Protection

Lots of points for creativity and variety, but unfortunately, about half of the songs don't really work. 2.5/5.0: Mixed

not as good as the other massive attack album on the list but the title track was a banger.

Pretty good

Some songs aren't my vibe here but the ones that are *really* clicked with me. Reminds me a lot of The Screen Behind the Mirror, of incredible Vibing Out music

When this genre came out all the pornographers were like “ahhhhhh yeah we won’t have to find new background music EVER.” This is excellent bedding music. A fun listen. THREE STARS

Bette than my average 3, but not 4-level

Not my style but ok.

liked it - different stuff

Phenomenal album.

Kept waiting for the House theme song. Different album but an interesting sound!

This is the 2nd Massive Attack album. I don't see how this album warrants inclusion on this list after the 1st? It's fine musically but I don't see massive steps forward from the 1st album to make this mandatory listening. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

It’s simultaneously dub for dinner parties and forward thinking beat music. The vibe doesn’t hit me like on their debut. It’s a bit too restrained and safe, which at first made it seem a bit boring. But in the end, I keep enjoying the spins. Great work music.

Not bad

It was alright but I like their other works better, Heat Miser was a VIBEE tho ( ˘ω˘ )

Yawn 2.5

Cool stuff. Like the groove. Not sure it’s for me

Interesting variety, from shoegazing to ecstatic dance. The female vocalist on most songs has a really nice voice. I like that they mix up the vocalists and the beats. The cover of “Light My Fire” is worse than the original— unlistenable. This is an influential and creative album, and I do not object when my wife plays it. But I would not choose to spin it all the way through myself. A three.

Not really my genre. I appreciate it's well made but I just don't love listening to this kind of music. 3

As I am listening to this, it feels like I should be getting highlights done in a super hip salon.

Not my vibe, all quite dark and the same tempo too top 3 tracks light my fire, karma coma, spying glass. Very chill overall 6/10

This was pretty cool, very smooth. Undoubtedly a record that is supposed to be listened to at night. I wonder what drugs it was written with in mind? Certainly not a takeaway coffee on your morning commute

No review here.

did not include their big hit, but the album was still a nice ambient listen

Enjoyed this, felt it dragged on a bit though. Wish there were a few more fast-paced tracks to even it out and add variety.

A very low 3...borderline 2

I love how chill this album is. Makes me want to sit outside at night and sip a cocktail. Low Fi beats

EN: Definately a very odd album, but certainly not bad. The songs have a decent amount of creativety and are overall interesting experiences. Good album! PT-BR: Definitivamente um álbum bem peculiar, mas certamente não é ruim. As músicas têm uma dose razoável de criatividade e, no geral, são experiências interessantes. Bom álbum! 7,25/10

I’ve had massive attack hyped up in the past, and this album did not live up to it bro. It wasn’t bad, just really mid

I liked this a bit less than Blue Lines which we got yesterday, but I still enjoyed it.

Solid background music. It doesn't feel like it has a ton of substance, as much as it is just something to put on while you work on other things. The pacing is good and each song feels unique between the male and female vocals.

Not my style, so it is hard to rate it really.

Some memorable Tracey Thorn treasures… the rest are just stale now.

I like a lot of Massive Attack, but this one fell a bit short for me.

Hey, chill out! This one isn't bad by any stretch, but is surpassed by what Portishead was doing at the same time, as well as what MA would do after this one. But there are some great tracks on here! Seems overly long too. A 3.

p-good

Super stoked to see Massive Attack on here, was a little confused that it would be this album. Still solid though. I'm assuming this means we'll get Mezzanine as well.

I was ready to go all in 5 stars on this but after revisiting- this was on fucking sophomore slump, huh?

Kind of a mixed bag; there are both bangers and certified lullabies on this record.

So excited to see Tracey Thorn on this first track; big fan of Everything But the Girl! Elements I liked included the strings, the instrumentation in general. I liked the instrumental tracks (weather storm, heat miser). I’m not a huge fan of british rap it would appear. Looking forward to giving their Mezzanine album a listen. Generally enjoyed this one far more than Blue Lines. Adding it to my library for now, think it merits a few more listens.

Lowkey

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but was pleasantly surprised. Whenever they had Tracey Thorn on vocals I enjoyed it but rest was mid at best. I was excited for the cover of Light My Fire but holy shit that sounded so bad. I would’ve cut that from the album.

I didn't particularly like this, but I can't say it was bad either.

Favourite Tracks: Protection, Better Things, Euro Child, Light My Fire (Live)

I wish I could sometimes rate things as not impactful. So this wasn't bad, it was pretty, happening in the background. I went back to check in and I moved on to other songs that sounded so similar I just assumed it was the same album. So rating it is hard, I didn't dislike it, but nothing grabbed me and made me love it. It was just there, pretty but not impactful.

So this is trip hop? It's Pretty okay. I thought Spying Glass was a pretty cool reggae vibe thing. I did NOT like the Doors cover.

