Reviews (page 10 of 14)
There are only a few songs on this album that are familiar to me (Unfinished Sympathy, of course) but maybe what's more familiar is the sound. Massive Attack invented something that was to be the echo of the 90s. When music wasn't being mopey grunge or hyped-up techno, this sound was the complex but chill soundtrack of those idle moments
Really surprised that this and Protection are on this list but Mezzanine is not. I think most people would pick Mezzanine over this. Not that this isn't excellent - it's still an easy five stars (as will be Protection when it comes around).
2.5 Don’t hate it but wouldn’t listen again.
The creation of a new genre. You can really hear their punk and reggae influences on this album.
1 star. Nothing worth noting here.
3.5 More excellent music to get stuff done to. So easy to get into the groove and stay there all day. I was expecting something different/less enjoyable for me from a band named Massive Attack. Pleasant surprise. Saving Safe From Harm, One Love, and Unfinished Sympathy, but likely going to add the whole thing to my work playlist.
sexy hip hop, a whole range of voices and really interesting songwriting. a surprise five for me
Obra fundamental de finales de siglo. Llevaron la música a rincones donde no se sabía que podía llegar fusionando Hip-Hop- Soul, Dub , Reggae... lo que se les ponga por delante, con la colaboración de Shara Nelson, Tricky, Neneh Cherry, Horace Andy... su asimilación de ritmos pasados e integración en un disco electrónico pero a su vez orgánico supuso todo un estallido en los tímpanos de los 90. Abre con Safe from Harm, que incopora elementos de Stratus de Billy Cobham, Good Old Music de Funkadelic Chameleon de Herbie Hancock. También coros de Johnny "Guitar" Watson (Looking Back). One love mete el archiconocido riff de Ike's Mood de Isaac Hayes, fusionándolo con You Know You Know de la Mahavishnu Orchestra. Blue lines con los breaks de Sneakin' in the Back de Tom Scott and The L.A. Express el riff de Rock Creek Park de los The Blackbyrds. Be Thankful for What You Got es un versión del clásico de William DeVaughn, aquí actualizado pero respetando la estrutura original. Una delicia. Five man army usa percusiones de I'm Glad You're Mine de Al Green así como Cuss Cuss de Lloyd Robinson y Skylarking y Money y The Root of All Evil del propio Horace Andy. Todo ello con soberbia maestría y resultado. Unifinished symphaty es una obra maestra con breaks de Parade Strut (Instrumental) de J. J. Johnson y de Planetary Citizen de la Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McLaughlin. Su video en en Los Ágeles también. Daydreaming es una epopeya Trip-Hop a partir del Mambo de Wally Badarou (Level 42). Incluye también partes del Here comes the sun y The end de The Beatles. Lately, con partes del Mellow Mellow Right On de Lowrell y percusiones de Joy a cargo de Isaac Hayes. Hymm of the big wheel es otra joya con partes del Three Whale Trip de Frank Watlington. Un final inmejorable para un disco único.
Overall a decent album. Some fun and engaging beats without being too repetitive from song to song. Though it does fall victim to the same trapping that every electronic song seems to have: the songs themselves are way too long. There is no reason any of these songs should be longer than 3 mins. Which is a shame, because good songs can become annoying very fast if they go on without a purpose. Top tracks: Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy
Is OK.
Was aware of the band but not the history they made. It's OK but not something I would listen to frequently. I did add 5 Man Army to my main playlist for it's Reggae sound. 3.5/5
Very nice album with some cool vibes.
Not as good as the following album imo
A bit of a boring listening experience.
Me 🤝 triphop! Everytime I heard the men sing on this album it felt so insincere, I don’t know what’s up with that. Also, their british sounds so forced, I feel like Spike from Buffy the vampire slayer has a better accent and these guys are native british. But all that aside, the music itself was very yummy.
Cornerstone of trip hop with strong basslines, electronic beats, soulful vocals (the female vocalist is better than the male), and early 90s styled raps (the only piece that sounds dated). Highlights: "Safe from Harm" (strong opener that establishes the sound of the album), "Be Thankful for What You've Got" (vocals have a 70s soul vibe to them that works with the mellow music), "Unfinished Sympathy" (string swells and piano riffs give the song flavor), "Hymn of the Big Wheel" (not a fan of the nasally vocals but the song itself has an interesting Graceland-era sound to it)
Groovy Sounds like sexy music
Very good album. My style
This is the only thing that justifies Bristol being called a cool city.
Some dub beats, nice remix of be thankful for what u got, good vibe but fades into background for me
Surprised by the fact I actually kind of enjoyed this a bit. It's not my usual kind of thing, and I wouldn't actively choose to listen to it, but I appreciate what they tried to do. It feels different.
PRetty awesome early electronic music. love the general vibes and listenability. great for when doing work. predates The XX by about 20-25 years but very similar in sound and style
3.5
Not terrible, but didn’t do anything for me
Pleasant to work to in the background. Not sure I’m going to listen again though. Simpson: Nah (although teardrop has been used)
It was alright, nice chilled background music but nothing special.
