In his 1970s heyday, the poet-musician dubbed The Godfather of rap would rail about substance abuse on The Bottle and Angel Dust. However, for most of the last decade, his life has mirrored those songs: arrests, imprisonment and drug-dependency programmes.
His first album in 16 years offers a way back from the wilderness. XL’s Richard Russell who signed the artist as he languished in Rikers Island jail, frames Scott-Heron’s ravaged ruminations on “broken homes” and the like against an eerie backdrop of minimalist electro and bass.
Harrowing poetry is mixed with choice covers, from Smog’s road-to-redemption title track to a particularly haunted take on Robert Johnson’s Me and the Devil. It’s blistering stuff. While some more of the piano heard on a sublime, painfully soulful version of Bobby Bland’s I’ll Take Care of You wouldn’t go amiss, the dark gospel, Moby-like groove of New York Is Killing Me suggests the reawakening of the Godfather’s own formidable songwriting talent.
4 Star Rated – Dave Simpson February 2010 (Gaurdian)
Gil Scott Heron performs a live gig at The Opera House in Manchester on April 25th 2010.
posted: 09/03/10filled under: Musicwords by: Keith Griffiths0 Comments