Protection

didn't really like it tbh

Not bad but not their best

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

I liked this journey into trip-hop, but I can see where people would say it sounds very samey. I did not like the cover they did of "Light My Fire". They made it their own, but it just didn't sound right.

Young massive attack

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

Pretty cool. Unique, well written. Creative. I dig it. Was wild about their doors cover, but the rest of the album was pretty good.

Sadly relegated to the shadow of the bigger, better follow-up for a quarter century, but it's still low-key great.

Can’t believe I slept on this album for so long in favor of Mezzanine and Blue Lines. Big mistake — the vocals are so smooth, and the blend of styles is unreal. It’s seriously great.

I was drawn to this record as a Tracey Thorn fan (Everything But the Girl), and the rest of the album definitely pulled me the rest of the way in.

Second Massive Attack album. Another good time.

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.

3/10

holy shit interactive buddy

Ehhhh. Honestly wish there weren't so many guest vocals.

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

chill

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

Mums!

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

it's a very sit down and relax type album, an easy listen.

Easy to listen to, but not much there for me.

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

Lots of “excellent” reviews, this isn’t one of them. Best part was when it ended.

Fantastic album. Protection and Karmacoma are very strong openers. I just love triphop and Massive Attack specifically so much.

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

Nice voice not my jams

Meh

So friggin awesome every song constructs its own unique energy and atmosphere of good vibes. Some playful some more dark, everything masterful and groovy as fuck

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

Wished I liked this more as I loved their other albums

Yeah, Massive Attack has no dud in their discography, so far.

Another pretty boring 90s electronic album. I'm sure this was cool at the time and influential but it hasn't held up well. It's most just boring at this point.

Why are we so unlucky that we had to suffer through another Massive Attack album? This music is so damn boring. Sure, it has interesting elements, but it mostly just feels like the same few tracks every 3 songs.

I like trip hop, but not this album, it's boring. Even the tracks with really good vocals like Sly have pretty lame backing tracks.

Protection

Another good Massive Attack album. Headphone music, rainy day music. While not as exceptional as other albums in their discography, very good.

Protection is a smoother, more introspective follow-up to Blue Lines, swapping the raw grit of their debut for something cooler, silkier, and more refined. It's an album that moves like a slow-motion dream—lush, moody, and full of space to breathe. Tracks like the title song (featuring Tracey Thorn's ghostly vocals) and Weather Storm wash over you in waves, while Karmacoma and Spying Glass bring a more playful, off-kilter energy to the mix. The production is immaculate—every beat, sample, and subtle texture feels carefully placed, building a sound world that’s as emotionally rich as it is rhythmically hypnotic. While it might not hit with the same revolutionary force as Blue Lines, Protection is arguably the more cohesive listen—less raw, but deeper in mood. It's also a more collaborative album, with vocal contributions from Thorn, Tricky, and Horace Andy adding real character across the tracklist. If there’s any reason it doesn’t get a full 5, it’s only because a couple of tracks feel like palate cleansers more than essentials. Still, this is Massive Attack at their most elegantly brooding—a near-perfect balance of soul, dub, electronica, and atmosphere.

Started off strong with Protection but I didn’t really mesh with any of the other songs.

This is the 85th album I’m rating. I listened to Maxinquaye by Tricky and it was pretty cool so hopefully this’ll be cool. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Protection, Karmacoma, Three, Weather Storm, Spying Glass, Better Things, Euro Child, Sly, Heat Miser, and Light my Fire. All in all I liked 0/10 songs. Maxinquaye had this really nice grimy, gritty vibe that I really liked that this album lacked. The whole thing felt too clean for me.

Big fan of their sound. Not their best album, but enjoyable.

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.

Really boring and overly mellow

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.

Largely forgettable

s'alright.

Massive Attack!!!! LET'S GO! I've only ever heard one of their albums from front to back. And that is of course Mezzanine. This one is with Tracey Thorn. Don't think I've heard her before. But it has a strong Faithless vibe and that to me is good. Weather Storm is perfectly titled. It's sexily jazzy. I love the deep bass. Damn Heat Miser is awesome! 5 stars!

The first three songs were boring. Then, it started to get more interesting. I’ll give it another try later on.

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

Really enjoyed this, had plenty of variety in it and excellent music in the background. Didn't quite have the required bop - level for the full 5*

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

BORING

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

Moving on

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

That was goooood.

3+ Stars (9/15)

MA's best album, great mood, so relaxing and captivating at the same time

Great album - misses some of the thumping tracks that are on mez and blue lines but still really good

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 the House song!"

pretty good, similar to cibo matto

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

My second favorite Massive attack album. 10/10

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

This sounds like great background music for people with no taste and no identity.

Feels almost like a hits album, even though it's relatively early. Probably because there are so many different singers. Very chill mood. I like it.

