Music Monthly Review: Gil Scott-Heron | Ty
Gil Scott-Heron
I’m New Here (xl recordings)
Out now
Gil Scott-Heron stands as an eternal reminder of the glorious past of soul music. A living link to the era of The Last Poets, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder – the vanguard of socially conscious music perfectly reflecting the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. Each captured the era’s spirit of rebellion and style. Scott-Heron’s status as a pioneer of spoken word and rap, and hip-hop brings him up to date and he retains the creative spark despite the ravages of time, drink, drugs and prison spells.
This experience is all brought together on I’m New Here his first album in 16 years. It’s concise at 28 minutes with15 tracks – but who says size matters, or that filling an album with meaningless drivel is significant. Years of knowledge, creativity and skill are poured into this. He’s spent much of the last decade in jail on various narcotics charges – but his creativity doesn’t seem to have waned at all. With a lived-in veteran’s voice, which speaks to hard-living and unfortunately – drink and drugs he still has things to say and music to build around it.
It’s a dark and gloomy landscape on which Gil Scott-Heron paints his words; the spare and industrial style techno beats of the 21st century contrast the soulful and joyful melodies and rhythms of his classics. This is a more serene and understated work – he lets his lyrics do the talking. With several introspective musings and spoken word interludes the distinctive voice is still there, powerful, seductive – now with a gnarled and grizzly feel; nevertheless the skill, passion and heart remains. Standout tracks are the intimate and touching autobiographical tribute to his Grandmother Lillie Scott in On Coming From a Broken Home [Part 1]. Close by is New York is Killing Me with its complex and infectious handclaps [an intriguing counterweight to Alicia Keys and JayZ’s more upbeat Empire State of Mind]. His reworking of The Vulture [also the title of his 1970 novel] and new work Your Soul and Mine use similar formulas to his early works whilst covers of Bobby Bland’s I’ll Take Care of You; and first single Me and the Devil perfectly fit his world weary but defiant stance. An unlikely reworking of indie/alt musician Bill ‘Smog’ Callahan’s I’m New Here shows he’s up to date with today’s style.
I’m New Here isn’t a return to the glory years or the eclectic style held up as the precursor to rap and spoken word. If you’re looking for the militancy of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, the harrowing and poignant Home is Where the Hatred Is; the raw and intimate The Bottle or the reflective Pieces of a Man or anti-apartheid protest Johannesburg – Gil Scott-Heron still has the skill but t’s a different style he employs here. But as a testament to one of the greats – it’s a monument to perseverance and resilience.
Shaun Hutchinson
Gil Scott-Heron in London: in conversation on 19 Apr and in concert on 20 & 24 April
Ty
Special Kind of Fool (BBE)
Released 19.04.2010
“You know we changed the globe right?” Ty asks on his latest album, in one phrase encapsulating the success of a genre that was supposed to burn itself out but transformed the face of popular culture instead. In the next breath he calls hip hop to task, “treated like kids / no matter what we produce / with negative vibes we’re diluted like juice.” Special Kind of Fool is typical Ty: provocative, playful, thoughtful and unrestrained.
The album’s potpourri mix of musical genre runs the gamut from classic funk, soul and two step through to 80s synth pop, and glitchy electro samples. At times the only indication you’re listening to a hip-hop album comes from the drum patterns.
Stand out tracks include: Me, a Sunday-morning fusion of effervescent strings, bright chords, and the heart-tugging vocals of Erik Rico. Something Big is a horn-heavy, funkdafied, James Brown homage brilliantly offset by a sweet chorus from Lovers Rock darling, Carroll Thomson. While Phantom of the Opera is about as dramatic as you might imagine, a frantic, snare heavy drum pattern partnered with a sharp, staccato delivery.
It’s been four long years since the release of his last album, and Ty has done a lot of living in that time. He casts a shrewd eye on ordinary lives on the socially conscious Heart is Breaking, and speaks stirringly of the loss of family members on I’m Leaving. But ultimately Special Kind of Fool is hopeful and determined. The story of an artist who’s been knocked down but will never stop getting up and sharing his love of music and life.
Shade Lapite
Fantastic reviews, Shaun and Sade! Thanx.
Shalom x