Really enjoyed the beginning and end of the album. The middle dipped a bit for me though. Almost a 4 but not quite
A classic! I didn't enjoy it as much as the following records from this band, but I like it and I appreciate it a lot.
3.3/5 listened 3x
Va dura
mf rhymed 'dangerous' with 'contagerious'
If you’d have told me a couple of years ago that I’d grow to appreciate trip hop, I’d have called you an absolute donkey brain. However, Portishead and Ba… I mean Massive Attack have definitely turned my head. Everything is so nicely produced and super chilled. I’m not actually sure if a lot of the vocals here are sampled from elsewhere or if they originate here, but I also don’t think it makes any difference. It simply sounds nice on the ears.
Meh
Música electrónica de principios de los 90's con sabor orgánico que se aleja del pop o a la música bailable, y se inclina hacia el trip-hop, más vocal y pausado. Digerible y fácil de escuchar como soundtrack ambiental.
Liked it much better than expected.
Not the biggest fan but I recognize greatness when I hear it. Everything about this is unique. The bass and vocals are a constant highlight. Favorites were Be Thankful for What You've Got and Unfinished Sympathy.
Consistently good throughout. All killer no filler. Great vocals and good baselines. Interesting percussion as well.
Not bad
Seminal Trip Hop
Not necessarily my bag but it was alright.
Hmmm
I really enjoyed the vibe of this one.
105/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
I'm happy to say that this isn't for me and I'm okay with that. I understand it's important, but there's a lack of emotional connection for me. It flies completely under the radar.
7/10
Interesting for 1991, didn't age that well
First time listening to Massive Attack and I'll be adding it to my rotation. I guess one good thing about this list having the appearance of being very UK centric is I get to hear bands that were rarely on the radio in the US.
Can't believe I've never heard any of this. The production and sampling hit really well and do not sound to me like anything else from the era. The vocals on the first couple of tracks are overwrought IMO.
Not for me
Great album and voice
A rap album with a much thicker sound than I'm used to hearing. It was a pleasant surprise!
Please no more trip-hop. This is terrible. The lyrics are completely juvenile. I don't need a genius songwriter for everything I listen to, but this is painfully bad. The tracks drag on, there's nothing interesting about them, especially not for the length that they run. It would be fine if this was on in the background, I guess, but I could choose many things better.
Well, they certainly remind us who they are at every opportunity. They produced some great stuff later on, but this doesn't do anything for me.
I never listened to Massive Attack. I thought they were an alternative rock band. Learned a lot here... I didn't know MA was trip hop, was the 'first' trip hop album, and Tricky was in the band. Such an innovation for the time that seems almost too obvious these days. The album is a little dated, but still very fresh. Groovy, chill, heady. Love it. 4.7
Snooze fest
Trip hop. A pretty solid collection of songs. Atmospheric, mellow, hypnotic. Super chill album with hip hop beats with a ton of energy and creativity. Heavy or light when it needs to be, intense or chill. Very polished and pure fun. Might revisit, would like to try other albums by them. 4/5
very chill
I was excited for this one, because I love Massive Attack and hadn't heard this album yet. Sadly I think their later work is better, but I enjoyed it a lot. Smooth triphop, can't really go wrong there.
I've never been a huge Massive Attack fan. I'm sure they're great, and they are probably the originators, but I feel like there have been so many parodies and stuff on this "type" of music, I couldn't get past the parody to hear it as a real serious album.
Some decent tunes on there. Reminded me of Sopranos for some reason, had that nineties vibes throughout.
May have been at the spawn of a genre but I found this one quite tedious 4/10
Great first track then it's Stumble of the Conchords. Favourite track: Safe From Harm.
Enjoyed it! Brought back some memories from back when it was a ‘new’ album
The first song (and a couple of other songs in the album) are quite similar to a parody talk that Reggie Watts had at POP TECH where he was saying a bunch of nonsense and was making that kind of music on-stage but it was very nonsensical. I don't think that the album was absolutely amazing, but I am sure it has an audience. There was nice little music in the background and then someone would appear and say things relatively quietly, and sometimes the things would rhyme.
Another one I wasn't familiar with, but enjoyed it.
Can't remember a song and I listened to it yesterday.
A classic Black Atlantic album from the multi-cultural wake of the slave trade and migration in Bristol, this album draws heavily on Jamaican dub, on British rave scene (via Detroit) electronica house and techno, soul & RnB, hip hop and reggae, slowing it all down and spacing it all out, opening up the sound to create more pockets, a more relaxed feel. The production is era-defining. They'd take this formula and improve on it on their next albums, but the three big tracks on here are just incredible: Safe From Harm, Blue Lines, Unfinished Symphony.
Somewhat enjoyable and completely original. But wasn't my cup of tea. Lyrics were okay, but the instrumentals and beat was wonderful.
When I drive now it is no longer a pleasant experience. It's a stressful exercise in accepting the fact that you can't control other people, judging only hurts yourself, and anger management all while navigating an increasingly dangerous and out of control world. Putting this on helped soothe the pain as I drove to the store and back. Trip hop is cool, I listen to it a lot, especially instrumental stuff. This is great. Almost broke my earbuds, there's SO MUCH BASS. (A compliment, not a complaint). Not the best but there are some choice cuts - I could live with Five Man Army for a long long time. Owes a lot to some post-punk R & D guys like Adrian Sherwood and Jah Wobble.