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.

Spotify doesn't offer the second track "Bumper Ball Dub" so I didn't get to experience the full effect of this album. But maybe that was OK. This ecstasy-rave space-laser music isn't really my thing outside of an ecstasy rave.

I'm still a sucker for Triphop. Really enjoyed this one

Easy listening as background music.

This is going to sound dumb, but I did not expect there to be lyrics on this album. I actually think the singers detract from the tracks, and it would have been better without them? "Heat Miser" was the best song on here and it's the only one without a vocalist.

Awesome love Massive Attack nice beats blend between singing and rapping chilled out but pionient.

Good shit. Immaculate vibe. Hits the right spot between gritty, sexy, sophisticated. Amazing beats, and great vocal performances throughout. If you focus on it too much, it can drag a bit in parts, but it doesn't detract much from the experience. Put it on and just let it take you away. Though, I must say, the cover of "Light My Fire" at the end was a bit weird. Certainly an odd inclusion. It doesn't gel with the rest of the album. Fav tracks: Protection, Karmacoma, Three, Better Things, Sly

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

A beautiful album, full of depth and atmosphere and some snarl. The production and sound are ground breaking and formed a foundation stone for trip hop as a genre that still has its impacts today. As they developed their sound, the addition of real anthems and accessible song craft raised the bsr again but this is the begining.

Solid 10

Ericmuziek! Op een regenachtige dag in de auto op weg naar het vacantiehuisje voor het nieuwe gangweekend. Vaak is het meer sfeer dan muziek. Een bliepje hier, een beatje daar, een stemmetje, een sample. Maar het geheel is meer dan de som der delen. Ik ga hier niet zo hard op als Dieleman, maar het luistert weer prima weg.

Massive Attack staat garant voor luisterplezier. Elk album is gevarieerd. Daarbij helpt de samenwerking met een aantal vaste partners met hun eigen (stem)klank. Bijna alle nummers combineren meerdere muzikale hokjes. Blijkbaar moest er iemand zijn die doorhad dat fijne luistermuziek ook fijne luistermuziek blijft met krachtige muziek eronder. Protection toont dit het minste van de drie eerste albums van Massive Attack. Het is het meest rustige en gebalanceerde album. Wil je het in zijn volle glorie beleven, dan luister je naar Mezzanine, een album wat niet in de "1001 albums you must hear before you die" staat, maar thuishoort in de "11 albums you must hear before you die". Terug naar Protection. Het eerste nummer, de titeltrack en dé hit, maakt het album al. Karmacoma volgt en is de vreemde eend in de bijt. Het drijft op een meer pratende dan rappende Tricky. Niet mijn favoriet, maar wel fijn voor de variatie. Het verschil in de volgende nummers wordt niet gemaakt door de (voor mij) vaste waarden. De bijdragen van Horace Andy verbleken bijvoorbeeld bij de bijdragen op de andere albums. Nicolette maakt het grootste verschil. Sly is een prachtig nummer. Dit album zit voor mij tussen de 4 en 5 sterren. Massive Attack verdient minimaal 2 maal 5 sterren in deze lijst. De selectiecommissie heeft mij de mogelijkheid ontnomen om deze aan Mezzanine toe te kennen. Dus laat ik ik deze plaat dan maar naar boven afronden.

Dat Mezzanine niet in de lijst staat is echt een grove schande. Als een soort pleister op de wond zullen we het met dit album en zijn voorloper moeten doen. Wat natuurlijk ook helemaal prima is. Maar het blijft onbegrijpelijk dat de beste en belangrijkste Massive Attack plaat niet gekozen is. Als ik even spiek online, dan krijgen we het debuut Blue Lines nog. Om dit allemaal even in perspectief te plaatsen, loop ik alvast even vooruit op de zaken, want ik wil deze 3 platen even in volgorde luisteren. Wat me gelijk opvalt, is dat alle platen een beest van een openingstrack hebben. Dan kom je wel even binnen zeg, nondeju! Blue Lines wordt beschouwd als de eerste triphopplaat, dus die moet er eigenlijk in. Die plaat wisselt heel mooi genres af en illustreert ze door het gebruik van verschillende zangers/rappers. Al vind ik niet alle nummers even sterk, door alleen al Unfinished Sympathy verdient dit wel een notering. Protection vind ik over het algemeen vrij saai. Afgezien van de openingstrack, die ondanks de zangeres van Everything but the girl bijzonder goed te pruimen is. De muziek is wat trager, ik mis vaak een moddervette bas of een dikke beat zoals "Euro Child" wel heeft. Sowieso zijn de 2 nummers met Tricky samen met de titeltrack de betere nummers van het album. Mezzanine is wat mij betreft het magnum opus van Massive Attack, ondanks het vertrek van Tricky. Met absolute kneiters van hits als Angel en Teardrop is dit misschien wel het beste triphopalbum aller tijden. En als ik dan moet kiezen en maar 2 albums in deze snoblijst zou mogen zetten (al gooi ik er liever een of ander wanstaltig new wave product uit), dan zou ik toch gaan voor Blue Lines en Mezzanine. Qua cijfer ga ik daarom een 4 geven. De 5 zou voor Mezzanine zijn en zal ik voor Blue Lines gaan geven. Dit album is net een tandje minder.

