Damaged

by

Black Flag

Edit

If you've never bought a punk album in your life - well, you must either be very young or extremely old, but either way, you're probably wondering where to start. If you've never heard the Sex Pistols' epic 1977 "Never Mind the Bollocks", you'll only be wondering what that's like, so get that first. Then get this, for the simple reason that Black Flag were a better band.

The Flag had been plugging away in southern California since around 1977 or so when their fourth (or was it third?) lead singer Dez Cadena had to abandon the mic because his voice couldn't handle the gruelling touring schedule. They recruited 20-year-old dedicated fan and sometime ice-cream-store manager Henry Rollins to replace him, and the fix was in. This album was recorded within months of Rollins joining, and while he himself loyally claims to prefer the records the band made before his arrival (handly compiled on SST's stonking compilation "The First Four Years"), the rest of us have little doubt that Rollins was the definitive Flag singer, and not just because he lasted longer than anybody else.

Rollins became a great singer almost overnight. His voice sounds like the tone of Greg Ginn's guitar - swollen almost to bursting, raw, charging in every direction at once. The songs are short, almost all very fast, and more eloquent and expressive than practically any UK band of the period. (Black Flag blew people off the stage not because they were personally intimidating, although they were, but because they were just better at it than anybody else.) When they're funny, they're very funny, as in the hilarious "TV Party" - when they're not being funny, they're truly frightening ("Depression", "No More", "Rise Above".)

The Flag and their numerous alumni went on to make more complex, musically audacious and fascinating albums than this one, but "Damaged" is their straightest-up shot of raw power - allusion intended. It kills. It should be required listening for Berklee students. Whichever way you shake it, it's a great album, and a brilliant record of an unforgettable band hitting its stride. Ten stars. I know you can't give ten stars, but I want to be able to anyway. Make a note, Amazon.

If you are new to Black Flag DO NOT LET THIS BE YOUR FIRST PURCHASE!. yes it's a good album but in my opinion it does not compare to their material with dez,chavo or keith morris (later of the circle jerks)if you want true Black Flag BUY THE FIRST FOUR YEARS or both and let yourself decide i bought damaged first and felt kind of let down i was expecting more. than i bought the first four years which is a collection of pre-rollins material and i was blown away they are an amazing band and symbolize what punk is and what it always will be, with each vocalist you can hear much more angst and pain in every delivery and i feel that it suits black flag the best.