Evolution Flashback The Very Best of Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott Heron was a man ahead of his times.His music was the sound track of the Black politicalmovement in America. He was a caustic critic of arigged political system and a relentless crusaderfor social equity and racial justice. His music wasprolific and prophetic. He forshadowed the evolutionof "Rap Music". He effectively employed the spoken word,as a medium for his mission. His delivery was sometimes amockery and often an angry staccato of rants against theurban blight and what he viewed as the wretched situationof Black America of the 1960's and 70's. It's sad that hisclassic song "The Bottle" where he rails against acoholicand drug abuse among Black people was not included in thiscollection. May his soul rest with God.

I heard pieces of this CD, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "Whitey's On The Moon," on a local community radio station in very-white Salt Lake City called KRCL (yes, that's a "plug") and was surprised it ever made it to CD... not because it's no good but because it's so not-corporate and so angry and so incredibly poetic and just SO good. Scott-Heron puts you where he lives, over and over again, with angry language that, when it's done, leaves you knowing you've heard maybe some of the most exquisite poetry of the late 20th century. And, no, I don't think that's an exaggeration at all. That it's available from (very-corporate) Amazon is a ironic, but I'll take my poetry where I can get it.

Although it does make me realize my age this is great CD. The songs are great, his politics right on. Can anyone flow the words like he does? Social commentary, Gil's command of"street talk" mixed with the main "white tongue" creates some very interesting metaphors. Miss you Gil and Whitey is still on the moon.

I would have enjoyed the CD more but the quality of the recording was poor. It was worse than a bootleg that had been done with a tape recorder. Yes, 1976...hold the microphone still and don't say anything while I'm recording...seriously!?! Just a waste of money. I've only listened to it once.

I must have listened to literally thousands of "Best Of" albums... most of them very good. This album by Gil may or may not be the quintessential album of this type... but it captures a time of Gil's career better than any that I know. If you are looking for his early and often angry poetry and songs this is it. I admire these songs very much.

Very satisfied

Classic!!!!

Gil Scott-Heron was truly an artist who was ahead of his time. Evolution (And Flashback) is a compilation of tracks from his first three albums. After those albums, actually starting with his 3rd album Free Will, he'd go into a direction more based on jazz and funk. But his early work is truly revolutionary and would become influential several years later for highly political artists such as Public Enemy and Rage Against The Machine.Many of the tracks here just consist of Scott-Heron's beat poetry over a set of bongos. His lyrics and delivery are biting and go right for the throat, particularly on the tracks "Whitey On The Moon", "Ain't No New Thing", "The King Alfred Plan", "Evolution (And Flashback)", and "Enough", which all deal with the racism which was still very prevalent in this country at the time. "No Knock" and "Small Talk at 125th & Lenox" are also strong tracks with the former discussing a new law at the time which gave police the right to enter one's property without warning. Many of the other tracks, such as "Who'll Pay Reparations For My Soul", "The Vulture", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", and "Get Out Of The Ghetto Blues" continue in a similar lyrical path, albeit not as militant, and are backed by the stellar musicianship of long-time collaborator Brian Jackson. "Free Will" is also a very strong track driven by its jazzy bass line and excellent flute solo. Finally, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" with its political lyrics and its funky bass line would influence countless rap acts several years later. Highly recommended, particularly to fans of music which discusses social issues.