He Was New There

 

It takes a lot of humor to name your comeback album I'm New Here after 16 years. Gil Scott-Heron was already a big name in the black community in the 70's when he wrote the soundtrack for the black civil rights movement in America with his spoken-word songs together with Brian Jackson. 

He returned in 2010 after spending several years behind bars due to his cocaine use. As soon as he was released on parole, he had himself photographed on television with a crack pipe. As a result, he violated the conditions of his parole and had to go back to prison.

I'm New Here is an album that is only 30 minutes long but stands out from this year's releases. It is an album that celebrates the blues, but also integrates influences from trip-hop. dubstep and slow beats. 

The songs fluctuate between harrowing acoustic blues on I'm New Here and a handclap of gospel on New York's Killing Me to make Robert Johnson's Me And The Devil sound like a Massive Attack song.

The album is his testament, as he passed away just under a year later. But it's good that he was here again.

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

Gil Scott-Heron - New York's Killing Me

Gil Scott-Heron - Me And The Devil

Gil Scott-Heron - Your Soul And Mine

Candy Apple Grey

 

When I was doing some research on the Internet recently, I came across the fact that Bob Mould was born 64 years ago today. All the more reason to listen to his albums with Sugar and Hüsker Dü again.

His debut album Copper Blue stood out from the 1992 releases and is rightly a classic, because the energy that can be heard on this album and the collection of great songs was rarely equalled at that time. 

I find it more difficult to name an equivalent album by Hüsker Dü. Zen Arcade is great, the following albums are still above average. My favorite album, however, is Candy Apple Grey, which is now almost 40 years old.

It was Hüsker Dü's first album that they released after switching to a major label. Many accused them of betraying indie, but for me it was a logical development of their music, moving away from their punk roots and putting their songs more in the foreground. Not that they lack much of their enthusiasm, many of their songs are more euphoric and empathetic and for many simply easier to digest. An album that paved the way for alternative rock and is just about perfect.

Hüsker Dü - Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely

Hüsker Dü - Hardly Getting Over It

Hüsker Dü - Sorry Somehow

Hüsker Dü - Too Fare Down

Blind Faith

 

A few weeks ago Irish singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes returned after a ten year absence with her new album Blind Faith. Gemma has been making wonderful music for over 20 years and has retired to Cork in recent years to spend more time with her two children. Finally she was able to bring herself to record a new album.

And she hasn't forgotten anything. She still writes songs that many others would give their lives for. That may sound exaggerated, but it makes sense to me. Hardly any other artist combines classic songwriting, great guitar arrangements and her enchanting voice.

On most of the songs she sings about love, lost and her personal view of live in these days. But it is not necessary, because her songs work without lyrics as well. A return that to say was merely welcome would be to seriously understate it. It is good to have her back and I hope she and her music will be no longer a best kept secret.

Monday's Long Song

 

I recently listened to Fairport Convention's second album Unhalfbricking again and realized that I've never given this band the credit they deserve on this blog. 

In 1974, I watched a World Cup match at the home of Andreas, a school friend (I can't remember exactly which one, but I suspect it was one of the Dutch team, who played the best football at the time and who we will play again tonight). Afterwards, we retired to his older brother's room, who even then had exceptional taste in music. Whilst we were still listening to glam rock, he was already playing Velvet Underground and, in total contrast, Fairport Convention.

I was so impressed by this music that I bought this record. FC was the product of the very young Richard Thompson on guitar and Sandy Denny, who sadly died far too young, with her clear and expressive voice. 

The album contains many songs by Bob Dylan, taken from his Basement Tapes and introduced to the band at the time, as well as his own songs. These include A Sailor's Life, a traditional on which Thompson shows what an exceptional guitarist he is. At just under 12 minutes, it was an extremely long song even for its time, but with its gently driving rhythm it never gets boring. 

Fairport Convention - A Sailor's Life

New Song On Sunday

 

It's the middle of October and some artists are already thinking about Christmas. I could always imagine a collaboration between Dean Wareham, the former member of Galaxie 500 and Sonic Boom, but I never thought it possible that they would release an album of Christmas songs together.

But that's exactly what happened. In November, they will release A Piece Of Us, their personal compilation of Christmas songs. Only a cover of Willie Nelson's Pretty Paper has been released in advance. What in the original is nothing more than another sentimental country ballad now becomes a pulsating synth piece carried by Sonic Boom's baritone and Britta Phillip's alto voice. I'm certainly not a fan of Christmas albums, but this is one I'll be listening to.

Black Sunday On Saturday

 

West Coast hip hop established itself at the beginning of the 90s. Snoop Dog, 2Pac and Dr Dre were the protagonists and sold millions of albums with their gangsta rap. All in all, many of the songs sounded the same to me, although I have to admit that I understood very little of the lyrics.

At that time, there was little that really excited me about this genre. Firstly, there was House of Pain, who added the attitude of white rappers to hip hop with a fantastic debut. 

The other was Cypress Hill, who incorporated influences from Latin American music into their sound. It was phenomenal to hear the samples DJ Muggs used in his songs, which had socially critical lyrics as well as advocating the unpunished use of cannabis. Their second album Black Sunday was included in many annual lists in 1993 and has not lost much of its fascination even today. And a song that contains a sample from Son of a Preacher Man can't be bad.

Cypress Hill - Insane In The Brain

Cypress Hill - Hits From The Bong

Cypress Hill - When The Shit Goes Down

Leather Friday

 

Let's start the second round with Vince Talyor, a British singer who became well known more than 60 years ago. Impressed by the music of Gene Vincent and Elvis Presley he tried to copy them in his own style. What remains of him is his hit Brand New Cadillac, to which The Clash also paid tribute, and the inspiration for David Bowie when he created Ziggy Stardust.

I have already mentioned Elvis, but he should not be missing from this series. He wore leather from time to time at the beginning of his career, but deliberately chose it as an outfit for his live comeback in 1968, when he was probably able to get himself together for the last time to return to his musical roots after years.

 

Khayem commented last week that Julian Cope should not be missing from this series, especially as he sang about the subject with his song Look After Your Leathers. He also discovered leather for his outfits very early on and has earned his place in this series.