Here’s my album recommendation of the year. Gil Scott-Heron, most known for “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” “Whitey on the Moon” and others, has a new album out from XL. Partly covers, partly new material, and partly spoken word pep talks, “I’m New Here” is a striking piece of work. It’s substantial enough to jolt you out of auto-pilot for a few minutes and sit down and listen, something that you don’t get from much music these days.
Particular standout tracks are the cover of Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil Blues” and Bill Callahan of Smog’s “I’m New Here,” the title track (included below).
You’re just not going to get insights like this from Dr. Phil:
“I believe that the spirits are your parents and their parents and their parents and their parents and they’re in your bloodstream and they run through your body constantly, and they want you to live on because they want to live on, and they are trying all the time to tell you shit, and if you just spend a few minutes with yourself, you will hear them…”
This is my favorite album of the year so far. Forget this last-glitch-over-the-rainbow kid crap. Listen to the Elder Statesman and get your coat pulled.