Sounds like a 90s movie soundtrack, not in the good way
This album bounces between a 3 and 4 throughout the entire play time. Solid grooves, but some of the vocals and "almost rap" parts feel a little dated or slightly corny. Some tracks are incredible, some underwhelm me. It's a solid 3.5 for me, but I'm not sure if I can raise it to all the way to a 4 by the time I'm ready to give its final rating.
Really good chill electronica album with great blend of musical styles.
Some is okay. Some not as much.
Safe From Harm is a great introduction with its catchy, groovy bass line and eclectic vocals. I really liked Blue Lines - this is hip hop I can potentially get behind. Is this even hip hop, though? I'm to sure what genre this constitutes. Altogether pretty decent.
Muy sensual.
Nailed-on, certified classic. Probably my second-favourite massive attack record, and that's a crowded field
Had never heard of the artist or the album. Interesting...liked it.
Very 90s, very good.
Not my normal type of music but surprisingly enjoyed it
Enjoyed this. Good music to do other things too. 7/10
Ihan ok, täältä ei oikee mikään noussut yli muiden yhel kuuntelulle mut voisin laittaa jatkossa töissä soimaan :D
A lot of good music and a few great tracks - "Safe from Harm" and "Hymn of the Big Wheel" are my favorites - but consistently bad vocals and lyrics. Not something I'm likely to return to too much. 3/5
Background music
I love how some albums can be defining of an era and a place, but at the same time enjoyed all over the place anytime. The start of trip hop. Hadn’t listened to it for years and was unaware that the vocals in multiple songs are from Horace Andy!
I could get down with this. Definitely worth another listen. Favorite song was Be Thankful for what you've got. Should also listen to other Massive Attack albums.
Finally remember what these guys remind me of - Flight of the Convords. Except this is not funny. At least this record is a little better than the last one. I suppose I’ll give it a 3. Just finished. Changed my mind. This is a 2. So corny.
More vibe than I expected
Man...my hate-on for electronic music continues. Trip-hop just isn't my thing. I wish I could love Massive Attack. I know they're hugely influential and legends at what they do, but this album bored me. It was a chill listen, I guess, it just felt long even at only 45 minutes. The final track was my favourite of the bunch. But the whole thing just felt sort of underwhelming and monotonous.
These guys are quickly becoming an unsung hero
Safe from Harm on 5 tähden biisi, mutta tää levy on sen asettamiin odotuksiin nähden suuri pettymys (joka kuuntelukerralla). Yllättävän imelä ja jopa vähän camp. Tekee tiukkaa jaksaa kuunnella ihan loppuun.. mutta äänimaailma viehättää mua kovin kuitenkin.
Hidasta ja tasapaksua trip-hopmaisella tavalla, sävytettynä joko ärsyttävän ekspressiivisellä laululla tai jutustelulla, joka ei johda mihinkään. Jollain tapaa minun täytyy olla väärässä?
I do like what little I have heard from Massive Attack (Mezzanine), so this will be fun to listen to their debut. Some of the tracks are a bit repetitive and bloated, but there is still some good, interesting stuff here. Not one I'm likely to revisit a ton but does make me want to listen to more of their stuff. 3/5
Never heard any of this before. Really enjoyed it, especially the final song. A little too inconsistent for a 4 rating, but close.
Love Massive Attack, but I'm glad I heard Mezzanine before listening to this.
I don’t have much to say about this, other than the “2” on the album cover is rather prophetic. I kind of liked the groove of the title track.
I can appreciate that this albums starts the creation of the new trip-hop sub genre, but overall it was a pretty boring listen. Some of the sounds and grooves were interesting, but guest vocalist Horace had a vibrato so wide you could drive a semi through it, which was more annoying to listen to than some of the slow tempos. I’ll pass. More like passive attack.
Was expecting a lot more out of this based on the way some artists point to them as inspiration. But didn’t hear what I expected to hear, and was mostly just bored.
I didn’t really enjoy this.
Gotta give props to them being innovators and popularizing trip-hop, but this really isn’t my tempo. I pretty much only know them through their song, Teardrop, that was used as the House theme (and I suspect I am not alone). Most of this sounds pretty generic to me. Something you may hear in a hipster salon. Not bad, but in my mind also not worthy of the praise it receives. 2.75/5
This one took me a bit to get into but I ended up loving it by the end. I’ve never listened to much Massive Attack, but I will definitely seek out more.
Luv massive attack and trip hop in general. Give me more.
Good EDM. Not my general thing, but it was good for 2 listens. 3/5
Gran sonido. Un cambio muy interesante de los 80
Cool but not my genre
Cool and atmospheric. Not as good as mezzanine, but a hell of a lot better than some other albums in this list
This wa as fine album. Pretty unique. Not exactly my thing but it was good. 3
B- Safe From Harm 3 One Love 3 Blue Lines 3 Be Thankful For What You've Got 3 Five Man Army 3 Unfinished Sympathy 4 Daydreaming 3 Lately 3 Hymn Of The Big Wheel 3 Pretty good, eh?