It was okay

Nicely produced. This is a slow, one paced album. Nothing wrong with slow, but it must hold your interest. The last three studio tracks were very good. The less said about the cover of 'Light My Fire' the better! 3 stars. Would I listen again? I have it, and I rarely listen to it. Would I buy this album? I did. For life of me I can't recall doing that. 1 "Protection" Dreamy. Nice sounds. Slow. - 3* 2 "Karmacoma" Good vocals and sounds. Catchy. - 4* 3 "Three" Slow Paced. Nice vocals - 3* 4 "Weather Storm" Lounge music? Didn't hold my interest. - 2* 5 "Spying Glass" A little Dub helps. Nice vocals. The music is a little more intertesting. - 3* 6 "Better Things" Nice vocals. Good bass line. - 3* 7 "Eurochild" Oh this is good. A little faster paced. Best track so far. This grooves. - 4 * 8 "Sly" Lovely smoky vocals. Nice rhythms. - 4* 9 "Heat Miser" Good soundscape. Pulsing electronic sounds, with lovely piano. It threatens to get to a crescendo but doesn't quite get there. 4* 10 "Light My Fire" (live) The version I have doesn't have this track. It's unnecessary and lacks the dynamics of the original. It's not very good. 2* Total Score 32 Average 3.2

This is #day318 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... another case in point that this list can be a mess. Mezzanine should have taken this album's place, or better yet, they could have saved the slot for a different artist entirely. Blue Lines, which I got just a few days ago, is enough, and I rated it a 5. The sophomore has always been a bit of a hit or miss to me. It's an OK album, just not essential to be heard before you die. Two tracks with Tracey Thorn, "Karmacoma," "Weather Storm," and "Heat Miser" stand out, though. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day319.

Wasn’t expecting that doors cover at the end, interesting end to the album.

I love this band, but I can't understand why you would include this one over Mezzanine. Protection is not bad by any means, it's a good record, it's just not the best. I understand the inclusion of the first record, but if there should be another record by them on this list, that one is, without a doubt, Mezzanine.

hm

Favorite songs: protection, three, better things

super chillig. genau das richtige zum arbeiten :)

Probably the 3rd best Massive Attack album after Mezzanine and Blue Lines. The title track is particularly good.

Not what I was expecting at all. Some lofi beats with a different artist featured on every track. Definitely a cool listen, but I probably won't be coming back to it.

Interesting, just not always my cup of tea

I think I’ve heard the title track before? Nice sounding album, but not my cup of tea.

Pretty good. Some really interesting stuff on here.

Another decent, though not great album. And another slot that would be better given to Mezzanine.

I prefer "Mezzazine" but this is still a great record. Just not that much of a trip-hop fan as other people are. 6,75/10 fav songs : Weather Storm & Better Things

This was fine but nothing special.

More mellow than the Mezzanine album. Not bad, but not sure why this is a standout for this list.

Wouldn't normally listen to something like this, but found it an enjoyable listen. Very interesting rendition of "Light My Fire"...🤔 3

The solid (massive) basses quickly bring you into a kind of trance. I suspect that if I listen to these basses for too long, I will get a headache.

Brought me back to seeing them live which was an incredible gig

#588. Perfectly acceptable music flavored music. Let's be honest though, this was not so much a massive attack as it was a minor skirmish. 3/5: ok

Þetta var bara allt í lagi plata þótt hún sé ekki alveg það sem ég fíla. Ég þekkti nokkur lög sem mér líkaði við en restin náði ekki miklu flugi. Þannig að hún endar sem meðalplata sem ég býst ekki við að hlusta aftur á

Absolutely brilliant. Dark, funny electronica with a splash of John Barry and a bit of old school hip-hop and dub. Intricately detailed. Plods along in places but makes up for it in atmospherics and the variety provided by a proto-Gorillaz revolving door of vocalists.

Protection is definitely an interesting electronic album of it's time. Every song felt very different from each other which mainly comes down to the fact that they had many different vocalists sing the songs like the usual suspects (aka the members of the band: 3D, Daddy G and Tricky) Tracey Thorn, Nicolette and Horace Andy with all of them having very different voices. I would say that the album itself is pretty good with it having some pretty good music even if it could get fairly repetitive and the vocals could become difficult to get used to at points. I still think that this album is a solid listen and i do enjoy it more than the first Massive Attack album. Best Song: Three Worst Song: Light My Fire

This was somewhat interesting but not compelling. I think the selection once again shows the UK bias on the part of the author of the 1001. I will give it three stars but it's barely that. So many other more interesting possibilities... how about Unkle "Psyence Fiction"?

Not bad but not their best

Cool synth and dub sounds but nothing about the songs pulls me in.

Not at all what I expected. Portishead influence with less darkness. 3.5

I thought this was fine. I liked the first song (no surprise, it was on the Hackers soundtrack.) Overall it's a fine example of this genre, I just don't love it.

