Portrait "Here We Go Again"

Album: Portrait (Capitol; 1992)
Songwriters: Portrait
R&B Peak Position: #3

"Heeeeeere weeee gooooo/ Going through the same thing..."

"New Jack Swing" birthed the careers of many, most of whom faded in popularity once the music fad had run it's course. One of these temporarily hot acts was Portrait, a male vocal quartet whose members hailed from all over the country. Signed to Capitol Records, Portrait might not have been the most distinctive R&B boy band out (though they did write and produce most of their own material), but a house party running through the end of 1992 into '93, wasn't at all complete if their debut single, "Here We Go Again", was not a part of the playlist.

Boasting feel-good production that displayed a fine melding of smooth, upbeat soul with a hip hop feel, "Here We Go Again" brought relationship dysfunction to the dance floor in a manner many men could relate too. All dude wants to do is have a good time with his homies, but his girl is intent on not letting that happen, interrupting all the fun with her usual attention-achieving, wildin' out ploys. Responding to her needless histrionics with a passive eye-roll, he gently urges her to "try to be understanding" and allow him to enjoy hisself for a bit ("There's a time and there's a place/ Where we can talk about it...").

Portrait managed a second Top 20 R&B single with the similarly groove-friendly follow-up single "Honey Dip" and served some likable covers of The Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" and William DeVaughn's "Be Thankful For What You Got", but with none able to come close to matching the consumers' appreciation for "Here We Go Again", and New Jack Swing already on it's last legs, the group soon faded into the ether.

Best Moment: The track's brief rap interlude ("Climb the mountain/ (What mountain!?!)...") (1:49)



DL: "Here We Go Again" (YFH)