Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Awful, just awful
Dull and discordant. That cover at the end might be the worst thing I've heard in my life.
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.
Trip-Hop/Hip-Hop at its finest. This album is a smooth listen from start to end.
A lovely record through and through - maybe it’s easy to mock Trip Hop but I can’t deny I love the big records that came out of the genre - and this is definitely THE trip hop album. I grew up with Mezzanine and I always kind of dismissed this one but it’s gorgeous - moody, groovy, sexy and theatrical.
Kaikki genret tähditetään asteikko 1-5 tähteö tåmä on objektija... suus.. Trip hop kuitenkin tähditetään hiphopn skaalassa ajoten ei haittaa trip hop ei ikinä tule saamana 1 tai 2 tähteä heh (nimittäin shitty ass-nontriphop pophop albumit keräävät alhaiswt tähdet.. Noni ja aloitetaan albumi kuuntelu tietäen 3-5 skaala heh Vittu tätä ku kuuntelee tiskatessa herkkä hetki... Hifistelly aina kaikessa ja albumi hifistelyssä nyt sanotaan vaan sen verran ettö vtiuttaa jos popitusta mianstream yleisölle mukaidetuaan.. aluks tässä tuntu olevan.. mutta tiedä sitten.. Ollut niin hyvää musiikkia haluis sanoa tälläsestä että tämmönen on hyvä albumi nöin tehdään hyvä albumi tässä ladies and gentleman hyvää paskaa.. Ja sen teen.. kuunnelkaa jos haluatte vuoden 1994 parasta mianstream hip triphop paska.a.. olka ahyvä pöytä on katettu.. 49 min 10 kappelatta... 5 tähteä ti 12. syyskuuta.. kitään ja kuittaan ensipäivään..
Loved the album, but the last track really sucks you out of the experience. Still, would listen to again.
Good stuff
Did not enjoy
Incredibly boring!
Very cool and chill album. Whatsherface has a beautiful voice, but I really dig the dub-influenced tracks and instrumentals. Actually went round twice in the mix but had to change coz we were driving and it got dangerously mesmeric. I’d only ever heard Mezzanine before (long time fav) so silly I’ve never dig deeper into their catalog.
Heard before: some So it seems that the general consensus is that this one isn't a good as Blue Lines. But to me, they doubled down on the best parts (dubby influences and deep grooves) and added Tracey Thorn, one of my faves. How can you go wrong? All this, plus a shoutout to the Specials. I could have done without the Doors cover, but prior to that, this is a even better than the first one. Top tracks: Better Things, Protection, Karmacoma
Not good
Trip hop. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Trip hop
Very nice lift music.
Massive Attack uses a wide array of genres and styles to compose a sound that is not only unique, but keeps you on the edge of your seat with every subsequent track in the tracklist
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.
2/5 Best: Heat Miser Worst: Three
Some English electronica. Heat Miser is cool, Protection is cool, the rest is just mid.
Tecky
Atmospheric "trip hop". Not the most interesting
Massive Attack will always have a special place in my heart. The only thing I did not like about it was the decision to use the super boring Doors-song as a closer.
Ganska skön platta.
Great lil blend of hip hop and electronica, enjoyed it!
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…
Not my favorite of their albums (that would be Mezzanine), but the Tracey Thorn tracks add a star.
It was ok Coffee house music
Some great moody introspection here. Still, I’d probably take this off the list in favor of Mezzanine.
супер убаюкивающий альбом, который нежно кладет тебя под плед и дает наслаждаться пространством алкоальбом: сладкий вермут
I appreciated the James Brown sample and Doors cover. Or at least an attempt at a Doors cover.
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.
This girl I know needs some shelter She don't believe anyone can help her She's doing so much harm, doing so much damage But you don't wanna get involved You tell her she can manage And you can't change the way she feels But you could put your arms around her I know you wanna live yourself But could you forgive yourself If you left her just the way you found her? I stand in front of you I'll take the force of the blow, protection This is some quintessential 90s sound. Massive Attack is a great band, and this is a good album. Not great, but good. 4/5
3.2 - A bit of Hilton lobby and quiet Amsterdam coffeeshop.
Pretty boring
Outside of the title track this one completely fell off into nothingness. Hard to even write this review now, the tracks were so instrumentally sparse and unidentifiable from one another melodically. This LP needed a massive injection of actual content, outside the rhythm section it seems nobody else really came in the day this was recorded.
Was going to give this a 2 but I'm just soo bored. I never want to listen to this ever again.
Finally, at long last, a 90s English electronica album. Seriously, how many of these can there possibly be in this book? In all honesty, this is far from the worst one out there. There are clear attempts to make this a cohesive music project, but this genre has such a hard ceiling with me altogether.
Really enjoyed this one
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.