Can never be as important as blue lines, but still a very strong album

I was expecting a group called Massive Attack to go harder.

I listened to Mezzanine for the first time about two months ago and I absolutely loved it since, so I am very happy to get given another Massive Attack album on here. This is really good for sure. The variety of different vocalists keep things fresh, which is always nice with an Electronic album, and it's a great downtempo album after a long day - or to get absolutely blazed to, take your pick. It doesn't get a 5 because they've done better stuff, and some tracks are weaker than others, such as Spying Glass. Horace Andy has done some bangers with these guys, but this wasn't one of them. It's also not an album you can play at any point in the day. I have to be in the right mood to properly enjoy it. One small annoyance I have with Massive Attack is that I don't get to hear enough of Robert's vocals. I think he's a great vocalist, but he doesn't have that much to sing on this or Mezzanine. I wish he was given more.

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.

Very chill instrumental album so far. Eclectic sounds. Super laid back throughout the entire record. Electronic elements are pretty cool. The Doors cover is pretty rad. Fun record and would for sure put this on if the vibe calls for it.

Love Massive Attack :)

A couple of good songs but mostly filler and a terrible cover of Light my Fire.

I did not enjoy this album. I didn't hate it enough to have that strong of feelings on it, but the few feelings I do have about it aren't overly positive. I get there needs to be a little of a lot of genres on here, but by the 10th trip hop and bajillionth electronic album I think it's enough of those two shitty genres.

I might start playing a game with myself predicting how many reviews down before the first grumpy American rock bro complaining about too many UK entries on the list. I think they're nicely balanced against the two or three Red Hot Chilli Peppers entries.

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.

Pilar do trip hop. Muito original, reflete seu tempo sem soar datado. ótimo e sexy!

Ikke deres bedste men højt niveau, og bare fantastisk stemnings mættet.

Nogle helt fantastiske numre, og nogle gode

olisi viisi tähteä jos vähemmän brittiläisyyttä. jos puhuisivat vähemmän brititä niin mahtava albumi. noh ehkä vähän traumoja tästä projektista, pitää antaa propseja ei vähään aikaan indirock tuolta kirotusta pläntistä. haluaisin kiittää ylläpidosta siitä, ehkä halusivat että poisalta heti. poisalta heti ja muutamassa intervalleissa hyviä albumeja ja nyt pelkkää tulta loppusuora. projektin loppusuora , highway to hell nii nsanotusti heh. hold up kuuntelin just penultimaattisen biisin tästä ja hengitys kuin jarre oxygen of life, of the earth breathe konsanaan!!! tätä täytyy harkita jatkoanalyysissäni.. jaahas ja mikäs tuo doors koveri on olevinaan.. otetaans tämäkin mukaan- kokonaisuushan tämä paketti on eikä mikään karmacoma

Nice.

dergy 80s space/jungle/spa music. mid but worse than mid. massive attack is the biggest understatement of the century

really cool at times and pretty good throughout. good for some HW

I like the first track, but I think a lot of that is due to Tracey Thorn's feature, because the very next song reminds me why did not like the first Massive Attack album that came up. It's just boring. Most of the music is crappy loops, and the parts that aren't are incredibly uninteresting, like if a jazz soloist simply did not give a shit. It just stinks. It's uninteresting and boring. I'm thankful there's a handful of singers, because that variety is the only thing saving this from being a 1/10 for me. Favorite Song(s): Protection

It is a beautiful record with lovely vocals and interesting production. It is definitely a product of the time, while have a feeling it could sound fresh if it came out today.

Ethereal. Chilling. Entrancing. Imaginative. Genre-spanning. I would put this in the 4.5 stars category I think. Not as widely appealing and era defining as what I think a 5 star should be.

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

Not as good as the other one.