I was nice listening...not my music, but would work in an elevator
Well every song sounded unique, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. Honestly just a pretty boring listen that I don't need to hear again. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
It's a good album for road trips.
This was okay, inconsistent.
I enjoyed the beats and production aspect of it. But its not something I’d come back to
Kind of all over the place. I'd give it a 2.5 if I could.
Really enjoyable.
meh
Highlight: Unfinished Sympathy
Didn’t know it and loved it.
Wow that was a fun listen. Great mix of spoken word and electronic. I knew about mezzanine but never heard this one. 3 stars
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Hymn of the big wheel
This was such a cool, chill album. They've been played a lot on KCRW over the years but this is my first time listening to an album. I'd call them electro-soul. Perfect music for driving around LA at night.
First time all the way through. 2x.
Blue Lines, Five Man Army, Daydreaming, and Hymn of the Big Wheel are all great tracks; however, the other songs, especially the first two, are borderline painful to listen to.
The kind of album that makes you wish it was longer
I liked some of the instrumentals and cutting and scratching, but s few of their voices irked me. They get 3.5 stars.
An album that both feels like something to sit lazily in a chair watching the sun rise with a brew listening to, and as something to get up and MOVE to. A near-perfect sonic experience that reminds me of the hip-hop of the time (mostly the Native Tongues collective, but insert your fave alternative here) while still defining something different in being the foundational record of trip-hop. Powerful, meaningful, and with an impact I don't think we'll ever truly see the end of. Timeless.
Love the sound and theme of the album. The songs are cool asf but there was one or two songs that I wasn't feeling
Interesting album I did enjoy it but it’s not for me
Classic album
This album had some really high notes and I did like the overall vibe, but it felt a little inconsistent in parts. Not in a bad way, just an unexpected way.
Великий альбом. Великая компания. Выпущенный в 91-ом, он до сих пор, имо, звучит более чем достойно и современно. Если бы такой альбом вышел прямо вот сейчас, все эти хип-хоп люди съели бы заживо за эти биты. И это даже не лучший альбом группы. Лучшая песня - Safe From Harm.
I think Massive Attack's music had more of an upbeat, active vibe than I thought it would have but it was still tough for me to sink my teeth into it. The addition of vocals provided a layer on top but I've gotten so tired of rapping for some reason.
La découverte du titre Unfinished Sympathy sur une compile a marqué le début d'une grande histoire d'amour avec Massive Attack et le trip hop en général quand j'étais adolescente. Ça a fait "boum" dans mes oreilles. Blue Lines propose quelque chose qui déborde de tant d'influences qu'il me semble impossible de s'en lasser. Happée doucement dès la première chanson, je réalise toujours avec étonnement 45 minutes plus tard que j'étais pleinement installée dans ma bulle, portée par ces voix calmes. L'atmosphère à la fois urbaine et rétro a quelque chose de délicieusement mystérieux. Je n'ai d'ailleurs jamais vraiment envie de sortir de cette torpeur à la fin de l'album, comme une sorte de médiation qui prendrait fin trop tôt. Intemporel, classique, indémodable.
Trip hop!!! 🖤🖤🖤
Love it!!! Love the rhythm, the bass... The lyrics tell great stories and I feel 'there'.
Chill n stuff V nice
No no no
This is easy. "Unfinished Sympathy" was the first track I've heard from Massive Attack and I was fascinated by it. So, naturally, I bought the album. The style, later dubbed Trip-Hop, was my thing. I still love this record.
the birth of trip hop but it is not my favorite massive attack album
Most of the songs sounds the same to me, they're also pretty simple. But when I was listening to this, my curiosity told me to look at the release date and in that moment I laughed. 35 years ago and it still sound fresh? Damn. 4 stars.
Alright, so damn unique. I hear some of the Madchester sound here. It feels so out of time and place. I had no idea what to expect. What a strange, strange, singular record.
First listen Saved 3/9 Top track: Blue Lines
Trip Hop is literally one of the best music genres out there. This is my very first time being introduced to Massive Attack, and I must say, my first listen wasn't so bad. Granted, there are tracks on here that need some time getting into. But all things considered, I still had an enjoyable listening experience. 4/5
9/10
3.5
Expected to enjoy this, sounded very dated and unexciting. Have to revisit.
Love the downtempo electronic, but the vocals take something away.
One Love // Be Thankful // Five Man Army //
First song is banging. So far the right mix of funk and mood. Not a bad album at all.
This is the second time I’ve listened to an entire album of English Trip Hop—the first one being Connected by Stereo MCs, also via this exercise. I know Massive Attack has some mainstream recognition, at least insofar as you sometimes hear them talked about outside of England, but I tell ya, if someone had put on Blue Lines and told me it was another Stereo MCs record I wouldn’t have known any better. I’ve heard Two Albums A British Psylocibin Enthusiast Must Hear Before They Die, and I’m all good now.
Not the Album or songs I know from Massive Attack. Easy to listen to.
Pretty unremarkable.
Groovy
Some songs had a pretty good vibe
I appreciate Massive Attack's unique sound, but trip hop tends to put me to sleep.
