Reflections (Gil Scott-Heron album)

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]

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)

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. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  6. 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. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  9. "Reflections Review by Dan LeRoy". AllMusic. 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. "Gil Scott-Heron". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  13. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  14. Sweeting, Adam (6 Aug 2004). "Friday Review: Gil Scott-Heron". Guardian Friday Pages. The Guardian. p. 14.
  15. 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.
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