Couple notable parts. Would probably like it more on a second listen.

Gotta say one of the best named bands ever.

This one surprised me. Coming in here, I thought this one would be a slight detour from Blue Lines, and also act as some kind of prelude into Mezzanine, but honestly, after listening to it, it at points it might be better than both. The sound is lighter, and more pop oriented, with good vocal work on most track. The trippy hip hop instrumentals are on par with some of their best work, and their style is more refined into a well oiled hit-making machine. The only gripe I have is the closing cover of Light My Fire, which should have never seen the light of day in any circumstance. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

like the mellowness of the the tracks good for a night with friends.

Objectively there’s nothing wrong - it’s just not one for me.

Nja, ben sowieso niet zo een Massive Attack liefhebber, maar dit is wel oké. Meer niet. 2.5

Cooler than I expected. So mooooody, with minimalistic but engaging beat making.

Wished I liked this more as I loved their other albums

the longer I listened, the more I started enjoying it, but with that being said, I still didn't like this very much lmao. It felt like all the songs dragged on a little too long and I tended to like the songs more when they were only instrumental/no vocals.

3/5

Etwas Lounge, etwas Jam, etwas Elektro insgesamt ein ordentlicher Cocktail guter Laune.

Not something I would go to on my own. But for electronica / this style of music - it’s pretty good.

A very poor Doors cover left this album with a bit of a sad ending, after being a really enjoyable bit of electronica in the main. They do have some of the best marriage of beats and vocals around. Ultimately, I think I'm probably marking this a little harshly, but that can happen when you're mostly just pleased that the last song has finished.

s'alright.

Ignoring the absolute musical crime that closes this album, I liked the cool, chill, mellow grooves...but not as much as I thought I would. 3.1

Good background music

Definitely not massive attacks best efforts but still has a coupke good songs.

This was an OK album for me. Halfway through it just sort of became background music really. Will definitely give it another go in the future.

Reminds me of Khrungbin

Solid debut but not my fave Massive Attack record. Light my Fire cover is brutal.

3+ Stars (9/15)

Reggae, dub, didgeridoo, etc. There's a lot of influences going on here that don't necessarily add up to a fantastic album, but it was fun.

makes for a peaceful morning, some pretty interesting tracks

It’s not what I’d normally listen to but I was chilling with it.

I know of this artist and do know they are a bit electronic but not so in our face. Very interested to listen to this album. Super low key, mellow electronic. Pretty cool stuff. Too mellow for my ears though. 3-stars

Trippy, groovy and sensual. Massive Attack is like the cooler sister of the more refined Portishead. Always a group I've appreciated for their spaced out sounds, very wavy, easy and rhythmic. This is certainly a record I would revisit.

Groovy, hangout music

It had some good beats

Previously rated: Blue Lines (1/5) ******************** The previous album was the first 1/5 I gave out, which was almost 2 years ago. After some of the awful garbage I've heard since, maybe it didn't deserve it. Not that I loved this one either, but it does start off with a nice song, the title track, and then goes off into soundscape stuff. I guess it was OK enough.

Easy listening as background music.

I was expecting something more explosive, but this was pleasant enough and artful. This kind of music just isn't my cup of tea, generally. Hearing Tracey Thorn's voice was a highlight and I enjoyed the Tricky features.

some of it was ok

Not as good, mysterious or enjoyable aa mezzanine

I love Massive Attack, but why is this album here selected?

I knew a guy in the early 90s that loved them. I never listened until now. Respect.

This will be my second and subsequently last Massive Attack album to review. I gave four stars to Blue Lines, but my notes on it were pretty minimal (it was about two years ago, so if I didn't take notes, and it didn't blow my socks off, I'm not going to remember squat), so I'm not sure exactly what I enjoyed about it. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm in for with this album though, so I'm excited to listen to it! Well the title track sure knows how to win me over. I love Tracey Thorn's vocals, and her singing added a lot to the sound of "Protection." I wasn't really blown away, but this song definitely gave me high hopes for the rest of the album. However, I wasn't a fan of "Karmacoma" or "Three." They weren't bad songs, but they just felt like background music to me. However, I thought "Weather Storm" was much better; I really loved the sparse piano playing, and it was beautifully arranged. "Spying Glass" was really good too. I liked how the electronic elements interacted with each other and the vocals. The sound was mellow, but it was also deep, with a lot of smaller elements layered really well to craft a unique sound. I was happy to see another Tracey Thorn track with "Better Things," but I preferred "Perfection." "Euro Child was pretty unremarkable to me, but I loved the strings on "Sly." I'd have to say that my favorite track though was "Heat Miser." I really loved the piano melody and the pulsating bass sounds. This was easily the most atmospheric song on the album, and more in line with what I'd expect from Massive Attack. I wasn't a big fan of the cover of "Light My Fire" that ended the album. It really stuck out like a sore thumb, and I didn't think it was particularly good. While Protection had some moments that I appreciated, overall I thought it was just fine. These songs were enjoyable to listen to, but none of them really left an impression on me, and I didn't find any of them to be particularly memorable. The songs with Tracey Thorn were a nice touch, and "Heat Miser" was great, but there's not enough here to bring me back to this album.