A deserved classic
Best song: Be Thankful For what you've got Vibes: Vintage small british underground dance club
I really liked this album. Great beats, bars and vocals. Towards the end the songs dip a bit, but they are still great songs to listen to.
É uma mistura de Tribe Called Quest com vocais de Soul e R&B. Os samples de bateria e baixo que se repetem em loop ao longo das vão ganhando complexidade com sintetizadores, teclado, backing volcas etc. e te carregando cada vez mais pra dentro do som. Recomendo ouvir o álbum de cabo a rabo e se possível com um fone bom. Apesar da última música ser a que menos gosto do álbum, tenho que concordar que ela é a que ela é perfeita para encerra-lo. Ela tem mais cara de créditos de filme, tem um tom vitorioso, que afirma a certeza de que acabaram de finalizar um puta álbum. E o encerrando dela, em que o vocal para abruptamente e os instrumentos seguem por mais 1 minuto, lentamente se desligando dão impressão de um show em que os artistas vão saindo de cena um por um. Talvez seja a que menos goste porque me tira da atmosfera que estava antes e me lembra que o álbum já esta acabando.
Pretty cool for 91' hip-hop. I'm not sure I knew Massive Attack was rap. I thought they were some sort of electronic music.
I appreciate more than like this band.
Just didn’t like it
1. zafe from harm - 1.5 2. one love - 1 3. blue linez - 1.5 4. thankful - 1 5. five man army - 1.5 6. zympathy - 2 7. daydreaming - 1 8. lately - 1 9. hymn - 0
I gave it a listen later in the day when I wasn’t really processing music like I normally would, but I was definitely both surprised by their general sound and how much I enjoyed it. I’ll give it another spin today just to feel like I truly gave it the time.
Absolutely adore the absolute hell out of this album
Mg, me robé un par.
Meh
ganz chillig
Never listened before and really enjoyed it.
Drullugóð plata. Elska væbinn.
An excellent album which I hadn't heard before.
Enjoyed most of it
Not a big fan of electronica, including of the hip-hop variety. This was still a pleasant enough listen, but not one I'm likely to want to return to.
glaube nicht ihr bestes album? aber voller krasser hits und atmosphärischer soundz
Another one that I knew nothing about going in. It was OK to listen to as background noise and better than I thought it was going to be when I first started it but I don't think I would play it again.
3.5
Had some good beats.
Liked it a bit. Not a go to. Thought there would be more with the name
Definitely a record that sounds like 30 plus years ago. That’s not a bad thing or a good thing, just not my thing. Lyric sampling Beatle George was unexpected & appreciated. Great name for a band.
I’ve come across this album before. Safe From Harm is such a groovy song. I like the song Five Man Army but other than that idk…it gets a bit cheesy for me. I always enjoyed the conspiracy that Bansky is the singer from Massive Attack
Top marks. Timeless.
Inoffensive background music. It's OK.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jfKfPfyJRdk Fits this niche
Pretty unique especially relative to the rest of the albums to date. Considering giving it another run through but only for that reason.
Interesting
Meh, also felt like moody dark restaurant music. Liked it a little but really tired in me quickly. 1.5
To be honest it reminded me of ASMR get focused music playlists and the music is fairly undistinguishable from one song to the next. Except the House theme
I like the chill trip hop beats and sounds especially for background music. cool to see the lineage to the Madonna album we listened to (ray of light), the matrix, gorillas, and Born to Die by Lana del Rey, etc.
It is for someone, but not me. Found it boring.
It was just there. The dial did not much. I tolerated it.
Meh
A timeless masterpiece of an album. If "Unfinished Sympathy" isn't the high water mark of human accomplishment, I don't know what is
Listenable but not really my taste in music. The rap parts are what ruin it for me.
I think it isn't surprising that I really really adore this album. Massive attack has been my top 3 band for two years and even though my all time favorite album is definitely Mezannine, Blue Lines is absolutely amazing. Easy easy 5 stars.
cool and i see how it might be influential but not for me
Good in places, with one great song
One awesome track mixed in with a bunch of ok ones. I think modern trip hop has more interesting sounds to offer, though the album is worth a listen from time to time
Forgettable
I understand that this album was groundbreaking in its time and place, and in my opinion the blending of electronic, rap, and reggae among other genres kind of works. However, this album is absolutely not to my taste and the vocals do almost nothing for me. 2.3 stars
exquisite
I mean it was a 2 but the lyrics are a .5
This was a pleasant surprise. From the onset, it had me hooked
Maybe it's the hangover from Led Zeppelin IV but this Massive Attack album sounded amazing to me. Very chill vibes that can be actively listened to or great background music for so many situations. Not a ton of chills-inducing moments, just a cool listen
Safe From Harm Blue Lines Be Thankful for What You've Got Unfinished Symphony Daydreaming
This should have been a single, with Track 1 on the A-Side, and Track 7 on the B-Side. I thought this would be pretty good after the first track, but yet again, British pop disappointment began to run through my veins. With a band name like Massive Attack, I'm expecting some hard-hitting s***. This was not that.
Never again
Not bad, pleasantly surprised. My prior exposure to massive attack was limited to Angel on the "Snatch" soundtrack.
