Reviews (page 11 of 14)
7.5/10 - 4/5 Excellent bass, wow. I didn't expect that with trip-hop! Cool listen, great vibe. Some songs felt a little long and meandering, though. All the vocals were really good.
That is my style
The songs with singing are great. The rapping didn't age very well, like most older rap music. Favorite song: hymn of the big wheel
Not usually the kind of music I'd listen to, and would probably not listen again. The effects of the music were kinda cool and groovy but the songs got repetitive and I found didn't really have any substance or anything I could connect with. The vocal delivery was strange, at time I felt the vibrato was weird(oscillating in sound rather than pitch? It was just strange) but I suppose the phrasing was creative? I didn't really enjoy this album but I do think the music was interesting in a way.
Not my thing, techno and yet it felt too slow
Maybe I didn't give this the proper amount of attention, but nothing stood out on this album. That said, it's still good trip-hop.
This still sounds fresh 33 years later. Chill trip hop with soul. Massive Attack is one of my go to's for background work music & my ears always perk up when I hear Unfinished Sympathy. This album definitely deserves to be on this list. 4.5 stars.
I definitely got into the groove of this one. Massive Attack is one of those bands that I'd heard about, but never really took the time to delve into. I think that will change.
Was really hyped when I got the album but let me a bit down
2.5 stars. A little bit slow and downbeat. Gets a bit reggae-ish at times. Standout is "Unfinished Sympathy".10
Excellent
So much early hip hop instrumentals from here
Sehr ruhig
This album, is what i call a masterpiece. Great blend of electronic sounds&vocals. This is for me the beginning of electronic music. Can listen to this all day. Love Massive Attack.
Much like the other Massive Attack record this was inoffensive.
Did not like the different guest singers.
can't believe it's ben over 30 years already since this got released. still timeless!
Boring 😴
no es el mejor de ma, pero aún así triphop classic
Ground breaking.
I've enjoyed Massive Attack albums but this one was not one of them.
This album is easy to vibe on and hard to dislike. That being said, nothing about it really stood out either. Despite how broad the range of vocalists was, the result when mixed with the good use of sampling and chill beats made for a mild experience. I dunno, this was like a vanilla milkshake where it might be perfect sometimes, I'm usually looking for more, but I'm never upset with it.
This album felt hugely varied from start to finish. Drifted into shades of rasta and hip hop, and felt like the kind of music you would enjoy in a big crowd. No one track blew me away, but no track was lacking.
Its a unique album but I can't say this sound aged well for me. Mainly the vocal style was not for me. Interesting production though.
The album cover is pretty modern feeling. At first breathe, I immediately disliked this album. Songs oscillated between 1 and 2 stars in enjoyment for me. SOME of the raps were enjoyable to me but much more of the album made me genuinely angry. I truly hated One Love and Five Man Army. Be Thankful For What You've Got reminded me of Sade. I did not mind Daydreaming.
Argh I doooon’t get it. I really want to. I hate that I don’t. But I did just get bored. I’ll come back to it some day and try again.
Notable tracks: Blue Lines, Unfinished Sympathy
Lautsprecher Test
"trip hop", steady but not heavy beats under "casual" vocals
Massive Attack's Blue Lines album caught me off guard a bit, didn't know if it was electronic, or hip/trip-hop. The trip-hop sounds slightly too American for a British artist. Overall not bad, just wish it leant a little more into the electronic side of things. Best: Safe From Harm Worst: One Love 2.5 stars
I’ve always enjoyed this album. It has a soulful vibe, with some amazing vocals. Unfinished sympathy is an incredible track.
Not my favorite massive attack album.
Meh and forgettable. None of the songs grabbed me. Not the worst thing I’ve listened to on this list, but it wasn’t very good either.
My favorite Massive Attack album is "Mezzanine," which is essentially a perfect album to me. However, "Blue Lines" is still 5 stars. It is beautiful, haunting, smooth, and heavy.
This was a massive attack on my ears. I will gladly stay away from this group in the future.
The best thing on here was the first track, everything else was either boring or just not my thing. The first track was at least kind of groovy. 1.5/5
I’ll still happily go to bat for the later Massive Attack albums, but this is a good one too, no denying. Much better than Protection. One Love and Five Man Army are vintage MA - anything with Horace Andy singing on it is ok with me, basically - and Unfinished Sympathy is timeless. Plus, very few other albums can claim, with unanimous agreement, to have invented a whole genre.
This was ok. Nothing stood out really but no dislikes.
Decent electronic album. Not super into it.
More lofi beats to relax/study too. Once again, fine as background music, but ultimately not for me.
Absolute classic album. Truly deserves to be on this list
Never heard of Massive Attack and was shocked at how much I loved this album. My style of music, trance like melodies with soul vocals and hip hop mixed in.
to be fair everyone was wankered in the 90's but all the rest of ye's dont have that excuse!
I appreciated the fact that they didn't try to stretch ideas into songs all the time. the hits hit, though
I didn't love this. I would occasionally find myself getting lost in a groove but then the vocals would distract me. I can't see myself dancing to this or it playing in a bar/restaurant or even seeing this live.
