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Gil Scott-Heron / Makaya McCraven: We're New Again

By Karl Ackermann
February 21, 2020
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Gil Scott-Heron / Makaya McCraven: We're New Again

"All the dreams you show up in are not your own." With those words to an interviewer at The New Yorker,

Gil Scott-Heron

vocals
1949 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Gil Scott-Heron tried to explain a degree of detachment from I'm New Here (XL Recordings, 2011), his "comeback" and the final studio album before his death that year. The project was initiated by the head of XL and was the first album Scott-Heron released in the sixteen years he struggled with addiction and two drug-related terms in prison. The album was well-received by many but the kitchen sink approach of electronica, industrial, poetry, trip-hop, blues and more, left some feeling like Scott-Heron's essence was scattered to the wind. Still, I'm New Here, gave listeners great blues readings of

Robert Johnson

vocals
1911 - 1938

" data-original-title="" title="">Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil," and Bobby Bland's 1959 "I'll Take Care of You" and some moving insights into Scott-Heron's roots.

XL Recordings released its first reworking of the album in 2011, converting the original dark material to post-dubstep dance music and rechristening the album as We're New Here. It didn't take on the U.S. charts but made a dent in the UK. Not content with two versions, the label approached Chicago-based jazz drummer

Makaya McCraven

drums
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Makaya McCraven in 2019 to put another unique spin on the music.

McCraven has played in strong company from both sides of the Atlantic. His acclaimed Universal Beings (International Anthem, 2018) featured half of

Rob Mazurek

trumpet
b.1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Rob Mazurek's Chicago Underground Quartet in saxophonist

Josh Johnson

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Josh Johnson and guitarist

Jeff Parker

guitar
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Parker, and UK pioneer saxophonists

Shabaka Hutchings

woodwinds

" data-original-title="" title="">Shabaka Hutchings and

Nubya Garcia

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nubya Garcia. An earlier release on that label, In the Moment (2015) included bassist

Matt Ulery

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Ulery and trumpeter

Marquis Hill

trumpet
b.1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Marquis Hill. McCraven frequently wears multiple hats as percussionist, electronics artist, and producer.

The song "I'm New Here" is equal parts bravado and doubt as when Scott-Heron sings "Well, I'm new here and I forget. Does that mean big or small?" McCraven's reworking of the music lends the piece a lightness in stark contrast to the message. In other cases, such as "Lily Scott (Broken Home, Pt.3)," Jeff Parker's gentle guitar and

Brandee Younger

harp
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Brandee Younger's harp add a flawless spiritual touch to the story of Scott-Heron's grandmother. McCraven wisely does not pull apart the two classic blues pieces "Me and the Devil," and "I'll Take Care of You."

Much of Scott-Heron's original recording of this material was a mixture of world-weariness, resignation, and fear of the sad, inevitable end. Those emotions come through clearly in "New York is Killing Me" and "Running." What McCraven sometimes does here is spin the substance with new instrumentation and blur the emotion. We're New Again is an interesting addition to McCraven's impressive catalog but not a necessity for fans of Scott-Heron.

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Track Listing

Special Tribute (Broken Home, Pt. 1); I'm New Here; Running; Blessed Parents; New York is Killing Me; The Patch (Broken Home, Pt. 2); People of the Light; Being Blessed; Where Did the Night Go; Lily Scott (Broken Home, Pt.3); I'll Take Care of You; I've Been Me; This Can't Be Real; Piano Player; The Crutch; Guided (Broken Home, Pt.4); Certain Bad Things; Me and the Devil.

Personnel

Gil Scott-Heron

vocals

Makaya McCraven

drums

Jeff Parker

guitar

Brandee Younger

harp

Junius Paul

bass, electric

Ben LaMar Gay

multi-instrumentalist

Album information

Title: We're New Again | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: XL Recordings

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