The first album I heard by Massive Attack that I was enthusiastic about was Mezzanine. When I heard Blue Lines, I was pretty disappointed. I was expecting something completely different. When a friend told me that he had been the other way around, I gave the album another chance. I'm glad I did, because it's great.
Some combination of electronic and hip-hop, it didn't excel at either but it didn't totally miss either. It had a pretty low-key vibe and made my mind wander a bit, but I wouldn't be terribly excited to listen again.
Very 90’s, I enjoy this
Omg another post 90’s album??? This program is spoiling me. That being said idk how to feel about this one. I liked several songs, they had a fun soulful feel, but by the time the album was over I was falling asleep. I’m torn between a 3 or a 4.
My first listen of this album had be like, “boo, dogshit, 1 star.” But then I listened to it the next day, and I was like, “what crack was I smoking yesterday?? Is this even the same album.” The music is very groovy and listenable. Some of the vocal performances (particularly the female performances) are not my favorite. But it’s certainly not a bad album.
I did not like this
I swear to you everytime I get an electronic album I really try. For its efforts though I will say this album is a rather funky affair. Even if it isn’t for me.
This reminded me a bit of A Tribe Called Quest, albeit darker and more eclectic. Most of the rappers have the same flow as Q-Tip and Phife (tho maybe that was just a common style of rap in the early 90s?). I like how it borrows from a bunch of different sounds and experiments with a variety of tempos. It's very well made chill out music, but it doesn't speak to me personally.
This has a decent score on this site and I don't get it. I didn't hate this one like I did Protection but that still isn't saying much. The music itself is okay but the singing is annoying and sounds dated. This sounds like the 90s in a way I don't care for at all, but if you told me this was influential, I would believe it.
trance. trippy
first time i've heard the term "trip hop"...but I kind of dig the genre. thought this one was pretty good.
Interesting. Enjoyable listening. Mood setting music.
Album started off nice and I thought I would love it, but it quickly became nothing more than background music and didn’t hold my attention. I enjoyed ‘Unfinished Symphony’. Overall middle of the road- enjoyed but wouldn’t seek it out, 3/5
Lively listen, makes you feel like a cool guy in a 90s British movie, last song is whack
Instrumental for trip hop and fascinating to hear the reggaeton inspired song at the end that I hadn't heard before.
My recollection was of a better album. There are only 2 tracks of note. 1 an all time classic. The rest are so weak lyrically.
Good album
Electronic music never hits the spot for me, and this was no exception.
7 but a lower 7 so ill round it down to 3 stars. i love mezzanine so much more than this one its insane lol
This is the second time now my group's gotten an album with Tricky on it—and unlike the time we got a second album with Jah Wobble, I can actually give this one a pretty solid thumbs up. Like every album I've gotten from this generator, I've only given it two complete listens at most, so I can't tell you exactly what makes this so much better than MAXINQUAYE. At the very least, I can say it's more interesting. The beats and production are interesting, the samples are interesting, the lyrics are interesting—and I'm not just talking about the strings of Beatles lyrics on that one song. It's not the bloated snooze-fest that MAXINQUAYE was. Maybe it's because this doesn't lean into dub as much as that one does, but I'unno. I was only going to give this album my typical "it's fine" 3, but as I'm writing this I'm listening to the second side of the album and "Hymn Of The Big Wheel" came on, and that alone is enough for me to bump it up another star. I also wanna say—my group all seem to agree that Massive Attack's later album, MEZZANINE, is better than this one. I haven't heard it aside from from hearing "Teardrop" hear and there, but looking it up on Wikipedia, I can't help but notice a curious lack of Tricky on it. Maybe that's relevant, I'unno.
Hell of a lot better than Maxinquaye. The reduced length helps, not to mention those sick beats they got going. I'd give that a 3 now in comparison to this gem.
I think I’m gonna go with a 4, but a low 4. After listening to Tricky’s solo album Maxinquaye, I think I’ve come to my own conclusion that he absolutely works better as part of a group; his rapping is a genuine highlight on this album compared to the absolutely bleak and dreary style he showed on that album. There are still some misses on this album, but my biggest thing is that it’s simply not soul-numbingly boring like Maxinquaye was, as even the “misses” at least have pretty fun production and a few moments of catching the ear in a smooth way; some of it didn’t hook me, but it definitely wasn’t bad. This is a genuine showcase of pretty cool production that would become a bit more apparent and a bit more mainstream as the 90s went along, and for 1991, a lot of what’s here is still pretty infused with the sort of soul/funk sounds of the 70s, so it’s a fun blend of both styles. A genuinely enjoyable listen across the board (except for Lately), and I’m pretty satisfied to give it a 4. It does just enough to be higher than a 3.
It's OK. All the beats and volume are relatively monotone. Very 90s. I would not seek out. 2/5
Staple
Yeah this was ok. Unfinished Sympathy is great. The rest of the album is good as background music, but overall feels a bit more unfinished than the sympathy!
Rock nada de mais
Better than I thought it was going to be but not totally my kind of music.