Nice.

Works good as background music but not very engaging, so I guess enjoying this album just depends on the situation

Lots of the songs ran longer than they should but solid otherwise

One senses a high degree of trying too hard for a cool effect here and trip-hop was never quite one's thing. Still, when they get it right, as on the opener, it works well. One much prefers the instrumental downtempo over the vocals here (Tracey Thorne the exception). The depth and polish of the beats are the real strength. Posterity suggests that fans and critics were wrong to prefer the (admittedly groundbreaking) debut. This holds up much the better but even so feels a bit stale. Beyond the excellent TT cuts, "Weather Storm" is best cut. The Doors cover very far the worst – how utterly ill-advised.

Meh. It's a vibe but not very good songs.

Massive Attack in their midpoint - more sung vocals and less of a focus on rap compared to Blue Lines, but before they'd found the darker sonic palate of Mezzanine.

Doesn't do as much for me as Mezzanine or Blue Lines, a bit too inconsistent. Starts with a couple bangers but kind of hits a lull after that.

Dig the music, obviously good, but its a lot of background chill music, saved a couple songs, definitely mad respect for this band

Bien que je reconnais l’importance de ce disque, qui aurait pavé la voie aux autres groupes trip hop, cet album m’a laissé assez neutre. S’écoute bien, mais s’oublie vite !

Never listened to a Massive Attack album, surprised to hear there are vocals, for some reason I thought they were like an electronic group. I surprisingly don't hate this, it's pretty good background music. I like a lot of the sort of atmospheric electronic stuff going on. Probably wouldn't be my first choice to listen to, but definitely a lot less offensive than a good amount of the stuff in this albums thing.

Soothing and can sleep to this

3.3 decent background music but not one I'd listen to with purpose. fave songs: protection

It's...fine. I dig the slightly dub rhythms on many of the tracks. Nothing really grabbed me though, unlike some of Massive Attack's other work. It's pleasant background music.

Too mellow

6/10 4 GREAT songs 5 ANNOYING AS SH*T SONGS OMFG

Classic of its time - brings back memories

Not as good as mezzanine but good

Pleasant to listen along to, but all in all a forgettable experience. Nothing to complain about but nothing to grab my attention

Underwhelming, especially compared to our last Massive Attack album which we really enjoyed. It had a slow start and didn't manage to garner much momentum.

Not too into it, many of these songs outstay their welcome, too long.

Je m'attendais à plus de OUMPF d'un band qui s'appel Massive Attack, mais ca passe bien quand même

Lækkert elektronisk, stille og roligt, ikke så attacking som man skulle tro

Great album

Trip hop at its finest! Well, actually, not quite. This is the sound of a band honing their craft and while absolutely listenable, it does not have the pull of Blue Lines or Mezzanine

It was quite different for its time, not sure I love it. Liked some parts though, I'm feeling generous today

This shit is boring as hell. Inconsistent too. Switching genres and quality. Not great. Not horrible. Can’t believe Jake just beat Mike. What the fuck guys. Pretty average, honestly. Not a phan of electronic. 3/5

pretty good ngl

“Hmmm how do we make hip-hop completely lifeless and boring?”

A very creative album. I liked the experimental sounds used in the songs without making the whole thing look weird. 3 stars

Definitely not as good as Blue Lines or Mezzanine, but still solid. It starts out strong with the title track and Karmacoma, but those are the best songs, and it gets progressively worse, ending with the pretty miserable live cover of Light My Fire. Could have used a little more Tracey Thorn to be honest.

Ok

Wow - really not that bad. Not sure if I would say they are electronica, but birth a back ground listen

Totally fine but a bit lame in parts. One song in particular sounded like a GCSE music tech final piece. Dated synths etc

Great album. Protection is an excellent song and I generally love the whole feel of the album.

An ethereal electronic album that relies on atmospheres and textures. Consistently relaxing, occasionally interesting, and sometimes forgettable. Best song: Weather Storm

Empieza bien

Favorite Track: Euro Child

October 6, 2024 HL: "Karmacoma", "Three", "Sly", "Heat Miser" could very well be because I'm listening to this while under the weather, but it doesn't do for me what its predecessor, Blue Lines, did. It's quieter, spookier, & loungier, so I acknowledge it provides a different atmosphere despite the musical similarities to Blue Lines. Will say it's apropos to this time of year 🍂

pretty nice music to have on in the background.

Mellow trip Hop. My favorites are the ones with guest female singers. Protection & Better Things with Tracey Thorn Three & Sly with Nicolette

I don’t know if good background music is a compliment or not. But enjoyed this in a non-active listening way.

I thought this was gonna be a metal album so you can imagine my surprise when I heard the first track. I liked it though, not memorable by any means but not terrible. Great background music to keep you calm while playing NCAA 25 on Heisman mode.