This sounds like the slower music that would go into The Matrix. Not a huge fan. It isn't awful but I'm not enjoying it. I was gonna give it a low 3 but after pausing to go do something else and comming back I can't bring myself to listen to the rest of it. This is a high 2/5
Great album - really enjoyed! 4/5
Ok
Gorillaz vibes
Lush and ethereal, transports me back to the 90s. Absolutely will listen again 8/10
Very nice, love the atmosphere it sets. The last song feels out of place though
it was alright. i like massive attack and they have some other really good songs but this wasnt all that crazy
Never heard of Massive Attack but I loved it, very cool album. Sounds very 90s somehow - in the “good” way. Also gives me some lo-if vibes which is cool. Definitely see myself returning to this, and many songs I really liked. Hard to decide between a 4 and 5, but I think I will settle for a strong 4.
Massive Attack is one moody band and I love it. This whole album breathes a moody laid back atmosphere. This would be a 4 star if if it weren't for that I was not a fan of some of the vocal deliveries (e.g Karmacoma) and the final live track ruined what would otherwise be a great final track in "Heat Miser". I'm impressed by how modern this sounds though it was released nearly 30 years ago. Will definitely listen to this more times.
This started super strong, the first two tracks are classics. It was a bit ho hum after that.
A very chilled and atmospheric collection of songs. Not entirely in my wheelhouse but I can see situations where I might call on this again.
Very chilled out triphop. Inoffensive and easy listening. Perfectly for getting things done
Beter dan verwacht. Divers qua beats, en de vaak goede vocalen. Paar nummers minder, maar ook veel goed.
Heady, moody, generally good but goes off the boil in places. Satisfying otherwise and worth a second go.
Beetje saai
Oka
perhaps with mad quality speakers and some mdma this would serve well in the background of a house party but its not giving me anything else
Really cute and catchy, chill and pleasant. Unique uses of synths and samplings even within the context of othwr massive attack stuff. Really enjoyed
I def prefer Mezzanine
I really like "Protection"! It has really, really good vibes. "Karmacoma" is also really neat, "Weather Storm" has immense vaporwave vibes, and "Three" is actually genuinely so good! I didn't know much about Massive Attack, but this is a great and really diverse album.
Top Three Songs: 1) Better Things 2) Three 3) Heat Miser Bottom Three Songs: 1) Weather Storm 2) Karmacoma 3) Euro Child
This is way better than I expected, trip hop tends to be a little hit or miss for me but I find this one very relaxing
loved the atmosphere, instrumentation, and afrocentric styles. my only notable critique is that every track dragged on for longer than necessary.
Oh yeah an album
smooth as hell
Not my thing
Good to listen to. It would be a background album.
Not my favorite MA album but a peach nonetheless..
Good.
This was very okay, there just not any real stand outs. Get the feeling this album committed to being cool and that's where the intrigue ends. It's like going to a club filled with everyone dressed the exact same way, they all look decent but there's not all that much beneath the surface.
Yeah I was bamboozled listening to this, but it had some unique sombre sounds that said yes to me. A really odd soundtrack, but I liked it. It said BIG UP MY HOMIE LISTEN TO THIS
Probably not as good as their other albums but some very varied and interesting sounds. Sounds more modern than the 90s What are the chances of us hearing another Light My Fire cover, after hearing that bald indian fella on the see-tar. Call me as mad as a drainpipe but I think I preferred Shankar's rendition
Feel like I’m on drugs. Or should be. 3.5/5
Super chill, melodic and perfect for easy listening or as background music for an office. Massive Attack is incredibly accessible to nearly any listener, which is sort of their appeal and this album is no exception to that. Beats and melodies are consistent, plenty of resolve in each song, and overall nothing stands out by itself, the experience is pretty complete. Therein sort of lies the mediocre rating, where the biggest advantage that Massive Attack has is also where it does not earn higher a rating, it is so even-keeled and accessible that it gets caught in that grey area of respect and indifference.
Chill and atmospheric trip hop. Feels grand with the piano and string effects. Just like with Blue Lines, I appreciate the contributions of every vocalist, and Tracey Thorn from Everything But the Girl was an excellent addition matching the mood. Had an overall lounge vibe with tracks like "Weather Storm", but others were more dancey with a techno touch like "Three" and "Spying Glass." Has the hits, and every track (except the "Light my Fire" bonus track) felt necessary.
Massive attack of crap...
meh
Dnf
What an opening. The warm hug of Protection, followed by the cold chill of Karmacoma. It carries on strong too. Weather Storm is one of the best instrumentals ever, a kind of gorgeous dub piano jazz. The back half struggles to live up to this start, but is still very good, especially if you like dub or have had a toke. It's brilliant, ultimately.
Yeah, Massive Attack are kind of a cooler idea than they are to listen to. Maybe I’m just not smoking as much these days but it’s all a little boring to me now.
Protection provides itself as a connective tissue for the next set of seismic shifts in the trip-hop scene during the mid 1990s, from the lines uttered by Tricky that formed the backdrop of many a classic songs from what would be his debut album Maxinquaye to Tracey Thorn's appearance in the opening title track that foreshadowed Everything But the Girl's mingling with downtempo electronic music and the rather cinematic features that sweep through the deep cuts of this record. All in all, an intriguing follow-up to Blue Lines and a harbinger of things to come. Favorites: Protection, Karmacoma, Weather Storm, Spying Glass, Euro Child, Sly.
ok. not my style
Smooth
I gave the last Massive Attack album a meh rating and I liked this more... but that's possible because Tracey Thorn is on it and I like Everything But The Girl and her presence made it better.
