8 Gil ScottHeron

I’m New Here XL, 2010

You say: “His last stand. Although there is a lot of pain, there is also hope for a better future for the children.” Brian Kettey, via e-mail

The last decade and a half had taken its toll; Scott-Heron, living out the grim realities of The Bottle and Angel Dust, battling addiction, and serving time in prison. You can hear the effect on his voice, no longer the pristine baritone, instead worn, almost threadbare on this Richard Russellproduced and conceived final album. Covers of Robert Johnson, Bobby Bland and Smog sound like they were made to tell his story. Erudite originals, meanwhile, are crushing in their finality, and inspirational too, spawning 2011’s We’re New Here, a remix album by Jamie xx and 2020’s We’re New Again: A Reimagining By Makaya McCraven.