I liked a few songs but it was quite unexciting

I enjoyed this. It's a little all over the place but pretty good.

I love the first half of this record. Second half doesn't do it for me.

It's OK and I appreciate it's trying to blend genres (electronica, hip-hop, R&B) and be creative but it leaves the listener wanting more. It's a decent chill background vibe, but not much more.

This was fine. I like the genre so I'll forgive some of the cheesier tracks.

I'm just not excited by soft noise sorry

Very good. 3.5

The title track is a great song. The rest have a groove that I really like, but don't have the same level of melodies.

I listened to this a few times trying 1) to pay attention and 2) to shake the feeling, when I did, of Neo and Morpheus having intense conversations in the Matrix, or J.Lo in weird costumes in the Cell. That is, this isn't bad, but it does feel dated in a way that doesn't quite hold up for me. That said, this album precedes either of those movies by 6 years so even if those doesn't quite hold up, it was still very ahead of its time.

As a whole it is pretty slow and uninteresting. Electronics never been my thing anyways. At least throw in a guitar solo or sick wordplay to spice it up a little 😒 Really though, it’s fine but kinda boring at some points with not great structure. Karmacomas kinda fire though.

It’s ok I guess, the Rasta stuff is weird.

Not at all what I expected. Very creepy and ethereal. Different

I thought this was a metal band for some reason. I thought the music was creative and okay to listen to.

Trip Hop…not much of a fan for any genre with hop in the name.

A worthy successor to their groundbreaking debut, Protection sees Massive Attack refine their signature blend of trip-hop and electronica. Tracks like "Unfinished Sympathy" and "Karmacoma" are instant classics, showcasing the group's ability to craft atmospheric, melancholic soundscapes. While not as groundbreaking as Blue Lines, Protection solidifies Massive Attack's status as pioneers of the genre.

Bom álbum. Bons sons, música leve, diferenciada, bons vocais, eletrônico calmo e viajado. Voltaria a ouvir a banda.

Trip hop

Jazzy slow songs - kind of reminded me of Sade

Electronic/trip/hop, funky

Listened at perfect time, was cruising a lake area headed home from a long weekend of hiking and paddling. Sun was dropping and this album just fit the mood.

I liked this a lot, nice blend of styles I enjoy. 7.5/10

First track made me think this was going to be a pleasant surprise album, but I didn’t really enjoy the rest of it as much. I think I just like Tracey Thorn’s voice.

Disjointed

Trance Music at a premium here…meditative and full of energy at once.

Trip-hop isn't really my go to so I can't say I was particularly moved by Protection, but I can respect it for its quality (except for their god awful version of Light My Fire). It's in the middle of the 2's somewhere so let's be kind and round it up to 3.

Surprisingly good music to work to. Some of the vocals weren't my favorites. I did like the Doors cover as the final track.

Moody, sexy background music

It's fine. Clean production, very competent performances, a distinctive voice, though with a slightly off-puttingly juvenile quality, the flash of an edge here and there. Nothing remarkable, but totally listenable.

Too slow for my taste.

Vibe-y grooves that occasionally transcend the chill to be very enjoyable. I liked it but probably would only listen to a track or two at a time in the future.

90s electronic isn't usually my most favoritist thing but Massive Attack is in that vein of trip-hop electronic that I can get into.

Okay. Kind of forgettable.

I find this great but somehow it drifts into the background at the same time

Some great songs, some far too long thought bubbles.

I found most of the album fairly enjoyable. The last two tracks were an absolute no-go for me though…so much so that it lost a star at that moment.

First track is really really good. Album closer super strange, probably should have picked Mezzanine.

Haven't listened to this album by Massive Attack before. I mostly enjoyed it but I definitely prefer the vibe of their next album, Mezzanine. I just wanted this to go a bit harder.

Dated, but musically interesting enough to sit through. British rap is tough.

Qué recuerdos!!! Un recuerdo random de ellos es que la BBC los "baneó" por tener ese nombre durante la Primera Guerra de Golfo. Empieza bien pero no brilla. Protection, Karmacoma y el cierre con Light my fire es lo mejor en mi opinión.

better than the other one

Protection is echt een prachtig nummer, super trippy, super moody en gewoon een en al schoonheid. Als het album zo aftrapt dan heb ik op zn zachts gezegd ontzettend hoge verwachtingen! Mijn god, het is echt een ontzettend trippy heavy album. Niet heel gezellig, maar ook echt niet vervelend! Veel nummers die echt nice zijn, maar ook een hoop wat maar een beetje voortkabbelt en zelfs lichtelijk saai is. Jammer, maar he, niets aan te doen! Het album is wel echt prima te doen, maar het ontstijgt prima helaas niet. Wat overblijft is vooral het titelnummer en Spying Glass, die zijn geweldig! Ik ben wel steeds meer ervan overtuigd dat voor ene goed triphop nummer je een vrouwenstem nodig hebt, dat scheelt echt zoooooveel! FAVO: Protection, Three, Spying glass, Sly, Heat Miser

Mundane. Really not exciting at all. Not a bad album, but nothing I need to listen to before I die. 3 stars rounded up from 2.5

Some fun melodies but overall not very relistenable

Good blunted beats

Pretty good, though all over the map in tone. Kinda loungey, multiple singers, an unexpected reggae song.