Meh
Some classic massive attack. I think I slightly prefer blue lines and mezzanine, but this is still a great album
Buen disco con ritmo y estilo. Canciones mezcla de pop y dance. Buena voz igualmente. Aun así, le ha faltado algo de fuerza
Album van de trip hop / electronica band Massive Attack. Redelijk divers album met een blend aan verschillende genres. Kwaliteit is ok; de tracklist is ondanks de diversiteit verder niet inspirerend en vooral te saai. leukste nummer: Protection Album bevat veel samples van o.a. James Brown en The Doors. Een lelijke live mix van "Light My Fire" sluit de tracklist tragisch af.
Good album with chill sound
Weird at times but I kinda dug it.
I did not have acid to drop so this was not as interesting.
Right, okay, another massive attack of absolute shit. God I hate this. Boo! Boo! Hisssssss, boo! I think I've mentioned before that I hate electronic music, yes? Enough already, please. Jesus fucking christ, how many seminal electronic albums can there possibly be?!?! I'd like to change my order.
This felt like it should have been a companion soundtrack to a movie. Varied and interesting but nothing hooked me.
There are some classics on here but tbh a couple of stinkers
Wow, I friggin love this. I'm familiar with massive attack by way of mezzanine and blue lines, and it's been at least 5 years since those were in my rotation, and I don't remember liking them as much as I like this right now. Every song is a fucking jam and beautifully recorded.
This is ass. No wait, ass is good. This is the opposite of that. 1
first tracks pretty cool, rest sortof monotonous
Best of their albums? Maybe. Hard to beat Safe from Harm. But maybe. Tracy Thorn - great.
not my typical listen but man, was this smooth - this was gooooood
Ok, allowing for the talent it must have taken to create these tracks, I really really didn’t like it. Fancied cutting off my ears by track 3 but somehow persevered and got to the end. There is contained within both some of the most forgettable music I’ve ever heard along with a couple of tracks that I wish I could forget. Not for me.
Yay! If only i wasn't at work and I could smoke some reefer while I listen to this. I'm more of a Mezzanine girl. It's the one that came out in college. This is great though. I was just getting deeper into music in 1994. Hick from the sticks. This wasn't on my radar. No guitars. Twas my loss
Not my cup of tea.
Not my favourite MA album but obviously still great.
Highlights: Protection, Karma Coma, Sly. Top-heavy album but still consistent. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Its the kind of album you have to be in the mood to listen to.
Samo prve dvi vride ocjene
The birth of lo-fi?
track 1- eh, Track 2 - mid there is weirdly too much going on in this album. just not my jam
Way better than I remember! This is a re-listen, I orginally heard it 3 years ago and thought it was alright. But hearing it now? Very impressed, it was much better than I expected. Nice blend of songs - chill trip hop vibes to more hip hop sounding songs. Exhibits the perfect levels of chill and can almost instantly make you feel calm. I love the songs: weather storm, Protection, Euro child and Sly. Listening to this has revived my appreciated for Massive Attack and made me remember again why I decided to do this whole 1001 album generator thing in the first place. It's worth it :)
Slow maybe I'll start to enjoy after a few listens.
I don’t listen to trip hop much, it’s not bad but most of the album faded into the background until Heat Miser which grabbed my attention.
I continue to dislike electronica. I will say I liked this more than Mezzanine even though everybody says that’s somehow a perfect album
droning elevator music with a large helping of bored muttering vocals. the listless sound of waiting for your mom to finish shopping at some industrial-chic boutique store
I like the ideas and to a certain extent the execution as well, but I think the songs often go for a bit to long, which makes it so that I'd rather listen to other trip hop albums (including their own Mezzanine). That first track is really damn good tho.
Meh. Wanted to like this so much more than I did. Good for background music, but I didn't feel much went into the mix, not very original.
Lovely little trip into the abyss
I really enjoyed some of the songs (especially with Tracey Thorn), but the rest were fine. I don't think I'll remember any of them
can i get some good music pls
Bordering on cheesy but generally great in an early 90s way. Tracey Thorn is the secret weapon here. Her voice fits the mood perfectly. Contrary to every other reviewer, I think the 'Light My Fire' cover is kinda fun, albeit in the style of a drunk guy at karaoke.
nice album, music from my Youth, always entertaining, fresh new sound in the nineties
Love the sound and vibe of Massive Attack, this one was a little underwhelming for me.
I can see how this isn't for everyone, but I like Massive Attack. Although, I was really only familiar with the album Mezzanine before listening to Protection today. Very relaxing, full sounds. Some of the vocals were not my preferred style but that's just nitpicking.
I never know what to think of Massive Attack. I like them, I might love them. I've never heard this album, but the first song has me already. Tracey Thorn has an incredible voice. They really seem to excel with female vocalists.
I just love this triphop stuff.
No reason for this to be on the list when Blue Lines is also on it. I guess it’s fine.
I count myself a general trip-hop fan, so Protection's hour was not wasted. However, Massive Attack's ventures are too weak to compel and the stronger tracks are undermined by surrounding silliness.
