Reflections (Gil Scott-Heron album)

Reflections
Studio album by
Gil Scott-Heron
Released1981
StudioTONTO
LabelArista
ProducerGil Scott-Heron, Malcolm Cecil
Gil Scott-Heron chronology
Real Eyes
(1980) 		Reflections
(1981) 		Moving Target
(1982)

Reflections is an album by the American poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, released in 1981.[1][2] It was his second album without Brian Jackson.[3] Scott-Heron supported the album with a North American tour.[4] The album peaked at No. 106 on the Billboard 200.[5]

Arista Records mailed a copy of "'B' Movie'" to every member of Congress.[6] "'B' Movie" was a hit on Black radio stations.[6]

Production

Recorded at TONTO Studio, the album was coproduced by Malcolm Cecil.[7][8] Scott-Heron was backed by the Midnight Band.[9] "'B' Movie" is a criticism of Ronald Reagan, whose image appears on the album cover in one of the lenses of Scott-Heron's glasses.[10] "Inner City Blues" is a version of the Marvin Gaye song.[11] "Grandma's Hands" is a cover of the Bill Withers song.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[9]
Robert ChristgauB+[12]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[13]
The Guardian[14]
Knight Ridder7/10[15]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[16]

Robert Christgau called "'B' Movie" Scott-Heron's "smartest political rap ever"; Knight Ridder deemed it "a bitter tour de force."[12][15] The Tucson Citizen labeled the album Scott-Heron's "slicing philosophy of America's determined return to the years before social conscience and civil rights."[17] The Philadelphia Daily News praised the "brilliantly articulated bad-tidings."[18]

The Independent deemed the album "a classic."[19] The Guardian concluded that, "unlike some of those he influenced, Scott-Heron had enough intellectual and musical flexibility to ensure that his medium wasn't crushed under the ponderous weight of his message."[14] AllMusic wrote that the cover of "Inner City Blues" "swings convincingly, [but] has a lengthy spoken-word riff that fails to embellish on the pain implicit in the original."[9]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Storm Music"4:51
2."Grandma's Hands"5:24
3."Is That Jazz?"3:43
4."Morning Thoughts"4:37
5."Inner City Blues (Poem: 'The Siege of New Orleans')"5:46
6."Gun"4:00
7."'B' Movie"12:10

References

  1. ^ McEnroe, Colin (25 Sep 1981). "Scott-Heron's Music Is Political Forum". The Hartford Courant. p. D5.
  2. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron: Angry Voice?". New Pittsburgh Courier. 3 Oct 1981. p. 6.
  3. ^ Patrin, Nate (May 30, 2011). "Gil Scott-Heron". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  4. ^ Goodin, M.A. (17 Oct 1981). "Musical 'Muckraker' to Bring His Message Here". Michigan Chronicle. p. 3.
  5. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  6. ^ a b Harrington, Richard (3 Apr 1982). "Gil Scott-Heron". The Washington Post. p. C11.
  7. ^ Maucéri, Thomas (2023). In Search of Gil Scott-Heron. Titan Comics.
  8. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron Biography by John Bush". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d "Reflections Review by Dan LeRoy". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  10. ^ Blackistone, Kevin B. (8 Oct 1981). "A Voice for Change". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Gil Scott-Heron: Reflections". Louisville Defender. 8 Oct 1981. p. A8.
  12. ^ a b "Gil Scott-Heron". Robert Christgau. Archived from the original on 9 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  13. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  14. ^ a b Sweeting, Adam (6 Aug 2004). "Friday Review: Gil Scott-Heron". Guardian Friday Pages. The Guardian. p. 14.
  15. ^ a b Shefchik, Rick (31 Oct 1981). "Music". Muncie Evening Press. Knight Ridder. p. T8.
  16. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 622.
  17. ^ Graham, Chuck (24 Oct 1981). "Album Reviews". Sounds. Tucson Citizen. p. 15.
  18. ^ "Hot New Record Releases Solve Gift Woes". Philadelphia Daily News. 18 Dec 1981. p. 58.
  19. ^ Maycock, James (30 May 2011). "Gil Scott-Heron". Viewspaper. The Independent. p. 8.