1/30/25. Always love good trip hop music, and Massive Attack delivers on this front. Really enjoyed this record.

mega cool! sehr chilligi und trotzdem nöd eintönigi musig. nur s letzte lied gfallt mer wükli nöd, si singed so falsch und es isch so vill lärm und sound effects und sehr wenig harmonisch oder melodisch im vergliich zum rest. de zweiti song seit mer au nöd so zue, glaub au weg de sprechende stimm, aber nachem erste song, wo mer sehr guet gfalle het, ischs au schwierig to keep up. allgemein gfallt mer d mischig us elektronische kläng/instrument, sanfter perkussion und de verschiedene singstimme. singstimme: vor allem tracey thorn im track 1 und 6 gfallt mer sehr guet, ich find iri starchi stimm ide seichte elektronik en sehr gewinnbringende kontrast (si tönt fasch biz wie d whitney houston, oder?). d stimm vode männliche sänger und vode andere sängerin nicolette sind weniger mis. de horace andy im spying glass het recht e reggae stimm, au biz en stilbruch woni no cool find. ich find de nicolette iri stimm passt sehr guet id musig (si passt halt wükli, nöd sonen stilbruch wied tracey oder de horace) und d melodie wo si singt sind mega schön (z.b. in sly). s schnuufe als perkussionsinstrument in heat miser findi recht nice.

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.

Pure adrenaline

Electronic music not my cup of tea

Did not vibe with this album and found it pretty cringe that they call their genre trip hop

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

2.5 - only really liked the singing

Started off chill, then thought.. who is electronic music for? Does anybody actually like this?

Couldn't get into it

eh, alright, a little too much repetitive noise

Atmospheric, well produced, just lush. But let's pretend that their cover of Light My Fire, ok?

Little worried about a 90s electronica album after the last one.... Really enjoyed Protection. Karmacoma is more what I was expecting, not my favorite. Overall I'd say like 2.5/5. First song was good but the rest I could honestly go without.

4/5

Very good album. Wasn’t blown away but I did really enjoy it. It’s got some pretty great songs on this album but it definitely has a lot of skips as well. I liked the beats and the production on this album, as well. I looked into some of the bands other singles and this band’s composition really shines. Definitely check them out.

Not what I was expecting from a group called Massive Attack, that’s for sure.

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.

Another laid back masterpiece, a refinement on their first record.

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.

With a good pair of headphones I fell into this and grooved to this album. Still think Massive Attack is better when there aren’t lyrics. 4/5

It was OK. Not really my taste

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

Cracking Album.

2/5

Massive Attack is one of my favorite bands. I got into trip hop partly because of them. I started with Mezzanine. It fitted in wonderfully with my sound at the time. I only came across Blue Lines - which I had already heard in this project - later through a friend and had to listen to it for a while. It was only later that I came across the album Protection. I really liked it, but it seemed to me to be the weakest of the three. The cover version of Light my Fire was unnecessary, but the rest of the album was still very good. This year Massive Attack are playing live in my area. I'm looking forward to going to the concert. 5/5

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.

More like "Massive Disappointment" amirite? Honestly did not get the appeal of this or why it's even considered on the 1001 list. This is legit department store music and crappy electronica. 3/10.

Soothing and can sleep to this

Having this album play in the background while you're just.. existing, is not too bad, maybe a bit meh because nothing really happens, but if you were to actively listen to this - it is definitely too much of the same thing over and over again. So 3 stars for passive listening and 2 stars for active listening.

Yes, but the light my fire cover seemed unnecessary.

This was one of a handful of unavoidable records when flitting between college rooms in the mid-90s. I am entertained to realise that despite having the general colour and shape of the album cover in my deep memory, I only just noticed the blobby figure with the knife and fork smack bang centre; my brain had transformed the cover into a futuristic city plan. This is an elegant record that I mistook for unadventurous back then. It sounds huge and thick with sound through a cool, deceptive minimalism, plink-plonk Casio beats placed besides moody piano and submarine sounds, strings that thrill rather than dress, and stark storytelling that I was too oblivious to listen to back then. Every part feels carefully thought-through and placed, dub echoes included. Another listener error I made was mistaking the diversity of voices as evidence of dilettantism rather than the shifting, sprawling but focussed collectivism behind the work, and that the dub, Jamaican and other elements reflect the collective, and Bristol’s convoluted history behind them. Tricky’s lines were lifted and shifted to “Maxinquaye” a year later, but it’s striking how much younger he sounds here. He clearly wanted what was in his head to be heard, and did the hard miles to make it. I’ve taken a lot more from this today than I’d expected to.

so good, brings back many vague memories of when it came out! Both Tricky and Tracey Thorn are incredible here, such a great set of tunes throughout. I think it's their best by far

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.

If this is trip hop give me more. Somehow both atmospheric and danceable, what's not to love?

Excellent. Top tier album, great sound that brought back good memories.

Kind of boring. However, I did learn the collab'd with Craig Armstrong who did the music for Love Actually which was very topical and therefore fun. Too bad it didn't help the album.

