Gil Scott-Heron – I’m new here

The singer, who addressed the problems of African Americans in the USA and other world problems in his lyrics throughout his life, died of Aids in 2011. He released his last record “I’m new here” in 2010. Before that, he had more or less spent the 00s in prison for drug offenses. Somehow you can hear that. His baritone voice sounds older and more worn. But similar to Johnny Cash’s American Recordings, a singer has been reinvented here. Sparsely instrumentalized, he stands in the foreground and sings or rather speaks to us about the fact that he has changed into someone and has to find his way through this change. The original was by Smog. But as with Johnny Cash, the exquisite selection of tracks is part of the magic of this album.