Massive Attack with female vocalists is the best Massive Attack.

It was okk

Mixed - some tracks I loved, some I wasn't so keen. Tracey Thorn's vocals outstanding as always.

This is very close to the kind of electronic music that I like, but not quite there. Some moment are hit, while some are miss from my point. Very solid album anyway.

I liked weather storm but then some of the other pieces were a bit too much in Cirque du soleil style. Good for back ground music but in small doses.

A very pleasant surprise! Massive Attack is kind of a misleading name, I thought it was going to be metal or something way more hard driving, but it was pretty mellow and enjoyable. I also listened to Mezzanine which is even better.

I like Massive Attack but this is lacking in hooks for me. It feels like an album that in 2024 you could make in Splice with random samples. It lacks some structure for me. Maybe that’s it’s genius. They did it without Splice. But it feels a bit monotonous for me.

Not bad. I typically don't like EDM much but these actually feel like songs rather than bleeps and bloops or just a collection of beats. That makes a huge difference. I don't love it, but I don't mind hearing it.

excellent mid-90s soul/acid jazz. Would be four stars but for the shitty and pointless Doors cover.

Not as good as the other Massive Attack albums

Strange album, couldn’t figure out the cohesion.. ok but not great, 2.5/5

Club, soul and so much more.

By far the best use of throat singing in a nineties electronic album

One of the more upvoted reviews explained my feelings about this album better than I could: "Cooooooool. Deep moody lounging. An overcast afternoon in Ibiza. The soundtrack that plays over a moody montage of parallel characters in an ensemble drama. Closing credits to a 2000s James Bond movie." That being said, "Protection" (the album) comes with some flaws. The final track, a cover of the Doors' legendary "Light My Fire", is so far inferior to the original song that it's almost painful to listen to. None of the iconic chord changes (like, e.g., the sudden III chord in the middle of the chorus) are present, and instead a weirdly grating electronic psychedelia insists itself upon the listener. The title track, however, is great - along with some other key tracks, listed below. The sound and production across all the songs are fairly strong, but nothing mind-blowing. The tracks that have an actual melody are (both genuinely, and as a rule of thumb) better than those without. An enjoyable listen that sits somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but drops down to 3 on behalf of its incongruous closer. Key tracks: Protection, Weather Storm, Sly, Heat Miser

This album is something I’d play in the background of my high end party in my penthouse. Good sounding but nothing to make me need to listen again.

Good vibes.

The least interesting of their first 3 albums.

A snoozefest album, why is this here, pretty unremarkable. Hard to pin down the genre as I went along. I will say, it did get more interesting by tracks 2-3. 2* because I don't hate it. Ok, I take it back, 3*. It got better as it went along. Refreshing sound. Highlights: euro child, heat miser (+piano, -breathing)

The songs I like I really like, but a few of the slower songs on this drag it down.

HATE the Beatles

i should look up more about them but i got distracted. its fine. kinda keeps the beat relatively steady but i was also helping a friend while listening so. i just dont care to relisten rn. i did like the first song and sometimes the basslines like still fun. did not like heat miser lol uhh idk shit about soundsystems or operation ore or anti war crackdowns in the uk so. w/o that context its liiiike a 3.5 for me

Decent background listening. Light My Fire really doesn't belong on the album.

I've tried to listen to Massive Attack a few times in the past and could never get into them. Never tried this album so I'll give it a go. I do not like this, I don't hate it either, just not really for me.

This was very smooth and easy to listen to. It still has a "cool" factor to it, but I can only imagine how cool this would have seemed in the 90s when it was released. This album does a great job of being ambient and chill, while also staying engaging; it doesn't fade into background music like ambient music can sometimes do. I would also say the genre listed on Wikipedia ("trip hop") is incredibly misleading; Massive Attack dabbles and spans across many genres here. No two songs sound the same. All this said, I'm still unsure if this album needs to be on this project. In any case, this album is probably a high 2 for me, so rounding up to 3.

I think it's a good album. Just it's not my kind of music. Too trippy. It deserves the place on the list though.

J'avais tout sauf envie de me faire trip-hoper les oreilles dès le matin mais parfois on n'a pas d'autre choix.

C'etait mega naze comme l'intégralité de l'oeuvre de ce groupe en bois.

It’s good but it didn’t blow me away

Cool stuff and really unique, but I don't think I'd come back to the album too much. Favorites were Protection and Weather Storm. Those were the ones I felt had the best uses of the medium and genre.

