Song
New York is Killing Me by Gil Scott-Heron
Back story
Gil Scott-Heron has an ambitious new recording, I’m New Here, his first in 16 years. For those unfamiliar with his work, he is a poet and proto-rapper who began recording some 40 years ago. Unflinching in his commentary of race relations, politics, and life in America, he is a unique and authoritative voice. Many of today’s neo-soul and hip-hop artists owe a great deal to his pioneering work.
Why this song
New York is Killing Me is the funkiest Gil Scott-Heron song I’ve heard in a long time. It features a minimal handclap backbeat, sparse percussion, background vocals by the Harlem Gospel Choir, and not much else, which leaves plenty of room for Gil’s words to resonate. Totally reinvented from a John Lee Hooker number, “T.B. is Killing Me,” it took me a few listens to fully appreciate, but now I think it’s among his best work since “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
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Song
My Body is a Cage by Peter Gabriel
Back story
Peter Gabriel has a fascinating new album, Scratch My Back. It is the beginning of a song exchange with other artists. Peter covers 12 songs on this record, and some of the artists have already recorded his songs, too (available on iTunes). In addition to this concept, what makes Scratch My Back so interesting is that it is arranged for vocal and orchestra. No drum set, no guitars, electronics, etc. The recording is top notch, and the orchestral arrangements by John Metcalfe are stunning. It’s both refreshing and challenging to hear well-known pop music reinterpreted this way. There are many Peter Gabriel fans that have already dismissed this effort as “selling out,” but I disagree. Sometimes good music takes time to appreciate, and that is certainly the case with this effort. I do not love all the songs just yet, but several of them are amazing. It’s a remarkable achievement for an artist who has relied heavily on percussion and effects in most of his previous music.
Why this song
My Body is a Cage is a cover of the 2007 Arcade Fire original. It features a striking dynamic range rarely heard in popular music these days, and his vocals are stronger than I’ve heard in years. Compared to the original, it offers a more somber, vulnerable presentation of both the lyrics and musical themes. In an Amazon.com interview, Peter talks about the central character in the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly as inspiration for this version. Chilling.
More info
All Music
Peter’s website
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Buy it
Amazon
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