I had higher hopes for this album and was left a bit disappointed. I recognize and understand its importance in the development of the trip hop genre, as it sounds like something that came 5+ years later than it actually did. But I just did not enjoy it too much.
Unfamiliar with this group. Not bad.
Positives: I absolutely love this genre. I think it's such an easy listen, its never too in your face, it works as a great background groove. Unfinished Sympathy is incredible, Safe from Harm is a great opener, Good closer too. Album is a good length, and flows really well Negatives: Some of it sounds quite dated, in particular some of the rapping. It happens too often and takes the album down a few points In the end it goes from a 4 to a really high 3, but it could be a grower as it does have so many positives
Every time I hear the name Massive Attack I think it's some kind of thrash metal band or something then I put it on and it's the most chill trip hop imaginable.
Good album with unique blend of sounds and vocals. Loses interest in the middle. Brings back at the end. 7
Enjoyable and easy listen. Vocals were cool and music was nice. Decent 7
Hat etwas, wenn man sich darauf einlässt! 5.3/10
It sounded like an album that could play through in the background of the bar at a hip pool in Miami or Cabo.
So good! The birth of trip hop. Innovative, mysterious, haunting but oh so cool. Just superb. And yet, not their best. Mezzanine is even better but sadly, not in the book. Still, Blue Lines is a classic in its own right.
What a wonderful album this is. The birth of trip-hop in a tight little 44 minutes. The whole album just whispers "vibes." Basically set the stage for what could be done with beats. Just cover to cover quality, although I think "Hymn of the Big Wheel" kinda bobbles the finish. But by the time you get to that track, whatever substances you may have ingested are fully kicked in, so you can just lay back, take a deep breath, and let the waves crash over you.
This is my vibe!! Love this album, so deep in the heart with the beats, vocals, soul...
Did not like it,
This brings you back. I had never heard the term “trip hop” prior to listening to the album today. Good chill music.
The only thing I knew about massive attack before listening to this album was that they wrote the song "Teardrop", which was used as the theme for the television medical drama, House. The Gravity drums and modulated droning present throughout most of the tracks on this album sounded like it could've been inspired by listening to someone's ticker through a stethoscope. It's not something I would throw on to listen to consciously, but I thought they had quite an impressive range of genres on the album while still maintaining that same new age/hip-hop sound. From what I've read about this album, it was supposedly foundational for a lot of different artists after it, and I could definitely imagine a line from Massive Attack to the sort of unconscious Lofi hip-hop of the 2010s.
Good album overall. The chill instrumentals mixed with the softer raps make for some easy listening tunes that still sound soulful.
I was done after the first two minutes of each track. Five Man Army is pretty good, but has 3 filler minutes at the end.
This album was really revolutionary in its day and holds up so well. It sounds as good now as it did 30 years ago. Massive Attack basically invented trip-hop and I love them for it. This album has a lot of great tracks before they really found their signature sound. I like some of their other albums better but this is a masterpiece as far as debut studio cuts go.
Sounded like I was in a dark underground club...the kind with red lighting, fancy cocktails, and def jam poetry. Hit me right off the bat but I quickly grew tired of the singing and wanted more good beats. Finished with a pretty good one but overall not leaving an impression. Establishing their own sound but not sure I'm in. I love Angel from Snatch so expected more from this...
Pretty slick and unique. Definitely dug the trippy hip hop vibes. Some songs better than others but I enjoyed the versatility and varied styles. My first exposure to Massive Attack as far as I know. Would be interested in seeing what else they have put out. I had heard they had connections to Gorillaz though never saw them as a listed collaborator. I can definitely hear the influence. 3.25 stars
Erring on the side of four stars because there’s maybe 2 tracks I’d skip but wow it’s hard to call. This album is a real classic. There are huge songs on here that I’ve had in my life for years and still stop me in my tracks if they come on the stereo. Be Thankful, Unfinished Sympathy and Safe From Harm. Grateful this is on this list and for the drive to work that saw these songs blaring out Friday morning.
a great fusion of hip hop and pop rythms.
Massive Attack basically coined the "trip-hop" genre. I hadn't ever listened to their older stuff, let alone the very first album. It's a bit more funky and less dark than their (maybe?) more popular 2000s work. Great stuff, nonetheless. That bassline on Safe From Harm should be illegal it's so spicy! Unfinished Sympathy melds hip-hop beats with a snaking sound that can only be described by me as playing spoons like a mofo. Add in that wonderful vocal track and *chef's kiss*. Standouts: Safe From Harm, Blue Lines, Be Thankful for What You've Got, Unfinished Sympathy, Lately
Proto-trip hop.
I liked it more than I thought I would! But still not really my thing
I like that both the biggest trip hop bands of the 90s came from Bristol. I feel like Massive Attack is easier for a casual listen but thats because its less emotionally potent. Idk enough about Massive attack's discography to rank this album against their others. Still nice to vibe to. I also like that some of their lyrics are kind of dorky by today's hiphop standards. My baby just cares for me, well, that's funny Her touch tickles especially on my tummy I have done more googling apparently this is considered the first trip hop album and basically founded the genre so that's neat.