Massive Attack, at the roots of trip hop, still feel fresh and contemporary, with lots of experimentation and samples serving the purpose of creating an overall trippy and chill atmosphere. Still not better than Mezzanine, in my opinion, but a truly great one.
Like other examples by this group from this band, I liked this well enough but it didn't really wow me. I think it could often use a rawer edge on one hand, and on the other the occasional lighter side, lyrically.
Good but blended into the background a bit
I could basically copy/paste my review of the first Massive Attack album I heard during this project. Still pleasantly surprised, but not overly impressed.
This one was better than I expected. I am not the biggest fan of Massive Attack, but this one was close to Mezzanine in vibe, an album I quite enjoy. Nocturnal, dark, groovy, it's a pleasant listen throughout, even If I found that it became a bit repetitive after the first half. 7,9/10
In my head this was always considered a "lesser" Massive Attack album at the time (possibly misremembering...), but it's an exceptional album really. The Tracey Thorn features are the best for me, but it's all good. 5*
Some good tracks but not for me. Very instrumental.
Where 1995 is now widely acknowledged as the year of the Battle of Britpop, surely 1994 should be known as the Battle of Bristol. Established trip-hop ensemble Massive Attack release their sophomore effort just one month after Portishead slink onto the scene with the dark atmospherics of “Dummy”. Only there’s no beef, no scraps, no arrogance: just blissed-out vibes all round. Both acts were coy about being labelled “trip-hop” and eschewed the term in their own ways, whether by expanding their sound or broadening their pool of collaborators. In “Protection”, Massive Attack embark on a direct continuation of “Blue Lines”, turning even further inward: this album is moodier, mellower, and lacks their debut’s sense of scope, adventure or ending catharsis. It’s a well-made album, but gets a little samey by the end. First things first, it sounds absolutely gorgeous: healthy and distinct low-end, crisp hi-hat, ripples of piano or keyboard flowing over the top, occasional stabs of guitar or synth chord. It’s a very spacious mix, with each layer given chance to shine. I can only imagine how great it would sound with the bass rumbling through a club sound-system, opening a black hole in the middle of the room. “Protection”, “Three”, “Euro Child” and especially “Karmacoma” are all standouts. “Sly” also deserves praise for its stirring string arrangements, which add another dimension. On the other hand, “Weather Storm” is pleasantly atmospheric, but tends towards wallpaper music. “Better Things” and “Heat Miser” are similarly underwhelming: intriguing and evocative, but downtempo enough to stop one’s pulse. Finally, the live version of “Light my Fire” is a bit of an odd inclusion for the ending, tearing apart the silky cocoon the band have spent the last forty five minutes wrapping its listeners in. Perhaps it could have worked with a studio recording, but to me it felt jarring and anti-climactic as a finale. While having a roster of rotating vocalists on a conveyor belt risks a lack of cohesion, I feel it serves the album well and gives a nice flavour of variety which could otherwise be entirely absent. Tricky has the album’s standout songs, his subdued and hushed delivery serving the production perfectly. Tracey Thorn also gives a strong performance in “Protection”, and Nicolette does a great job with “Three”. These songs live outside the spotlights, hiding in the shadows. They demand to be sought out, to lead listeners away from the path. This is good if one is in the appropriate mood, but otherwise “Protection” exists as a subliminal other world. The first couple of times I listened to the album, I was aware it was playing but most of it passed by without note or incident. When I listened again in a mellower mood, it was more effective and I found myself getting lost in the album much more. I don’t know if I’ll ever become fully immersed in this one, but I know that if I do it will be glorious.
I liked like 75% of the sound of every song. Respect tho
Not much to say besides mid
What a frickin cool album this thing is! I was a bit disappointed with the closer but everything else slaps. I love the mix of genres with some reggae inspired stuff, some beautiful vocals in some, and classical infused cuts as well. The beats on all of these are just smooth as hell and groove hard. 8/10
Ehh
Trip-Hop beginnings. I loved it. Tracey Thorne is amazing for the first track.
Excellent
Heat Miser is fantastic and Euro Child seems like it could have some inspiration for Gorillaz
Really wasn’t it to this, first song was good though.
Too slow. Didn’t do it for me
Overall, some good songs and I would listen to most, but not all.
Massive Attack. The music of my High School years.
Some of the original triphop right there. Drags a bit in the middle but is an important origin
Un clásico
Jesus this is dull
it was good but nothing i’d seek out listening
Trip hop. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
4.5
I enjoyed this, really just slow going smooth groovy good elevator music type beat. Could help me get into my feels and have space to reflect and think or just have it playing in the background like I’m a main character in my down moment montage. Overall solid listen with the caveat that it’s really for a mellow time
I had no idea what to expect... I was pleasantly surprised.
Massive Attack is a name I've heard of but every track on Protection was new to me. About 50% of the album was okay, but I kept wanting to skip tracks.
Great album. To nit pic the final track a live cover of Light my Fire should of been left off.
Brings back fond memories of early version chill out music, this is such a good album. The only negative is the inclusion of the live version of Light My Fire, kinda spoils the end of an awesome album.