The song Heat Miser reminded me of the Black Ops 2 zombies music. Album was interesting. I’ve heard of Massive Attack but had never heard anything before. The version of light my fire should not have been included. Favorite songs were Protection and Better Things.

This was inoffensive.

A good time, and it doesn't feel like it's taking itself too seriously. Would never be mad to have it on. Not sure there's a heap of meat on the bones with this one. Fave track: Heat Miser

Another pretty solid collection of tracks. Production sounding super cool again - loved driving around town to this. I think this group is landing firmly in a category for me as one I really like but don’t love. Three and a half. Fave track: Spying Glass

3/5 Good chill relaxing music, it really improves later into the album, the first half is personally a drag for me.

Broody but enough cool and nostalgia to be added to a late night driving playlist.

Heavy sound but softer than I thought. My favorite parts are w dub reggae vibes (spying glass). Heat miser closer encapsulates the sound.

The name always throws me off. You come into it expecting blast beats, and gutturals, but you get trip hop. Regardless, it's a good listen.

OK

meh 3 stars

One prefers the less trip-hoppy cuts, that particular sub-genre seeming awfully dated 20-30 years on. Tracey Thorne shines – what a voice. Title-cut opener and "Better Things" are great. "Weather Storm" also more along the lines of what one wants from this sort of act – loungier, say, but also elegant with some dark and thoughtful shadings. "Sly" also pretty cool but man do things go sideways late: do we need the mouth-breathing on "Heat Miser" which has a cool beat and decent keys? And that take on "Light My Fire" bad is so poorly conceived and dodgily executed that it threatens to thoroughly undo much of sleek/sophisticated vibe they've created heretofore. Overall, it's a strong outing – polished, chill, sophisticated – and stronger than Blue Lines.

This was an interesting one. Kind of like an adult contemporary version of The Clash. Each song was totally different, in a pleasant way. This was an interesting one for sure.

Kinda mid. Good background music to chill

Trip hop is great This is good Goes off the rails a bit at the end High 3

Second album in a row that sounds like the Donkey Kong Country soundtrack. Massive Attack is definitely up there fighting with Primal Scream for the title of "Least fitting band name of all time". This is just a pretty solid trip-hop album. Not as good as "Mezzanine", which is the only album by these guys I'm familiar with. I think that's mostly because this one lacks any standout tracks like "Angel" and "Teardrop". And also that Horace Andy cover of "Light My Fire" that is completely unnecessary and kind of ruins the ending (love the guy though).

Not familiar with Massive Attack at all. I'm told they have a song that is in a well known scene in the movie "Snatch." This was fine, pretty chill, but also pretty meh. Pleasant enough.

on and on it drones but not awful

Decent album. Easy listening. Don’t see myself listening to it again though.

I like this music. It sounds soulful and has good drums. But the songs are monotone with little lyrics. Nevertheless, the beats are good and the singing that appears in some of the songs is majestic. I wouldn't listen to this casually but wouldn't mind revisiting it.

Not at all what I expected

Finding it hard to focus on the music, I keep zoning out. It's good background music. Maybe the slow beat is what's making it hard to catch my attention. New age sound.

Well, this one didn't age as well as Mezzanine for me. It starts strong with the first two tracks but I didn't care for most of the other tracks to be honest.

Not bad. Not great, seminal, or classic, but not bad. A three for a middle-of-the-road album.

Gorillaz vibes but not rating it

Boring

Interesting backing tracks and ambiance with cool beats but I didn't like the vocals. Very clearly from the 90s. Some Kraftwerk-like electronic sounds.

Cool sounds but best for me as background music rather than the main attraction.

Great background music. Not bad but easily forgotten.

Not my favorite massive attack album, but good nonetheless.

Chi)l music for background

Wasn’t feeling this

что-то такое нейтральное электронное

I enjoyed this album despite it occasionally becoming slightly tedious. Some of the songs drag on a bit, especially those with the female vocals, which I found very inspiring. This being said it had some songs I really liked particularly in the first half of the album; the quality seemed to drop as the album advances. Top 3 1. Karmacoma 2.weather Storm 3.Spying Glass Worst track -Three

I know the opening track of this album well, but as a whole this album was just so-so. Some of the songs just sound like noodling over backing tracks; not bad necessarily, but it just didn't do much to hold my attention. This would be good music to put on in the background if I'm looking to do focused work though.

This isn’t really my sound at all, but I’m at least starting to understand the appeal of Massive Attack. I appreciate the aggression and versatility of their style, which is evident here. C

ate interessante algumas, mas meio interminavel (fiquei chocada ao ver o tempo total pq pareceu o dobro)

Cool music although probably not something I would listen to a lot.

3.5

Well, it certainly not my most favorite Massive Attack album. It's got that indelible stink of the mid-90s on it. Cheesy synths, shallow lyrics, weird mesh of genres.... It's all there and none of it's great. But, for all that, it's not bad. Far from it, in fact. It's just not the best offering from Massive Attack.