Segundo disco de Massive Attack , esta vez con Nelle Hooper coproductor del disco, exquisitos arreglos de Craig Arsmtrong y las programaciones de Marius de Vries. También con Tracey Thorn y Ben Watt, o lo que es lo mismo “Everything But The Girl”, con la inigualable voz de Tracey en Protection (segundo sencillo y sin duda el tema más memorable del álbum) y ambos participando en esa maravilla que es Better things. Karmacoma (3er sencillo) y Eurochild , ambas con Tricky. Tanto EBTG como Tricky cogerían esas influencias y las tomarían prestadas para sus carreras. Temas Instrumentales como Weather storm o Heat miser. Mastercalss en Spying glass con Horace Andy , otro ilustre colaborador, La sensual Sly, primer sencillo, con la voz de Nicolette (también en Three) y unos arreglos orquestales excelentes. El cierre es algo totalmente ajeno al disco, es una mancha tremenda que lo desluce por completo: Light my fire (live), ignoro el motivo de incluir esta horrible versión en un disco tan elegante, más allá de ser el tema de prueba de sonido de Horace (quien pensaba que era de José Feliciano). Problemas: no está a la altura del deslumbrante y eterno Blue Lines, tampoco tiene un tema como Teardrop, y sobre todo que se publicó el mismo año que Dummy el debut de Portishead... sin embargo es un magnífico disco. Muy recomendable la relectura de Mad Professor: No protection. Una versión dub tema a tema, excluyendo con acierto Light my fire y Eurochild. El 94 no tenía nada que ver con el año 91 en que debutaron: Madonna andaba totalmente perdida con Bedtime Stories, Los Stones Roses naufragaban con su Second coming, Nirvana lo había cambiado todo y K. Cobain se suicidaba ese mismo año que editaban tambíen discos BLUR: Parklife, PORTISHEAD: Dummy, MANO NEGRA: Casa Babylon, SUEDE: Dog Man Star, NAS: Illmatic, PAVEMENT: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, OASIS: Definitely Maybe, NEIL YOUNG: Sleeps With Angels, AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB: San Francisco, R.E.M.: Monster, HOLE: Live Through This, JEFF BUCKLEY: Grace, THE AUTERS: Now I’m A Cowboy, NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS: Let Love In, JOHNNY CASH: American Recordings, SEBADOH: Bakesale, UNDERWORLD: Dubnobasswithmyheadman, STONE ROSES: Second Coming, BECK: Mellow Gold, MARK LANEGAN: Whiskey For The Holy Ghost, TOM PETTY: Wildflowers, THE BEASTIE BOYS: Ill Comunication, KRISTIN HERSH: Hips And Makers, SABRES OF PARADISE: Haunted Dancehall, JON SPENCER BLUES EXPLOSION: Orange, NIRVANA: Unplugged In New York, ALI FARKA TOURE & RY COODER: Talking Timbuktu, PULP: His’n’Hers, THE PRODIGY: Music For The Gilted Generation, VERUCA SALT: American Thighs, THE WALKABOUTS: Satisfied Ma, MANIC STREET PREACHERS: The Holy bible, Elvis Costello: Brutal Youth, Smash de The Offspring

Too mellow

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

I get the whole Trip Hop thing that they're going for, but it really just doesn't appeal to me. The album is just so minimalistic. They are doing some cool things with the beat on some of the songs and some of the sounds are really unique, especially for the time, but the vast majority of this song is so done down that it has a really droney, boring quality to it.

Classic of its time - brings back memories

Massive Attack had an incredibly consistent run in the 90s, starting with Blue Lines and ending with Mezzanine, but Protection happened in between and is, for me, the weakest of the three. That's not to say it's weak, by any means. Protection, Karmacoma and Sly are all fantastic, brooding, sublime pieces of trip-hop magic. There's a great vibe that doesn't give up for the full LP but it does sag in the second half.

Not as sonically interesting as it could be. It is filled with competent but uninteresting music.

The attack is far from massive here, but indeed very chill. The album has a great way of putting you into a groovy trance and sort of forces you to accept what it's offering.

Massive Attack architects a subtlety sophisticated expansion on their trip-hop foundation, constructing new wings of dub, soul, and electronic design through refined production and intricate arrangements.

Solid album. I've only known about this group recently but I like what I've heard. I'll keep digging into their catalog. Thanks generator.

Not as good as mezzanine but good

Massive Attack is o e of those groups whose music I always enjoy but I've never sought out and listened to a full album before. I enjoyed this a lot, they always sound so cool.

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

What does this add that all their other albums don't already do? I honestly couldn't tell the difference between this and any other one of their albums. One massive attack album on this list I don't like, but I get. To have this on here is just dumb.

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.

That's not my taste in music. But interesting music.

