The First Minute of a New Day

The First Minute of a New Day served as Jackson's and Scott-Heron's debut for the Arista label and featured the eight-piece Midnight Band.[5] With the Midnight Band and better financial support from Arista, the album benefited from a larger supporting cast and slicker production, in contrast to the sparse production on Winter in America.[5] The Midnight Band would later be featured on following Scott-Heron albums, assisting in production and back-up instrumentation.

The songs on The First Minute of a New Day, which feature themes ranging from spirituality ("Offering") to revolution ("The Liberation Song") and oppression ("Winter in America"), contain jazz melodies by the Midnight Band and funk influences.[5][6] "Winter in America" featured themes of struggle and had Scott-Heron singing of social, geographical and environmental oppression. The album's only spoken word cut, also a live take, "Pardon Our Analysis" was a sequel to Winter in America's "H20 Gate Blues" as a criticism of President Richard Nixon's pardon, though this time the track did not feature a musical backing of any kind.[7]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Christgau's Record Guide	B[9]
Houston Press	(favorable)[10]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[11]
The Village Voice	B[12]

Following the little commercial success experienced by Scott-Heron's previous LPs, the album had multi-chart success, which seemed promising for their new record label.[13] Even though Scott-Heron's previous albums, in specific Pieces of a Man and Winter in America, featured singles, they did not chart. However, no singles were released for The First Minute of a New Day, off the album or for promotion.[13]

Following heavy promotion by Arista,[6] the album entered the Top Jazz Albums chart at #17 on February 8, 1975.[14] It later peaked at #5 before falling off the charts on July 19, 1975, 24 weeks after its original appearance.[14] The First Minute of a New Day also peaked at #8 on the Black Albums chart and #30 on the Pop Albums chart.[13] While not as critically acclaimed as Jackson's and Scott-Heron's previous effort Winter in America, The First Minute of a New Day gave Scott-Heron wider recognition among fans and critics, due in part to its heavy promotion.[6] Tim Sheridan of Allmusic called it "solid, decidedly left-of-center jazz-R&B" and went on to write:

This output, with the opening meditation of "Offering" and the right-on "Ain't No Such Thing as Superman," solidifies Heron's place in the pantheon of jazz poets.[7]

— Tim Sheridan

Music critic Neil Tesser described Scott-Heron's singing voice for the album as "mahogany, sunshine, and tears."[15] The contributions by the Midnight Band were also praised by critics.[15] Robert Christgau of the Village Voice noted that "the free-jazz-gone-populist band generates so much rhythmic energy that it carries over the weak spots".[9]

All songs written by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, except where noted.[16]

Side one

1. "Offering" – 3:34
2. "The Liberation Song (Red, Black and Green)" – 6:18
3. "Must Be Something" (Jackson, Danny Bowens, Scott-Heron, Bob Adams) – 5:16
4. "Ain't No Such Thing As Superman" (Scott-Heron) – 4:13
5. "Pardon Our Analysis (We Beg Your Pardon)" – 8:01

Side two

1. "Guerilla" (Scott-Heron) – 7:49
2. "Winter in America" (Scott-Heron) – 6:09
3. "Western Sunrise" (Bilal Sunni Ali) – 5:16
4. "Alluswe" – 5:04

Billboard Music Charts (North America) – The First Minute of a New Day[13]

• 1975: Jazz Albums – #5
• 1975: Black Albums – #8
• 1975: Pop Albums – #30

• Winter in America album liner notes by Gil Scott-Heron. Ruma-Gia Ltd./TVT Records, 23 E. 4th Street, New York, NY 10003. 1998.