Classic Albums: I’m New Here by Gil Scott-Heron

So I guess Gil Scott-Heron would be called something of a prototype rapper from when he did first appear back in the 70’s but today I’ve got his very last album he did in 2010. Well, Jamie from The xx did a somewhat of a remix album after this one the next year and then another album came after his death, more recording for the very some sessions as this album. It was his big comeback album after long time not recording at all because he was locked up in jail. Gil was arrest possession a few times and spend almost all his 2000’s as jail time but was offered a recording deal by the guy who runs XL record label, Richard Russell. It looked like he could have made a bit of a career comeback in the music industry but he died in 2011 after the release of this record. He did write a pretty great autobio/memoir before passing away too, published posthumously in 2012.

Now I know it’s his 1970’s songs/albums are more well known and yes they’re more likely to be on other music lists but here it’s a little different. I don’t follow the normal rules of making one here. I’m gonna say now with this album, this is going to be the first of a few albums made by artists making greater albums in the later days than their younger ones. Most def check out the older albums from 70’s if you’ve never heard him (or them, the ones that are not yet here on my blog but are going to be soon published.)

He’s was mainly called a spoken-word, soul, jazz and even poet performer back in the 70’s and on this his 13rd and final album he added labels like electronic, post-industrial, trip hop and a bit folk guitar playing to the mix. A lot of older artists seem to do what they did back in the 60’s/70’s or whatever and do nothing new on their 21st century albums, it’s all a bit boring but I guess that’s what the fans really want, same old thing so when some mess with that for whatever reasons I really totally dig it. It was like 15 or 16 years since his last album in early 90’s. The I’m New Here album did shine a light on him one more time about he passed away and in my little opinion, it’s his best work. Released in February 2010, it’s only a little older than seven years old but fits perfect into my Classic Albums stack.

So three covers are featured on this album and all three videos on this page. The title track is a Bill Callahan song from 2005, very old blues track by Robert Johnson Me and The Devil from 1930’s and then an old one by Brook Benton, I’ll Take Care of You originally recorded by Bobby Bland in 1959 but off course Drake and Rihanna reworked their own after Jamie xx 2011’s remix. All of those three come from totally different styles of music which you gonna totally love that idea but I think Johnson’s is my favorite, I’m pretty sure that was the first track from this album I heard somewhere? I can’t remember where but it was WTF is that Robert Johnson cover? He’s one of those old blues who no one until this one could cover and do him justice. Maybe it’s the whole new music and being totally eletronica now here because no one can play the guitar like Robert, yes even you Eric Clapton failed at that too.

These days when I put the album on now I listen to the remix album called We’re New Here by Jamie xx pretty much after every time because they seem to go hand in hand together with each other, I’m New Here is a little under half an hour so it’s a short album too. Both cover off course the same songs but I understand some don’t like any remix albums but it’s Jamie xx so it’s pretty cool really. I wouldn’t do it normally do this but I’m going to put the link here so you can just click if you do wanna just listen to it too, OK?

So who else digs Gil’s later album/s?

I’m New Here tracklisting and times:

1. On Coming from a Broken Home (Part 1) – 2:20
2. Me and The Devil – 3:33
3. I’m New Here 3:33
4. Your Soul and Mine – 2:02
5. Parents (Interlude) – 0:18
6. I’ll Take Care of You – 2:58
7. Being Blessed (Interlude) – 0:12
8. Where Did the Night Go – 1:14
9. I Was Guided (Interlude) – 0:14
10. New York Is Killing Me – 4:29
11. Certain Things (Interlude) – 0:08
12. Running – 2:00
13. The Crutch – 2:44
14. I’ve Been Me (Interlude) 0:16
15. On Coming from a Broken Home (Part 2) – 2:15