I'm New Here
Artist: Gil Scott-Heron
URL: http://gilscottheron.net
Times: 15 tracks/28 minutes

Author, poet, and musician, Gil Scott-Heron, has been away from the bright lights for well over a decade. This is the first record I've ever heard by him, even though he has been recording and writing since the late 60's, so I thought a quick glance at his bio was necessary. Heron's influence on rap is noted, his iconic "The Revolution will not be Televised" is mentioned as a strong influence on jazz and hip-hop artists, and his struggle with drugs, especially over the last decade or so, details an artist not unaware of the darker side of the street.

With this in mind, I'm still surprised by what I hear. This record is a soundscape of psalms, Gil Scott-Heron style. Thudding, ominous electronics abound, but somehow the record retains an earthy quality, in no small part due to Heron's weathered voice, which, at times, wails like a whirlwind, and at others, is as calm and steady as a sunset. There are a number of spoken word pieces, some sounding like snippets of conversation, others like poetry recitals. A few themes emerge: the importance of home and family, and the battle to keep from doing harm, to self and others, in a world of temptation and heartbreak.

The bomb drops soon and often. Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil" stalks out of the speakers, awash in thumps, thuds and creepy synths, and I shiver. This is frightening stuff, but still, I'm drawn in. Heron surveys the lay of the land, and it's not a pretty sight. Evil spirits roam at will on Greyhound buses, spewing destruction, division, and dysfunction. The Devil pays housecalls, and he's not too shy to make himself at home. The song ends abruptly with the single chord of
a piano, signifying a reprieve, at least temporarily, from the shadows and temptations that haunt us.

The synths give way to a solo acoustic guitar as the title song begins. Here, Heron offers a glimpse of redemption and repentance, as he advises, "No matter how far wrong you've gone, you can always turn around." Elsewhere, in one of the spoken word pieces, Heron revisits this theme, "If you have to pay for things you've done wrong", he intones, half-jokingly, "I've got a big bill coming."

"I'll Take Care of You" could be a song from a parent to a child, from one lover to another, or from a friend to a friend. The tone is sincere, not sappy. Moving, not mushy. Indeed, the record is sprinkled with tributes to family and friends, as Heron details the influence of his grandmother on his life, and the subtle voice of his parents.

"Lord have mercy on me...", cries Heron, in "New York is Killing Me," where the big, bad Apple serves as a metaphor for sorrow and loss, while Jackson, Tennessee functions, in a similar fashion, as a metaphor for peace and stability.

I'm New Here rushes by in a scant 28 minutes, and that's fine with me. I just queue it up, and start all over again. 

Gary D. Kersey