Not terrible, just like mellow house music. Not for work

01) Protection - 9,5 02) Karmacoma - 9,5 03) Three - 8,0 04) Weather Storm - 8,0 05) Spying Glass - 8,0 06) Better Things - 8,0 07) Eurochild - 8,0 08) Sly - 8,5 09) Heat Miser - 8,0 10) Light My Fire (live) - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,30 (83/100) Current ranking: 104/383

conclution: edm is better the cover version of light my fire has only 1/100 awesomeness from the original the vocal is sloppy and jim morrison's original version is 100% better 2/5

ok i guess 4/5

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

Nope

Muy buen disco, tiene como bases de electrónica y un sonido ambiental pop-80s moderno.

Classic!

Out of all the classic trip hop albums Massive Attack released during the nineties, this is probably the lesser of the three -- my minor grudge is mostly directed at the instrumentals featuring piano performer Craig Armstrong (who was somewhat trendy in Britain at the time, but has since faded into oblivion, at least as far as I know). Those cuts verge a little too much on elevator music for my taste, sapping some of the momentum found elsewhere in the album. The thing is, the floors you explore once you get out of those lifts are *all* fascinating. It's like roaming inside the cold and somewhat dilapidated corridors of a business building late at night, crossing the paths of all sorts of ghosts and spectres. One is Nicolette, lending her Billie Holiday-adjacent voice to the eerie "Three" and the lush neo-psychedelic, string-laden tones of "Sly". Another is an elderly Jamaican following your unsure steps as you cross empty rooms in the sound of "Spying Glass" -- doesn't he exactly look (and sound) like legendary reggaeman and dub prophet Horace Andy? And then at some point, you feel like you're gonna get mugged by a young ruffian with a burly mug named Tricky, with 3D and Daddy G looking at the scene with an approving look on their faces. "Eurochild" is hypnotic and trippy, but it's on the ominous and iconic "Karmacoma" that Tricky sounds the most menacing, in spite (or maybe because) of his hushed vocals... The most impressive ghost, however, is Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn. Her ethereal yet precise presence irradiates the minimalistic "Better Things". And most of all, it transcends the legendary opener "Protection", eight minutes of sheer beauty and incredible musicality -- slow yet hard-sounding hip hop beats, a simple funk guitar loop and an ominous, obsessive, one note-bassline all caressed by Tracey's motherly vocals and soothing layers of keyboards piling up on one another. That cinematic title-track is pure magic, and in that particular realm often explored by 3D, Daddy G and Mushroom, only "Teardrop" featuring Liz Fraser, from follow-up album *Mezzanine*, can be deemed superior. Oh, of course, you also have that controversial cover of The Doors' "Light My Fire", also with Horace Andy. I always thought it was only a tongue-in-cheek joke to close the proceedings. My only real issue with the last leg of the album is mostly that not much happens after "Sly" (the second instrumental featuring Craig Armstrong which follows it is more boring than that goofy version of "Light My Fire". The latter elicits some snarling emotional response on my part, at least. Given what I've just written, I could have easily gone to a 4/5 grade here. But the peaks on *Protection* are so damn high that I can forgive its two or three valleys. It's been such a nice ride in that haunted glass tower anyway. It's gonna be a 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, then, rounded up to 5. Which translates to a 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: 3 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 430 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 255 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 315

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

Easy-peasy lemon-squeezy. One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite groups. 30 years old now and certainly NOT Electonica.... Great videos if you ever get chance to watch them. Not quite the best of Trip Hop but close (Mezannine and NearlyGod)

pretty good ngl

Massive Attack on my ears more like Their cover of Light My Fire was a hate crime 2 ⭐️

TIL that Weather Storm, a piano piece that I've known and loved since I was a child, was originally a Massive Attack track??? Anyway, shockingly, local trip-hop enjoyer enjoys foundational trip-hop album. Some bits of it felt like they'd been John Cartered into feeling a bit like they weren't doing much I hadn't heard, purely because it's so foundational, but still, it's really good, and 5 for the force with which finding that out punched me in the brain, if nothing else.

Before this, my experience of Massive Attack was Unfinished Sympathy. I now see what I’ve been missing out on. Loved all of this.

Very ggood ambient / trip hop music, from the undeniable masters of the genre. Not my favourite Massive Attack album, but that still makes it a great album.

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

Atmospheric electronic album. I preferred the instrumental tracks, but honestly all of it was very good. Stand-out: Heat Miser

за состояние транса не некоторых треках - двоечка, а так я конечно продолжу хуесосить электронику

Клевое необычное звучание, интересный стиль

Very good album, can't believe I haven't heard it before. One to listen to again

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

Interesting enough electronic. Goes to some different places throughout the album. I listened to half of this on a train and it fit that vibe well. Not the best thing I've ever heard, won't be coming back, and not overly sure it's needed on the list but it isn't awful.