Pretty good so far, nice background as I'm working. Really nice for background.

Doesn’t speak to me much but it was solid and cool enough

The title is deceiving I was scared this would be some heavy metal or something but no! It’s cute and it’s sweet and it’s soft and it’s easy I liked it

Good downtempo electronic, similar to Air. Good not great 6/10.

Super interesting album-it contains multiple styles/genres and creates a variety of moods. Interesting to listen to!

A good project, you do get used to it though because it doesn't change it up very much. Overall though a happy experience. (71%)

3.5

this is trip hop as they say with a little soul. i've truly never heard this before in my life.

maybe unfairly comparing to mezzanine… but really really liked it!!

The randomizer be not so random as Hal 2000 (randomizer nicknamed) offers up Massive Attack's second album "Protection." The album follows the previous album's structure with music being similar- trip hop and incorporating elements of hip hop/rap, R&B, reggae, synth-pop and electronica. It was quite as critically acclaimed as "Blue Lines" but did fairly well commercially hitting #4 in the UK and #18 in the US Heatseakers' charts. The album opens with "Protection" and Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl on vocals. The song builds slowly with the piano. More in the pop/R&B category. Sampling James Brown "The Payback." Nice song. "Karmacoma" takes it in a reggae direction. Talking/rapping. Rhyming "Karmacoma" with Jamaica. Alright, I'll give it to you. "Sly" has a seductive drumbeat. Scottish singer Nicolette on vocals. Strings in the background. This does sound like it belongs in a James Bond movie. We're met with "Exorcist"-sounding pianos and a constant Darh Vader breathing in "Heat Miser." Synths and a downbeat. Interesting. The album ends with live cover of the Doors' "Light My Fire." A lot going on with the synths. Scratching. Horace Andy and Daddy G on vocals. It does eventually get a groove going. Not sure this was necessary but they did it. This is a decent album. I can't say as groundbreaking as "Blue Lines." It's more laid back and adds more elements of jazz and reggae. It you're a trip hop fan, you'll like this.

Driving bass line, hugely influential, mostly boring

Electro planante Titre protection très beau Télétravail ++

This is pretty much of jazz and alternative music had a baby. It’s chill groovy sound mixed with modern production. The singing floats between two different sounds. Overall it was simple yet complex. Easy to listen to and pretty good. 6.3/10

What an interesting album! I agree with Paul Evans' review that it is "cool, sexy stuff". Was tapping along much of the time. Would not object to someone putting this album on.

Very interesting listen, I went into knowing nothing since I just haven't heard of this group ever before but I was pleasantly surprised. I will never forgive them for not doing anything with the Heat Miser instrumental though. Most songs do not need an instrumental outro that takes up half the song. Favorite Tracks: Karmacoma, Euro Child, Light My Fire

Cool atmospheric music. For a group called Massive Attack, their mood is pretty laidback and loungy. Some of the beats and rhythms have a jazzy swing to them too. Overall I dig it but mostly as background music.

I was just talking to Gab yesterday about how Massive Attack was so influential to me as a videogame composer. More so the album "Mezzanine" but everything they do is so good. I just checked and this is the second album of theirs on this list. That's great. Totally deserved. There will be 3 on this list, I'm sure of it- because Mezzanine is yet to come! I absolutely love their noir grooves and rhodes keyboard. That's my jam. Add some peanut butter and that's a damn pb and jam sandwhich. I also love how there's just never rush with them. In every track they take their time and marinate. I love a good marinade. It's a solid 3/5. Not my favorite by them, but its still great.

Solid effort from MA just a notch below the classics Mezzanine and Blue Lines. 3.5 stars. A little plodding and slow in spots would be my main criticism.

Some English electronica. Heat Miser is cool, Protection is cool, the rest is just mid.

Tecky

Ganska skön platta.

Not my usual cup of tea but some interesting tracks. The live closer is a bit of a weird pick, doesn't really fit with the rest of the album and is also just kinda...shit?

This album haunts me

Well produced but almost too easy to listen to there wasn’t a lot for me to be interested in.

I'm not a fan of this one... I like the piano, but the electronic synth bass is just not doing it for me

First two tracks are essentials The rest? Eh…

Some great moody introspection here. Still, I’d probably take this off the list in favor of Mezzanine.

Mooi plaatje, beetje in de achtergrond valt dit soort muziek eigenlijk altijd een beetje, maar daarom niet minder goed.

Niet zo goed als Mezzanine, maar zeker het beluisteren waard

Fijn sfeertje weet Massive Attack te creeren.

3.2 - A bit of Hilton lobby and quiet Amsterdam coffeeshop.

This one kind of grows on you. Really chill, moody vibe. The cover of "Light My Fire" really doesn't belong and adds nothing to the album. Fave Songs: Weather Storm, Protection, Better Things, Heat Miser, Sly

Wait this is massive attack?

This is giving me lounge music vibes. Background music in a cocktail bar music.

Ok