Real R&B from Damage

At a time when R&B seems to be lording it in hit charts all over the world, Ja Rule, J. Lo, Mary J. Blige, Usher and Babyface among the big sellers, then I believe it is only logical that we give another listen to Damage. Likewise, at a time when the demand for boy groups remains high in many parts of the world, then it is only right to take another look at what the five talented young men who comprise the UK-based group can offer.

I say a lot. Damage is not one of those groups created to appeal to a particular and usually very lucrative segment of the music market. Noel Simpson, Rahsaan Bromfield, Andrez Harriot, Coree Richards and Jade Jones were childhood friends who liked to sing together. Their parents had been friends in Jamaica and later on also in London. They go back a long way and one of their favorite games when they were kids was pretending they were an R&B group and they would sing and make up dance routines.

When last heard from almost a year ago, the UK-based group had just released its second album in four years. This was Since You’ve Been Gone, which came after Forever. That one contained the hits Wonderful Tonight, Love Guaranteed, Forever, Love to Love and others. So you ask, if that was a big seller, why did it take these guys so long to come up with the second album?

I do not know the reason but Forever was released by Biglife Records while Since You’ve Been Gone, is on EMI. So it looks like Damage changed labels at a really crucial time. Ask any recording artist around and I am sure that they will all say that changing labels at the same time that you are trying to exorcise the impending sophomore jinx can result in a career crisis.

Then that must be the reason why not much was heard about the well-produced Since You’ve Been Gone. Which is really a pity because Damage is not only in fine form in the album, there are also 16 great songs arranged in a manner superior to what we get from most boy bands around. And you have to hand it to this group no matter what the label, these guys make sure that they maintain their ultra-cool kind of R&B sound in tip-top shape. Now, just in case you are not familiar with them, Damage is nothing like ‘N Sync or Backstreet Boys. The fact is, Damage is closer to BoyzIIMen or Usher or a combination of both in style and sensibility. They also do light pop songs but you can bet that the vocal arrangements would be more soulful and in some ways, more difficult.

Since You’ve Been Gone opens with The Journey where Damage talks about what happened during those heady days when the first album Forever became a hit. Then it is one great R&B ballad after another. They rap with Siamese in Ghetto Romance and then get to cook up a storm with Spice Girl Emma Bunton in I Don’t Know before getting into a really infectious rap groove with JP in You’re So Fly. The best of the lot come up towards the end of the second half of the album. This is where the action really heats up as Damage goes from Rumours, to Maria with Kele Le Roc, to Tears, which should make an excellent single, and So What If and finally, the title track. In between these are Better Than, and Still be Loving You, two more great single materials, Sure Nuff, For Your Pleasure, Good Folk, Tune!!! and a mellow version of the Earth, Wind & Fire classic After the Love is Gone.

And while you’re in a Damage mood, you might also want to check out the first album Forever, which I certainly hope is still available in the shops. The mood here is lighter and younger and is very much like that of a boy band experimenting with R&B chops. This is a far cry from the sleekly produced Since You’ve Been Gone but it also has its share of good moments. Best of the lot are the funky Love II Love and a soul remake of the Kenny Rogers big seller from the early ’80s, Wonderful Tonight.