After a couple of tracks I was questioning why this was on the list. Some okay beats at times. I liked Heat Miser. Light My Fire had me cringing.

This is okay background music and Light My Fire is interesting but it doesn't inspire to hear more. 2 stars or D+ for me.

Had a couple of nicer tracks, but overall dull. Representative of its era, so historical value there, but really hard to see who would listen to this for pleasure. All the songs seem to have been created to be used as bedding tracks for montages in 90s home-improvement and reality shows where the camera cuts at medium pace through shots of houses with square furniture with too much chrome and fake leather.

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.

"Better Things" and "Sly" were really good, and I enjoyed them very much. The rest of the album didn't do anything for me.

Yeah it's not Mezzanine but it does the job

Ok

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

Music made for a high school “rave” in someone’s parents’ basement that starts at 6:30 and ends at 9

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.

Massive Attack was one of the first groups to create trip-hop, a mixture of hip-hop rhythms, dub grooves, and looped samples. Their work met with universal critical success, and they influenced generations of musicians. Protection is the group's second album, and while successful, was not as critically successful as their debut, Blue Lines. Massive Attach is a mood - or a vibe. Their material is mesmerizing, engaging dance music. They have a range of guest vocalists on the tracks, giving the album an impressive range, while maintaining a consistent mood throughout. The album is excellent, but the last track, a live "Light My Fire" cover, did not help the cause.

It’s electronica, but I kinda like it. Make great background music! I’d listen to it again

the album was mostly boring but fine, and then they absolutely butchered Light My Fire

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

Empieza bien

One of my more favorite electronic albums on this program so far.

What an interesting album! Never got boring from beginning to end, blended genres in a great way, and was great to listen to from front to (almost) back (the "Light My Fire" cover was a hair out of place). Loved this one.

Not sure why there are two Massive Attack albums on "The List". Subdued rhythms, guest singers and electronic sounds. Blue Lines popped up for review in August 2023 and I don't really find any difference between the two albums. Had I died before hearing this, I don't think I would have missed much.

After listening to this, you'll need Protection for your ears. It's a basic, lackluster album full of songs that pass you by as you're reading a book, or trying to fall asleep. Favorite Track: "Light My Fire".

From a band called "massive attack" I expect something totally different. But what you get is well crafted lounge music.🤷‍♂️ (For messing up "Light My Fire" I had to rate them down to zero stars!)

For me, Massive Attack's best album. Exquisite. The choice collaborators. The mirrored, twin-sided format. The mood, the flow. The instrumentation. Analogue dub heart with digital flourishes. Not a bad track on here. Brilliant.

Mezzanine should be here instead, but this album is fine.

Favorite Track: Euro Child

One or two interesting songs but generally this felt like background music and what they did to Light My Fire shouldn’t be allowed.

Terrible sounding for my taste

This is excellent groove music; the vocalist has a beautiful, crystalline voice. I enjoyed it.

Lush

So boring for how acclaimed it is.

I have to admit prior to starting any part of this I saw the artist name and got nervous it would be some sort of heavy metal scary band, but luckily it wasn’t. I kind of liked it, but I also found it a little blah. I think I would listen again but I can’t identify what exactly speaks out to me? I don’t know.

I immediately like this better than their debut album; they bring their trippy yet warm sounds into a more modern/accessible forum - plus the vocals here for a change I actually like (track 1: "Protection") from Tracey Thorn (of Everything But the Girl...). The space given in the music is perfect - creating tension that rarely breaks yet is still always compelling. Combined with the great instrumentation - creative/tasteful synths, excellent subtle guitar work, drum loops that somehow don't get stale or frustrating. It's not perfect to me because of some of the vocalists - I vastly prefer no vocals or Thorn's (tracks 1 and 6, "Better Things") to the others (although the Tricky cuts definitely match the vibe); wishing an entire album's worth was done with her but the great music [notable exception being the crappy "Light My Fire" cover] makes this one to keep. 8/10 4 stars.

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.

Favourite songs: Euro Child, Protection, Heat Miser, Karmacoma Least favourite songs: Spying Glass 4/5

Massive bore fest

I was surprised by this.. I liked it more than I thought I would..

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.

The album opens with a cool and sexy vocal reminiscent of Sade. The rest of the album is similarly cool and at times sexy. The vibe I got was a dark lounge with people sitting on low couches at low tables trying to look cool without appearing to be trying to look cool. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-protection-by-massive?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

I liked a few songs but it was quite unexciting

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

ohhh i really wanted to like this . but i didn’t

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

This is really not the sort of music I can listen to and stay awake. It makes me instantly sleepy like I've been conditioned or something.

Not a fan. I am sure when I read the write up my opinion might change.