There is some kind of suspense in the music. That's a good thing. But there is no climax. That's bad. It's great background music. It's too slow for dancing. The songs are long and there's not enough variation to keep my attention 5+ minutes per song. Favorite song: Heat Misser.
Absolutely stunning album.
Tykkäsin tästä levystä paljon teininä, ja äsken kuunnellessani tajusin, että varmaankin kuuntelin usein tätä levyä bileiden jatkoilla pussaillessani. Nyt jäi valitettavasti taustamusiikiksi, mutta ehkä se johtuu siitä, etten enää oikein saanut tunteesta kiinni, varmaankin koska en enää pussaile bileissä. Pitäis. ***
Tykkään MA:sta tosi paljon mutta ihmetyttää miksi juuri tämä levy on mukana listalla. Itse olisin äänestänyt debyytin puolesta. Hieno ja leppoisa levy tämäkin! Nautin kovasti. 4/5
Tykkään MA:sta, vaikka musa ei ihan kivuttomasti ole ikääntynyt. Vähän sellainen "teinicool" fiilis nykyään. Tää on kans aika jännä valinta listalle, kun ainakin debyytti ja ehkä kolmaskin levy on parempia ja myös isompia ilmiöitä. No, brittipoppoo, niin voihan ne olla täällä kaikki..
Eh tykkään ehkä bändin myöhemmästä tuotannosta enemmän, mutta oman aikakautensa tuotteena ihan kiinnostavaa.
Joku aina Massive attackissa viehättää, vaikka periaatteessa on tylsää. Sitä estää koko ajan jännä/pelottava tunnelma. Ja tehty sulavaksi kokonaisuudeksi.
Väärä vuosikymmen. Väärät päihteet?
Boring.
Coupla good songs, some elevator music.
Decent but I don’t think this should be Massive Attack’s representation on the list. They have better records
This is a whoooooooole vibe
allright, a bit boring...
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Heat Miser (9) 2 - Euro Child (7) 3 - Spying Glass (5)
Flaccid like the air had been let out of a young ones party balloon, a tear rolls down their eye as the dream of what could have been is sent into the aether, what had been the prospect of a whimsical time spent listening to this album turned into a bit of a dud as no interest was had on my part to consume this. Have already forgotten it.
Fun, chill album. Definitely worth listening to once, and a few s9ngs will forever be in my overall shuffle. I'd score 8t 3.5 if I could do half stars.
Great album. Some fabulous tracks on it. Took me back!
Karmacoma was literally everywhere when it came out, as such I'm a bit sick of it. But could never hear Protection too many times, wonderful song. I was never particularly taken by Tricky's solo stuff, aside from Black Steel (which is kind of a rock cover of Public Enemy anyway). Anyway yeah, played this to death during my uni years so will always be evocative of that particular era, plus the sound is very much of its time, hello also to Leftfield. A mix of melancholic but beautiful songs, swooshing instrumentals and modern dub. I had no idea it was made amid so much turmoil for the band. Nevertheless, it still stands up. Best tracks: Sly, Protection, Spying Glass, Heat Miser.
Love this bandd
A bit too wild for a trip hop album, but nice nonetheless. That "Light My Fire" cover is annoying btw.
First off I’d like to put on record that I’m quite a big Massive Attack fan. Heligoland (massively underrated) and Mezzanine (rightfully revered) are both superior albums, but I think I’m right in believing *neither* are on the list..?? By contrast, I found this one a bit disappointing. It veers a bit too much towards background lounge music for me, with less emphasis on those dark, mysterious or abrasive sounds that I enjoy in other MA albums. 2.5 stars, but I’ll round up because there are still a handful of redeeming tracks on here.
This attack failed.
The ultimate triphop album? It is excellent throughout in every aspect, with nice samples, except for the Light My Fire cover at the end (ending with Heat Miser would have been perfect).
This was my gateway album into Massive Attack. At the time it was especially the two tracks featuring Tracey Thorn that I kept playing. Although it may not be my favourite from them anymore, this is still a great album.
Wonderful triphop album.
The first song is pretty good but the rest is either boring or a little cringe. Definitely personal bias speaking, but I feel trip-hop is a bit over-represented in the sample here
very mellow, stoner music at its finest. i enjoyed it, but tbh i think it fails in the way a lot of mellow stuff fails — you have to be high to listen to it. it’s a strange album to try and rate, but i’ll do my best.
It's not bad at all -- in fact, musically it's very good, it's just not my style.
I finally found an electronica album I like and it's the one everybody else hates. Oh well. Best track: Heat Miser
could put this on and vibe all day
Well recorded beats, good background music for getting things done.
Smooth electronica. Cool electronica. Not groundbreaking electronica. It was enjoyable to listen to, but I don't see myself ever coming back to it. At least it wasn't grating to the ears like some music in this genre can be.
This album told me I'd look cooler with an eyebrow piercing
Great great great album. "Protection" is 10/10
Solid ambient tracks, nothing that blew me away
pretty okay, not like stellar or anything, good homework music. kinda cheesy dont know how to explain, relisten : nice yeah would listen again
Boring drivel. I don’t think I needed to hear this before I died.