It’s ok good background music. Favorites are Safe from Harm and Unfinished Sympathy. Some tracks feel a little dated but overall decent sound. I’d give it a 3.5 so will round to 4.
This was really unique, I liked it. Favorite song: Five Man Army Album art: 2/5
I can dig it but mostly bored :/
Nej. Usch vad tråkigt. Varje låt låter som ett mellanspel i nån dålig poplåt från 90-talet
Inte fullt lika bra som Dummy av Portishead, men fortfarande en grym platta. Unfinished sympathy är magisk.
I fucking love this album. It's so fucking cool. Bought the CD for it a while back at Amoeba. Writing an essay right now for my USEM so I'll throw it on. Safe From Harm - Holy fuck this song is amazing. So catchy. "I was looking back to see if you were looking back at me to see me looking back at you" What a bar. The bass line is so disgusting too holy god. Quintessential nighttime driving song. (10/10) One Love - Somewhat of a bummer following Safe From Harm but it's a hard follow-up. A very low-key and subtle song that serves its purpose. Not a highlight nor a low point. (7.5/10) Blue Lines - Banger. The clean guitar plucks along with 3D and Tricky whispering rhymes make for such a cool song. (8.5/10) Be Thankful For What You've Got - A worthwhile but somewhat out-of-place cover. Can't help but think it doesn't really flow too well with the general sonic direction of this album. (6.5/10) Five Man Army - Great shit Unfinished Sympathy - Holy fuck for forever I thought this was called Unfinished Symphony. Anyways, this is one of the greatest songs of the 90s and of all time. Just incredible Rest of the album is super solid
Before listening: Alright, I'm totally ignorant on this one. I've heard of Massive Attack but I couldn't tell you anything about them - their popular songs, where they're from, what genre they're in. I think from memory they're kinda like new punk from the 80s; but they could be a do wop band and I wouldn't know. I'm really looking forward to this one. After listening: I just ... don't get it. What genre are they? I understand eclectic music, but are they rap, reggae, or soul or what? I liked some of the tracks here but most of them I was like what the hell? I do feel The Gorillaz kinda copied their style, so there's that I suppose.
Mezzanine is a go to album. This one less so, but the range and expression of this music is on the edge of art.
Treibende drums, melody lines, frische sounds. 3Knaller. Tolles Album. Best 100 für die Insel.
Really enjoyed, love the 1st song Found myself playing it at least half a dozen times
Decent, but definitely dated. Early 90’s Brit rap.
Ich schwanke zwsichen 2 und 3
This is completely new to me. I loved it.
ok
Always had the inkling Massive Attack were overrated from the little I've heard from them, and this album solidifies it. So many skippable tracks
I liked some of the beats, but it was mostly very slow and boring and I really didn't care for any of the vocals.
5/10 nice but forgettable 2-29-2024
Massive Attack? Trip-hop? Never heard of ‘em, but liked it a lot. The group’s name and album cover led us to think it was gonna be heavy metal. One of the best things (so far) about the 1001 list is exposure to new music, and this time it worked! Songs with female vocals were the best, but all good, no fillers. Enjoyed this album enough to listen to it again, so (3.2*s)
Worth listening to through good headphones to appreciate the layers of sound provided. Alternatively, great for having on in the background when concentrating on something else (I mean that in a good way)
If British toddlers made an album. "her touch tickles especially on my tummy"
some good trip hop. not huge on the genre, but it was a solid 70 somethign out of 100 for me. massic attack has a charm to it that sucks me in a lot more than portishead.
Very good, modern, unique songs. Would listen again. Not anything crazy special, but very good.
Would have been better without the shitty vocals.
This album is a snapshot in time. I find myself putting myself in the shoes of a young adult in the early 90s UK/Europe and this vibe expresses the dark and hypnotic grittiness of the urban environment in a progressive and inventive way. The narrative is riddled by realistic violence and heartache and yet an honorable sense of love and dignified hope shines through. I can't help but feel as though all is wrapped in the greater scheme of socioeconomic disparity. Musically it has a nice groove. It combines hip hop beats with soulful vocals and dark dreamy scenic textures that are very characteristic of both the 80s/90s. I can see how it pioneered a new sound that spearheaded a genre and contemporaries that followed were able to excel above and beyond due to its influence. Acts like Thievery Corporation come to mind. Some noteworthy tracks to me are: Blue Lines, Unfinished Sympathy, Day Dreaming, and Hymn Of The Big Wheel. I give it only a 3 out of 5 because even though this work was a pioneer in some regards, subjectively I found it to be a bit bland and forgettable. The beats seem novel for a moment and are great background music but lyrically it's not that strong and musically it just doesn't hold up to the plethora of other inspiring material out there.
An interesting album. I loved how much variety there was with the vocals. The beats are nice and weighty, and the instrumentation is unique from song to song. However, it just feels kinda boring overall. Like, the songs are good while they are on, but they don’t stick very well after listening. I’ll probably throw some of the songs (“Unfinished Symphony,” “Safe From Harm,” “Be Thankful for What You’ve Got,” & “Five Man Army”) on my giant playlist for variety and call it a day.
Thought I'd like it more because I've listened to quite a few MA songs. I like much of it, but dated and lags in places.