Love this album and Massive Attack

Meh

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.

it was fine

This was a really chill album. I did not enjoy the final track (the cover of "Light My Fire") but otherwise, I really liked the trip hop vibe, and I thought all of the vocalists had nice voices.

no strong feelings

I'm just not excited by soft noise sorry

Rob: Massive Attack, No Protection, the song is: Radiation Ruling the Nation. Barry: Oh, kind of a new record. Very - very nice Rob. A sly declaration of new classic status slipping into a list of old, safe ones. Truth be told, I'm not sure why our record store owner chose No Protection instead of the original Protection, but that's just me. I like Protection a lot, Karmacoma was one of the songs I first downloaded when people I admired on the internet talked about liking Massive Attack (along with Teardrop, obviously). There are some things I might choose to leave off (ok, that final live cover) but it's really solid for popping on and letting run.

Let's fucking go!!!! I love massive attack!!! It really is a crime that mezzanine isn't on this list though. If you even slightly enjoyed this album I HIGLY HIGLY recommend Mezzanine. It is a lot darker and colder, and has more rock elements, and some of the best production of all time. Now back to this album. I love the title track it is such a comforting track, and probably one of my all time favorite massive attack songs. I feel like I should hate karmacoma, but it is just so hypnotizing and I love the chorus. Three has some fun parts and nice singing. But weather storm is just such a chill song. Spy glass has a great beat, I don't know the singers names, but I always enjoy this guy's songs. Speaking of good singers, any of their songs that feature a female vocalist is top tier. Euro child is such a groovy track, I'm usually not the biggest fan or their hip hop tracks, but this one just has such a good beat. The rest of the album is good except for their cover of light my fire, which is one of the only Massive Attack songs I would describe as bad.

I'd say I had a better time than I thought I would, but I think this is predicated on how much trip hop and adjacent music my dad played growing up when I was a kid and of course would find it immensely boring. 8 year old me marginally preferred this to my mum playing Norah Jones. That being said there's a lot to love here and the textures are gorgeous, although my endless problem with being unable to detach the sample from the song that samples it goes on (James Brown - The Payback in the first song particularly). But on a quiet day sitting in the last rays of the sun, or waking up on a rainy saturday morning, this album has its place and knows it well, and as such I don't think I can really fault it.

1. protection - 1 2. koma - 1 3. three - 1.5 4. ztorm - 1 5. glazz - 1 6. better - 1.5 7. child - 1 8. zly - 1 9. heat - 1 10. fire - 0

Beetje te wacky

fine

I never rode the Bristol Wave. And I’m ok with that.

Very good. 3.5

This is the type of shit playing way too loud at some boutique you get dragged into with like 3 things for sale.

There have been a couple trip hop albums on this list (Massive Attack, Portishead), and that's a new genre I had never heard of, but I gotta say I like all of what I'm hearing.

It's so bad it could be used for the background of a specialized adult movie

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 didn't realize I had such nostalgia for this album. But it totally took me back to the early 2000's when I'd listen to Napstered MP3s of it while working, or just the sound of distance music while hiking around Burning Man.

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.

Not bad but not my type of music

not for me.

Not my thing.

Day233 - i really liked the other massive attack album i had earlier but this one missed the mark

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 feeling it

Meh. 1.5

Honestly the worst fucking album I’ve heard

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

This isn't my favorite Massive Attack album, but it might be my second favorite. Just chock full of creamy trip hop goodness 4/5

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

Oof this was one of my least favorite in a while. Just didn’t have anything going for it that entertained me Rating: 1.9

4 -

I really enjoy the trip hop genre of music and massive attack are one the better known artists. Very cool

Not for me

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

Tribal and rythmic, deep and chill. Very ambient, I dig it. But almost wanna call this derivative.

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.

I got a George Michael vibe a lot from this album which is weird. I’ve known of Massive Attack but never really listened to them before. They aren’t bad, though i don’t think I’ll listen to them again.

Will always be a favourite of mine

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

It’s 2003. You walk into the W Hotel. You hear the soundtrack to your life and realize you are a secret European spy. THIS IS THE REAL YOU.

Trip hop

This was a great surprise! I've never listened to these people before at all. I'm usually not a fan of all electronic stuff, but they use the vocals so well over the top that it pulls it together very nicely. I think this is the best electronic music I've heard.

This is not their magnum opus, but it’s still so goddamned good. 4.5 if I could, but I’ve no issues giving this all five stars.

Not bad

El segundo LP del legendario acto de Trip Hop expande el sonido de la banda, dándole un toque más sofisticado y refinado que su debut "Blue Lines". Un disco perfecto al que no le sobra nada, y cuyos 49 minutos de duración se sienten como 5, ya que fluye de forma casi perfecta. Sumamente recomendable y un indispensable del subgénero de música electrónica nacido en Inglaterra.

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

Booooooo

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.