Hämärää ja tunnelmallista RnB (?) taustamusiikkia
Nope
I held off listening to this because I thought it was going to be some kind of thrash metal based on the name of the band. Was very pleasantly surprised it was a collection of sweet grooves and vocal performances in the electronica area. Very cool album.
Corker
Some interesting sounds but I'm still in danger of falling asleep while standing. By the time I got to Spying Glass I was ready for the skip button. Once again, as is the case with most modern music, the best song is Better Things. It has a guest female vocalist who sounds great. Then they follow it with a hip-hop talk. I find rap with an English accent sounds even stupider that the usual American talker. Don't get me started on Australian accents (I'm Australian BTW).
Not for me :(
Listening to this after the last two suggestions was a breath of fresh air. Tracey Thorn is a fantastic vocalist and her with Massive Attack is a brilliant pairing. This IS an album that people should be told to listen to.
2nd Listen: First 2 tracks absolutely not my thing. 3 & 4 are good but kinda forgettable. Spyglass is the first one to really get my attention, Horace Andy rules. The record’s middle is enjoyable, the female vocalist is a nice compliment to the instrumental arrangements. I absolutely cannot get behind Tricky’s vocals on this effort. All-in-all not a bucket list album. Enjoyed most of the cuts.
Definitely a cool album, different in a good way! didnt expect to like it but i did
New artist! Not for me! 1/5
Follow up to Blue Lines by MA doesn’t quite hit those heights but a few classic tracks here and the band would go on to redefine their sound even further.
Ethereal, dancy and grooving.
Chill vibes.
I was so happy to hear Tracey Thorn from Everything but the Girl on the first song. She has a voice that gets me every time. This opener is so good, and yet the second song Karmacoma is not my thing. I could barely make it through the track. This is the opposite of what yesterday's record did so well: Announce itself, set expectations and then proceed to deliver on them organically. The trick is to both show difference in each song on the one hand and yet to have enough of a through line, on the other, that the listener experiences a cohesive statement when taking things in as a whole. Massive Attack's Protection does not do this. It has a few good songs scattered about or intermingled with some duds. And then, to top it off, there is that terrible Light My Fire cover at the end. Is this the worst Massive Attack record out there? I don't know because I've never been a major fan. Mezzanine is fantastic though. A true classic. And, it's the record that follows this one.
Disjointed is a word that I use a lot in these notes. There are some very melodic songs, and then some where it seems like everything, including the kitchen sink, were just kind of thrown in. No clue how they would even repeat some of these songs in a concert.
I really enjoy the style/mood from Massive Attack, though I didn't find anything that had a real hook or was particularly catchy... just a cool vibe. Props.
A relaxing listen, but no saves.
3.5 Sometimes this list is strange, there’s this album, but Mezzanine isn’t.
Not something I'm likely to throw on on a whim, but not bad if I'm in the mood for it.
Not enjoyable. Too bad cause they have some good tunes, but they weren't on this album.
Nice to listen to something different from Massive Attack than Blue Lines or Mezzanine, though feel its similar in feel to the former. Protection is not as memorable nor has the same high points as both, but as a whole it's consistently good and has a nice feel to it. The title track is the key highlight here. Tracy Thorn's presence was a nice delight too.
This has a very relaxed café del mar kind of vibe. Perfect in pool bars or in the background at dinner parties whilst you’re passing the potatoes. To qualify I don’t do dinner parties so I don’t have this around as a go-to. Neither Teardrop nor Unfinished Sympathy are on this album. Therefore it’s never going to be the best Massive Attack album for me. It would be a solid 3.5.
banco. 7/10
This album is Massive Attack at their finest, it does not suffer from second album syndrome.
I LOVED this album from the moment it began all the way to the end.
more of a beats tape than a rap album 2.5
Not terrible. It’s ok. Pretty forgettable. Gonna leave it a 2, not playlist adds.
Some interesting points, but meh.
Not terrible, but not a big fan either.
Didn't like this as much as I do Mezzanine.
Trippy
there are better massive attack albums. there are also worse massive attack albums.
As a trained puppeteer, I can honestly say that Massive Attack had no impact on me whatsoever. I find it really hard to believe that Massive Attack would even have the gall to claim that they've influenced every movement ive ever made with a puppet. They haven't. They're lying to everyone. My puppetry is NOTHING to do with Massive Attack. NEVER WILL BE.
Large scuffle
Hit or miss for me. First song started off real strong. Karmacoma seemed weird and boring. Three was okay. Spyglass was enjoyable.
Masterfully crafted beats, songs emote feeling that gives you a sense of relaxing contemplation, must listen
I’ve now had both of the massive attack albums that are on here and while I don’t know much about them I was sure that mezzanine would be the obvious choice for the book but hey we got this! It’s not bad every song sounds unique but (excluding the first song) it all feels quite forgettable when the album is done. Maybe the other notable moment is the doors cover (light my fire) at the end mostly because the doors are one of the last groups that I would’ve expected them to cover. The cover is a little strange with all of the turntables and hip hop drums but it’s still a good enough track. I gave blue lines a 4/5 if I remember correctly this is a small step down so I’ll give it a 3/5.