I really enjoyed the first couple tracks on this. Groovy baselines over trance synths at time - but it got old kind of fast.
Still one of the best albums - and groups - that I’ve encountered.
pretty cool had some jammers fav track: Be Thankful for What You've Got
Really did not like the singing on this but I found it impossible not to enjoy Tricky and co.’s flow and electronic beats on most of the tracks.
I bought this album at the time of release and on listening to it again, it still sounds great. I love the mix of soul, reggae, hip-hop and the dark, moody atmosphere to many of the songs. Unfinished sympathy is just magnificent and highlights what a good singer Shara Nelson was but the album is full of greats songs from start (Safe from harm) to finish (Hymn of the big wheel). A strong, seminal debut
I’m usually a sucker for this kind of music, but I found it so annoying. Each song annoyed me more than the last one did.
Like fortsatt ikkje Massive Attack
The birth of trip-hop. A little clunky, but very ambitious.
Really loved this album, my only experience to trip hop prior to this was a few Portishead songs, definitely plan on digging deeper into the genre.
British trip hop pioneers with a debut that blends genres and your mind.
A difinitive 2.
Not for me.
I recognize the artistry in this album, but I am very ambivalent.
Was good
I can 100% see why this was revolutionary at the time and I enjoyed it for the most part, but if I had to pick a Massive Attack album to be on this list it would’ve been Mezzanine (an instant classic). Blue Lines has bits that feel too dated, especially the vocals. Can’t give less than ⭐️⭐️⭐️ to the first Trip Hop album, but I don’t think it’s gonna go on my rotation.
I was into this one, but not quite as much as Protection. Still had some incredible tracks though.
Great vocals
Overall -it’s giving 90s flick movies -this entire album feels like someone accidentally spilled lyrics over hold music -it’s albums like this that make me wonder who the fuck let this get made -imagine the confidence you have to have to release 9 5 minute songs, like turn off his mic -this album made me like angry Safe from Harm -it’s already feeling like a no One Love -absolutely not -these lyrics are absolutely ridiculous -THESE LYRICS ARE RIDICULOUS -this is awful Blue Line -ok -no Five Man Army -this is ok -hate the ending
A very cool and unique album that seems to find its legs as it goes along. Each song is a deep and totally original soundscape. There is an incredible amount of variety between tracks. I listened to my favorite tracks a couple of times and picked up on new sounds every time. I can't wait for another playthrough with drugs this time.
Bam! My first 5 Stars! Much going on! Great dynamic vocals, big harmonies, nice blend of R&B and electronica. Every song is worth a listen, a few home runs, all unique. Easily in my regular rotation.
Ganz OK aber nix für mich.
The best trip hop album
Loved the first track immediately. The rest wasn't all as good, but there's definitely some great stuff here.
The latter half of the album really started to feel like a lonely island skit...
Interesting early (first?) trip-hop album. Was surprised to hear the title track, which was sampled for another song on David Lynch's "Lost Highway" soundtrack. Still prefer Portishead, though.
This wasn't as edgy as I remember it.
Not totally my thing, although I - and everyone else in the world - love Unfinished Sympathy. One Love and Blue Lines threatened to change my mind, but then it pretty much fulfilled my expectations. In the context of when it came out, I can see why this was influential.
Blue Lines This album is 33 years old. 33 years before it was released the South Pacific soundtrack was the best selling album of 1958 and Elvis had only been around for 2 years. I can’t have listened to this in about 15 years, but fuck it’s a great album. I’ve heard it so many times but I really concentrated on listening to Unfinished Sympathy today. Obviously it’s a classic but it really is an absolutely fantastic bit of music. The melody and strings are genuinely affecting and moving, while the restless percussion and rhythm contrast beautifully with that tenderness. Safe From Harm, Five Man Army, Lately are also excellent tracks and I absolutely adore Hymn of the Big Wheel. Sometimes the ‘englishness’ of the rapping vocals can jar a bit and sound a bit Lonely Island - I guess this must have been a bit of an influence for them I still listen to Mezzanine pretty frequently and that is probably my fav MA album, but this really is superb. Also when I first got it in the mid 90s it sounded so different to anything else I’d ever heard before. I’m finding it surprisingly hard to rate, it’s between a 4 and 5 for me. Mezzanine would definitely be a 5 and I think this sits a little below that. However it is excellent in it own right, and factoring in its originality and groundbreaking’ness’ I think I have to give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the reason I’m trudging through this project. This was a solid album that I’ve never heard of from an artist that I’ve never heard of. It’s a little dated, and some tracks are definitely stronger than others, but overall enjoyable!
This was good, had no idea about these guys.
Not their best but the rhyme's were good.
2 von 9 gibt 3
I like massive attack. But this album didn't do it for me. I generally like this kind of music. Their 98 album is better.
A little too all over the place but fun sounds
Just okay
An ok album
Well, definitely British and 90s… Maybe too British and 90s for my taste. Solidly okay.
I enjoyed this, will go find other albums
Wow, this is REALLY bad. Amazing that this band developed so much that they could produce an album good as Mezzanine.
Good ALBUM 3/5
Wow, absolute stunner of an album