Winter in America

This is one of Gil Scott-Heron's most mellow sounding albums with a very strong jazz sound, reflecting the influence of Brian Jackson, his 'best' and most important collaborator.

It is lyrically less overly political and angry than some of his albums but politics and anger are never entirely absent from Scott Heron's work. There is a strong social commentary (for example 'The Bottle; about alcohol and society) and political commentary (H2Ogate blues - a searing indictment of the Nixon administration - although more than 30 years later I'm not sure anybody really cares).

I'm not sure that this is Gil Scott Heron's best work although it does include the stand out track 'The Bottle' but it is one of my personal favourites and certainly the one I listen to most.


Wonderful   January 28, 2005
J. E. Davidson (UK)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Gil Scott-Heron is one of the great recording artists of the 20th century; it is a shame that he is relatively unknown. He work is always interesting and I would recommend (almost) all of his albums. If you are unfamiliar with his work then this album is a good place to start although it is not altogether typical of his work.

This is one of Gil Scott-Heron's most mellow sounding albums with a very strong jazz sound, reflecting the influence of Brian Jackson, his 'best' and most important collaborator.

It is lyrically less overly political and angry than some of his albums but politics and anger are never entirely absent from Scott Heron's work. There is a strong social commentary (for example 'The Bottle; about alcohol and society) and political commentary (H2Ogate blues - a searing indictment of the Nixon administration - although more than 30 years later I'm not sure anybody really cares).

I'm not sure that this is Gil Scott Heron's best work although it does include the stand out track 'The Bottle' but it is one of my personal favourites and certainly the one I listen to most.


Social comment and jazz phrasing   September 15, 2003
Matthew Morgan (London)
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

One of the earlier, more jazz influenced albums, Winter in America lost none of Scott Heron's direct political attack. Written with Brian Jackson, Scott Heron's most stable and dependable collaborators, this album has fewer funkier, more dance orientated songs than some of his later records.
That said, The Bottle, without doubt Scott Heron's most well know song, continues to pack dancefloors to this day. A scathing attack on drinking and the society's double standards when it comes to the acceptability of alcohol.
The title track sets out Scott Heron's criticism of the state of America in the mid-1970s, a country he felt was in serious danger.
The album finishes off with H2O Gate Blues, again an angery attack, this time on the Nixon administration.
While some of the politics is dated (who cares about Nixon now?) the social concerns and the underlying humanity are as relevant in the 21st Century as they were then.
Underpinning Scott Heron's poetry is Brian Jackson's beautiful jazz-inflected music. To my ears much more sophisticated and interesting than some of Scott Heron's later musical accompaniment.
Compare H20 Gate Blues with Re-Ron from the early 80's to see my point.
The pair went on the record 'From South Africa to South Carolina', another record with a lyrical punch but musical kidd gloves.
Scott Heron is often described as a forefather of rap. When one listens to 'The Message' or 'Rebel Witout A Pause' one can see the link.
However, the tragedy is not only that rap today has lost any social comment other than 'keeping it real', but that all music seems to have been politically neutered.
Buy this album and be reminded of a time when musicians wanted to change the world and not just get a gold record.


Masterful   April 26, 2003
R. Fraser (Gateshead, England)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Heron's masterful recording of environmental and sociological destruction is as poignant and relevant today as it was when first released. Aware of the slow degradation of society, Heron recorded some of his most powerful work on this album. The Bottle clearly illustrates the painful descent into alcoholism while H2O Gate blues highlights the blatant corruption and cronyism that blighted Nixon's presidency. Few since Marvin Gaye have effectively highlighted the sores on American society in the same way as Heron and it's worth trying to get hold of the import version which contains an excellent live version of the title track. Best money spent on rap/poetry before the advent of Grandmaster Flash. A must for any conscientious record collection