there's nothing he used to do with his voice in the '70s that he doesn't do here. Meanwhile, I will admit that Scott-Heron's singing does sound much rougher on other songs, but I wouldn't call it weak or even inferior to his early sound--just different. If you ask me, the rough singing--which may indeed be intentional--sounds perfect for this material. Listen to "The Other Side," Sprits' magnificent three-part centerpiece, and then listen to "Home is Where the Hatred Is" from Pieces of a Man (1971). "The Other Side" (Part 3, anyway) is a re-working of the old song, but the older Scott-Heron, weathered voice and all, gives the material a new richness and depth. Both versions are great, and both convey their own attitude and experience, reflective of Scott-Heron's place in life at the time. Check out Spirits. The voice may have changed, but I think it's among Gil Scott-Heron's very best albums.

Oh my goodness!!! This is a must have cd if you are a fan of Gil Scott-Heron. The soulfulness and heartfelt lyrics cannot be over-looked on this cd. The man gives you a glimpse inside his heart, his soul, and his mind. I cannot say enough about this cd! I have purchased it for friends & family members. Have a listen...I know you will enjoy this one.

There are a few songs on this release that still don't appeal to me even after 12 years of listening. "Spirits Past" is a Christmas song, of sorts; why listen to it year-round? "Lady's Song" and "Don't Give Up" are okay but don't measure up to the rest of GSH's work in my opinion.

This said, the rest of the album is mindblowing. For me it climaxes with the 3-part suite "The Other Side"--this is overwhelming, the most powerful piece of music I have ever heard about addiction. It borrows heavily from his earlier song "Home is Where the Hatred Is" but also takes it to a whole different level with new lyrics, a tight jazz-rock arrangement, and one helluva searing guitar solo. GSH has had his own battles with addiction over the years and here we are getting a raw, scary glimpse into an addict's life: "You keep saying/Kick it, quit it, kick it, quit it/God, but did you ever try?/It turns your sick soul inside out/So that the world/So that the world/Can watch you die"... God, it still gives me chills.

"Work for Peace" deals with Gulf War One and the military actions of the early 1990s but it also speaks to the folly of war in the present day, taking an incisive bite out of the military-industrial complex and the politicians who serve its will. "They took the honor from the honoraries/Took the dignity from the dignitaries/Took the secrets from the secretaries/But they left the bitch in obituary." GSH is right: peace isn't coming this way, we have to work for it. This is a message everyone needs to hear.

"SPIRITS" is perhaps not the first album to get for someone unfamiliar with GSH's work, but it's worth having even for those who aren't serious fans.

Gil Scott Heron is a profound, political poet/musician who charismatically exploits the climate of righteousness. Like African American leaders of old Gil exploits the nefarious perfidious purveyors of justice through impeccable melodic rhytmic tones and rhym, which is just one facet of his jewel. Through his music he ventures his own experiences with integrity. Gil is a talented virtuoso of urban music whos genre is analogous to time. In an industry focused on profit and tainted with bias Gil may never receive proper recognition.