3/5. Nice sound.
As a rock fan, this is the album why I'm here. Experience good music from other genres. Protection is a great background music for... anything? I have listened it for work. I liked it.
I loved every single music. Went to my favourites!
A follow-up to their 1991 debut album Blue Lines, Massive Attack makes a statement right from the cover of Protection. It shows "Flammable Gas" warning sign from the Blue Lines cover, now ripped apart to reveal the metal it contained within. Protection is about being more vulnerable while still keeping you guard up. Massive Attack is not going to let the quality slip just because they're getting slow and morose. Much like their debut, Massive Attack continues to build on the atmospheric genre of trip hop, which is still gaining popularity in the UK. There is also a dip into the genre of dub, which clearly demonstrates Jamaican reggae roots. This gives the album so well-needed variation as many of the songs stand in the shadow of Protection's self-titled opener. Tracey Thorn provides beautiful vocals to an excellent track that compliments her range perfectly. The rest feels like it's trying to play catchup, never fully landing the same way that Protection did. This is doubly true for the album closer Light My Fire, a lackluster live cover of the Doors song that wraps up Protection with a pathetic wimper. There is still a consistent level of quality being held with Protection. I don't think it's better or worse than their debut album, just different. Some choices certainly hinder the overall product though.
I don't know how to put it, but in simple terms: Massive Attack gets it. Even Protection, one of their lesser known albums (at least compared to other parts in discography) is full of that specific, slightly melancholic atmosphere. Every song takes you to a different place, like by pressing play, you are teleported to a land of chill and rhythm. The melodies and beats are always fascinating to get lost in it, and every track could have easily be 5 minutes longer with the main beat going over and over again. The selftitled, opening song is the greatest example. Its already almost 8 minutes long, but it's never boring, it just drills its attention deeper and deeper into your mind. It's just a great album and my only wish is that their other record will be on this list as well.
I fell asleep the first two time I tried to listen to this.
Preferred the female over the male singer. If just the female singer, album would be a good background music to turn the lights down and snuggle with someone close.
Love this album. One of my all time favourites for sure
i like teardrop but IDK their other songs.
Some interesting tunes but overall was not impressed with this one. Not needed on this list.
I know the band, but not the album. It's definitely something, quite unpredictable. This album was released ten years before Garageband, so I can only assume that the developers of Garageband created the app to allow everyday joes to recreate the instrumental to "Heat Miser" at home. I'll check to confirm, but I'm about 98% certain that the title track sampled the guitar from James Brown's "The Payback," that's a nice touch. Anyway, this was a pretty decent album. The highs are quite high, and this kind of music works great for me in doses, but at album's length it loses a little luster for me. Favorite tracks: Protection, Three, Heat Miser. Album art: Trying to decipher what this is, seems like a box with metallic interior splayed open, with a little cardboard hazard symbol, except the hazard is a little hungry boy. A little dull as far as color's concerned, but I do like this one. 3/5
Ok love the debut. And Mezzanine is a masterpiece. This one is a bit wet. The long opening title track is excellent but it never returns to those heights. 3.
En su momento fue algo bastante innovador, pero son discos que, al menos yo, no puedo escuchar más de una vez, y quizás sea por la falta de canción o lo poco de ésta.
Excellent album. Loved the vocals with Tricky and whoever that is that was in Everything But the Girl. I could listen to this one quite often.
This was mediocre, but I liked it more than Blue Lines, still not as much as Mezzanine. Perhaps because I listened to that constantly for awile. Title track was the best but even still I wasn't a huge fan of Tracey Thorn's voice. This album was a mediocre late 70's album that was brought into the 90's with an updated synthesizer, some industrial percussion and looping samples. Why isn't Mezzanine on this list?
This is totally not my jam. Giving it 2 stars because I am reserving 1 star ratings for things I detest.
Trip hop is a weird genre that spans a pretty wide range of styles. I can’t really describe how many things feel different but still generally fit regardless. My favorite trip hop by far is Portishead’s “Dummy,” and I unfairly compare everything else to that. But in such a diverse genre, surely others have different tastes. Massive Attack shows that diversity in microcosm on “Protection,” and the result is some stuff I really dig and some stuff I don’t. I don’t like Tricky on “Karmacoma,” but I do like his vocals on “Eurochild.” I don’t really love Tracy Thorn’s vocals, but I like the vibe of the songs she is on. It all leaves me a bit torn. What I’m not left torn on is that “Mezzanine” is Massive Attack’s best album, and it’s the one that should be on the list instead of “Protection” or “Blue Lines.” I definitely prefer Sarah Jane Hawley and Elisabeth Fraser’s vocals to Tracy Thorn’s. “Mezzanine” is nearly a five. “Protection” is fine, but worse by comparison.
Not really my cup of tea.
Good vibes good times
Not quite as focused as the albums either side of it in MA's discography, but still a great collection of genre-pushing soundscapes and hypnotic grooves. Sure, some of it sounds like video game music... but it all works
Decent. Reminded me a lot of the chill Faithless sound
I found it… dull.
