Chico in 2000

El

Debarge

Article on the 25th anniversary of Debarge's classic album, "In a Speical Way:

After all, this was a good-looking quintet of teen idols aimed at kids who favoured Right On and Black Beat over Rolling Stone, a pin-up ready product of the Motown machine that brought the world their predecessors The Jackson Five. While some were generous enough to acknowledge their knack for harmonising, that was often where the praise stopped. “All style, no substance,” many critics cried.

In a Special Way — and most of the DeBarge’s work for that matter — is worthy of endless examination and praise. In a perfect world, the passage of time will have opened the minds of those who so steadfastly resisted its charms back in the day and enabled them to partake in what is simply a marvelous album from start to finish. Forever and always, it will be an unforgettable listening experience.Or so they thought.

Released on September 27, 1983, on Motown’s Gordy label, In a Special Way has grown in stature over a quarter century that has seen it emerge as a touchstone for the hip hop community and a favourite among serious soul fans thanks to an array of samples and covers. DeBarge siblings El, Bunny, James, Mark and Randy reached their creative peak here, melding the churchy vein of their songwriting and the sheen of the burgeoning synth-based R&B movement into a crisp, concise musical portrait. Light and lean, the album is a logical move beyond the more straight-forward, organic tenor of the two long-players that came before it.

By the fall of 1983, the group had established itself as one of R&B’s most popular acts with a unique brand of soul the masses first tasted via Switch, a Motown band featuring their brothers Bobby and Tommy that’s best known for the 1978 classic “There’ll Never Be.” Their promising but spotty 1981 debut The DeBarges stiffed, but the group (with younger brother James added to the lineup) hit their stride the second time around with 1982’s All This Love, a spirited album of soft funk and ballads that yielded two R&B smashes in “I Like It” and the title track. A gold seller, the album raised the group’s “it” factor considerably, landing them endless coverage in the black teen press and a coveted spot in the Emmy-winning Motown 25 special alongside label mates High Inergy. All the while, they were being touted as “the next Jacksons,” an observation that often led to them being unfairly labelled as the poor man’s version of pop
music’s quintessential dynasty.

The DeBarges were similar to the Jacksons in some respects, but a comparison to fellow singing siblings the Sylvers is far more logical. Like the Sylvers — who were key figures in the development of the Los Angeles-based Solar Records sound — the DeBarges wielded a sizeable degree of creative control over their material right out of the gate, a luxury it took the Jacksons years to secure. Their early recordings were true family affairs because each member chipped in on songwriting chores and lead vocals, an approach that gives their material a certain vibrancy and spontaneity. The trend continued on In a Special Way , with their collective abilities reaching an unmatched level of strength and vigour. Melody and harmony were emphasised more than ever before thanks in large part to El’s meticulous production work and arrangements. Whether or not this was completely intentional remains a mystery: According to All Music Guide writer Jason Elias,
rumours have swirled for years that the album’s horn tracks were lost during the recording process. “In a Special Way is one of the most spare and effective albums of the ’80s,” writes Elias, who also notes its “minimalist and artful sound.” Such praise, however, was not forthcoming when the record hit the street.

“Smart-aleck critics and R&B purists have been knocking DeBarge, Motown’s promising young pop/R&B group, for singing ‘Mary Poppins’ soul,” wrote Los Angeles Times contributor Dennis Hunt in February of 1984.” He conceded that the group was closer to the fancy of The Carpenters than the ferocity of The O’Jays, but he quickly pointed out that their detractors were dead wrong. “Rather than being castigated for singing wimpy soul, the group should be applauded for attempting to expand the horizons of R&B and for mastering a new kind of soul — silky soul.”

Still, folks like pop culture scribe Michael A. Gonzales, who wrote an excellent feature on the DeBarge family for Vibe magazine in 2007, had their minds in other musical places in 1983.

“When In a Special Way was first released, I was in the middle of my own aural love affair with artists like The Clash and David Bowie, so I really didn’t think about DeBarge much. Which is kind of funny, considering a few years before I had played ‘There’ll Never Be’ over and over,” Gonzales said. “But at 20 years old I needed something gritty, and the only falsetto-singing brother I was digging at the time was Prince.”

Needless to say, falsetto singing is where the similarities between Prince and DeBarge pretty much end. Unlike Prince, DeBarge knew how to wrap their creations in a veil of subtlety, favouring lush introspection over carnal acrobatics. The LP’s highlights were the two hit singles, as “Time Will Reveal” and “Love Me In a Special Way” (which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica) seamlessly blend the high drama of the old school with the glam of nascent synth soul. As the group’s mastermind and lead vocalist, El was able to tease a dark underpinning out of his siblings’ blends in the same way Maurice White did with The Emotions, a tactic that makes their work much more intelligent than many realise. The harmonies and melodic climaxes of the two songs are so overwhelming that it’s easy to forget the group is singing about love that is in a sense imperfect. The other ballads are equally engaging, with “Queen of My Heart” (a selection
co-produced by brother Bobby that first appeared on their debut), the dramatic “Stay With Me” and “A Dream” augmenting the album’s recurring theme of love and longing. The latter, which was penned and led by sister Bunny, has aged particularly well and was a perfect way to close the album.

Outside of all of the billowy romanticism were some solid up-tempo grooves. The group wouldn’t really get a firm grip on the dance music medium until 1985’s Rhythm of the Night, but they managed to churn out some delightful ditties: “Be My Lady” and “Need Somebody” were perfect vehicles for James’ agile tenor, while the catchy “Baby, Won’t Cha Come Quick” rides into dance-rock territory on the back of a searing guitar solo. “I Give Up on You” was the best of the lot, an El-led dancer written by James and the legendary Billy Preston that boasts a frenetic, feel-good arrangement. “The quirky pop vocals on the tracks “Be My Lady” and “I Give Up on You” remind me of the style Scritti Politti used two years later on Cupid & Psyche 85,” Gonzales said.

DeBarge would reach their commercial zenith with Rhythm of the Night, but most agree In a Special Way is the greatest testament to the group’s artistry. The album earned them their second gold certification and scored a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance by a duo or group, an award they lost to Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” The album has been a constant source of inspiration to the black music community, as Tupac, Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G., Blackstreet, Tamia, Ashanti and Mariah Carey, among countless others, have all covered or sampled one of its nine cuts. It is easily one of the most sampled R&B albums of all time.

Today, interest in the DeBarge family continues to grow. Both Bunny and DeBarge matriarch Etterlene have penned memoirs, and U.S. cable network TV One will profile the family act on Unsung, a series premiering November 30 that will tell the stories of some of R&B’s most talented and underrated artists. Indeed, it seems the group may finally be getting its due.

In a Special Way — and most of the DeBarge’s work for that matter — is worthy of endless examination and praise. In a perfect world, the passage of time will have opened the minds of those who so steadfastly resisted its charms back in the day and enabled them to partake in what is simply a marvelous album from start to finish. Forever and always, it will be an unforgettable listening experience.

“Without a doubt, In a Special Way is a classic,” Gonzales said. “I just wish I had discovered it sooner.”

Others who take the time to listen to the music will surely come to the same conclusion.

—S.E. Flemming Jr
Saturday 27 September 2008

Debarge on Punky Brewster


[Edited 4/4/09 22:55pm]