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Perhaps the best album to emerge from the quagmire that was early-'80s California hardcore punk, the visceral, intensely physical presence of Damaged has yet to be equaled, although many bands have tried.
Although Black Flag had been recording for three years prior to this release, the fact that Henry Rollins was now their lead singer made all the difference. His furious bellow and barely contained ferocity was the missing piece the band needed to become great. Also, guitarist/mastermind Greg Ginn wrote a slew of great songs for this record that, while suffused with the usual punk conceits (alienation, boredom, disenfranchisement), were capable of making one laugh out loud, especially the protoslacker satire "TV Party."
Extremely controversial when it was released, Damaged endured the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism (some reacted as though this record alone would cause the fall of America's youth) to become and remain an important document of its time.
Tracklist
A1 Rise Above
A2 Spray Paint The Walls
A3 Six Pack
A4 What I See
A5 T.V. Party
A6 Thirsty & Miserable
A7 Police Story
A8 Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
B1 Depression
B2 Room 13
B3 Damaged II
B4 No More
B5 Padded Cell
B6 Life Of Pain
B7 Damaged I