The first spacey electronicy album I actually liked, though it still faded a bit at the end
Enjoyed some of the songs, not so much others.
Dodgy doors cover at the end but whole album cool asf
I don't get it. Massively banal.
I loved it then. I love it now. That is all.
First off, I love this band name. I've heard of them, I assumed they were more techno/dance/high-energy based on the name, but having listened to this, I know I've heard them before. Anyway, clearly not enough to have made me super curious. I like this vibe, reminded me of Morcheeba (not a band I know a ton about, either, but an album I reviewed years ago and kept as part of my collection), but much like Doves, while I enjoyed the album (I actually listened to it twice), I'm not a convert or on a mission to explore the band's catalog. It was cool — I'll probably turn them on if we ever host a party as vibey background music to set a mood. But that's about the extent of the impact the album had on me. Not sure if the live version of "Light My Fire" was on the original release, but that was pretty unnecessary and easily my least favorite track.
I dig Massive Attack, but this one doesn't do much for me. Has some nice moments, but it's not as great as Blue Lines or Mezzanine (which somehow isn't on this list?). Perhaps, though, it's another one I wasn't in the right head space for. Mostly, I kept waiting for the songs to go somewhere. Euro Child and Sly were great. The rest, kinda meh.
Now I understand why I always confuse Massive Attack with Everything But the Girl and Mazzy Star---the timeline, the vibe, the cool esthetic, and of course b/c Tracey Thorn sings the first tune on this fantastic album.
Can’t lie I don’t really remember it. It was fine (I think), “trip-hop” just doesn’t grab me
Favourite song: Weather Storm (reminded me of a bit of music on Disco Elysium. One for the Karaoke: Light My Fire cover One for the Car: Heat Miser Just wanted to listen to Teardrop really
Found this fairly bland, probably wasn't in the right mood for it.
Again this album suffers from it being on Friday. I was let down by it and expected to love this one. Favourite song was Karmacoma
A great album, not as good as mezzanine or blue lines. I’m also absolutely shocked to not even see mezzanine in the 1001 albums! It’s an absolute belter!!
Not my thing, but listenable
This album absolutely screams 90s electronic. I enjoy the instrumentation but I really don't like the female electronic voice in the majority of these songs. Not really sure why but it always somehow makes the songs cornier. I 100% believe this album would be better without vocals.
i love it
Continuació del seminal 'Blue Lines' i previ a la joia generacional que va ser 'Mezzanine', 'No Protection' queda una mica a terra entre un i l'altre. Lluny de la inspiració de qualsevol dels dos, la banda encara estava en un moment de forma molt notable, i com a treball de trip-hop, és del millor que es pot escoltar de l'època
This was pretty boring
Background music. It was fine for that but I don't need to listen to this again. 2 stars
Nothing about this stood out. A lot of repetitive phrasing which in this genre is common but is one of the reasons I don’t care much for it. The first track Protection stood out due to the female vocalist. The rest was ok at best.
A couple good songs, very smooth and lofi. Nothing stood out, but nothing bad about it.
I have to admit I have heard people discuss the band Massive Attack before, but I never imagined their sound to be so... soft, free from attacks? Not my cup of tea exactly but Karmacoma was pretty cool.
Love that for me
4.5
Slow and mellow, mezzanine better
Not bad. The instrumental tracks definitely outshone the ones with vocals.
Massive Attack's middle child that got the least amount of love from both the artist and the audience (we don't count the post 90s releases). The duo is banking on a chilled out, largely barebones cosmetics, muffled mix, prioritising vibes over workable writing.
I try to get into Massive Attack but I think I missed the moment to really get into them. So I'm mostly just left with the theme song from House.
Nice grooves, I enjoyed it. But something about it feels deeply impersonal and it preventing me from really getting into it.
Moody and haunting. Maintains its freshness all these years later. Multiple vocalists keeps things varied. The sampling of the Tuvan throat singing on "Karamacoma" blew my mind, and I like nearly every song on this album, but it definitely loses some momentum towards the end.
This album is a bit better than Blue Lines but it's no Mezzanine. I definitely think Massive Attack are at their best with a vocalist so the first couple tracks were my favorite.
Much like the cuisine of their native land of England, this album is bland, tasteless, and unamusing.
Not my thing, very techno
It's one thing to hear an album where all the songs are completely new to you, but another to be immersed in a whole new sound entirely. This is steady, chill, and cool; it could be a soundtrack to an indie game or a record you play while you're high. It's very obviously a product of its time but that's not necessarily a bad thing, instead it brings back memories of the decade or reminds you of some of your favorite 90s songs that you've since forgotten. I'm particularly drawn to the instrumental tracks, it's like if the lofi beats to study to music was actually good. The rest of the album is good too, though. Overall, standout tracks are Protection, Weather Storm, Euro Girl and Heat Miser.
very ironic timing
First song is so cool with its progressing beat elements. Makes me feel like I’m in a Matrix movie which fits in with the era of the 90s. The more I do this album activity the more I realize music is like a time machine. I enjoy listening to products that have defined their era. Did not finish though