Me gustó mucho. Muy bueno.
So far, not enjoying it
Quite enjoyable
Album 291 of 1001 Massive Attack - Blue Lines Rating : 2 / 5 Offers more than many of the "Electronica" albums but still just "meh".
I've only ever listened to one massive attack song before. This album sounds a lot like that. Really enjoyed it. I can see how this album has influenced other artists.
Very funky album! I h ave heard of this band before but never listened to them. I enjoyed the whole album
I like Massive Attack and trip-hop in general, but always find their featured vocalists a bit hit or miss. 3.5/5
Interesting, pretty low key. A few songs really stood out (Safe From Harm, Unfinished Symphony, Be Thankful). Not my kind of thing really, but I'll give a listen to their other records.
Trip-Hop-Pioniere. Läuft gut rein; entspannt und conscious.
loved it! i didn't realize how much i like trip hop.. very groovy and fun to listen to!
Wicked - plain as day how and why this album changed music. Some of the combinations of and approaches to sounds would be fresh today, let alone in 1991!!!
I'm a fan of this album. Definitely a bit of a precursor to this sound, but the creativity is apparent and is a fun listen.
The vocals and lyrics are almost too cheesy to bear in the first two songs. Does every song just repeat the same lyrics over and over while mostly just playing the same beat in the background? Every now and then I hear a cool change to the beat or a new sample or something but overall it’s just the same thing over and over. This would be pretty decent study or work music because it's smooth and chill and repetitive but I can't see myself ever wanting to listen to it intentionally. I've never been much of a trip hop fan though. Five Man Army stands out.
Weird
Some kind of Electronic/Dance/Hip hop/reggae hybrid. Well done.
Day7 - i have never heard of massive attack. definitely worth the listen. blue lines and daydreaming were my favorites. would recommend
Interesting, but I didn’t like the singer’s style/voice.
Epitome of late 90s groove + synth sounds. I also can't hear it without hearing Flight of the Conchords or thinking about the Matrix for some reason.
I like Massive Attack the more I like it. ever since hearing Angel in the movie Snatch. great job combining genres to produce a unique sound, instead of coming off as tryhard it just works!
This album is a great mix of rap, electro, dub and more. Every time I hear a Massive Attack album I think “I should listen to more Massive Attack” and then I don’t but that’s not on them!
This album was far ahead of its time, and 100% left a massive (tehe) imprint on what would come after. Personally I like everything MA would go on to do more than this record, but the sampling is solid, the beats are top notch, and a handful of tracks are all time greats. That said, most of this is pretty forgettable or just subpar. Some of the production remains stuck in 91, and I just don't dig that sound too much.
Blue Lines simmers with trip hop's signature hypnotic allure, though its sparse sonic palette leaves some moments feeling unfulfilled.
Nice beat. Talking, like hip hop. Lost people, wandering, wondering, a bit down and out. Be Thankful for What You've Got is a good song.
Not my genre, 90s British Hip Hop.
Solid chill album for a rainy day. Wouldn’t be a major album in rotation. Lots of cool vibes still
Trip Hop is one of the first genres that I _really_ got into, and that included Massive Attack, though back then I was more familiar with Mezzanine. This album was unfamiliar to me, and TBH it was kind of disappointing. I liked one track (Unfinished Sympathy) but everything else was "meh".
I love Mezzanine, but haven't really listened to this album. I can appreciate it's historical place in music, but much more uneven as a result.
Giving this 3 stars for what Massive Attack would become, and how cutting edge they were for 1991. It's an achievement to sound dated before your time.
Tja,
Me esperaba más.
Blech...1991...Why is everyone so obsessed with electric bass and keyboards...because that's what's new and hot at the time. Trip hop is such an aspirational title for this. I kinda get the trip part but hop? more like weird jazz or reggae. The lyrics are pretty forgettable as well which is kinda where I'm at on this one...1991 a time I'd rather forget.
This album was fine but not what I was imaging based on the group's name and artwork. I'd never heard Massive Attack before, I knew the name but always assumed they were more on the punk side of things. I know it's no good to judge a book by it's cover but I was really hoping for more of a unique punk hip-hop vibe to this album and what it is is just real mellow, kind of boring (in my opinion) trip hop. I didn't hate anything on this album, just found it rather unoriginal and too similar from track to track. Standout Tracks: Blue Lines, Be Thankful for What You've Got, Hymn of the Big Wheel
Great relaxing album. Lacking some explosiveness
Pleasantly surprised with this album. I had never heard of Massive Attack. Nice easy listening music. Lots of good tempos and vocals.
Decent, not my typical jam, was hopeful after the first track but the the album didn’t do much for me, I enjoyed a couple of the songs. Good downtempo beats and positive messages, though.
Not up to the levels of Mezzanine, but still a good album.
Super chill mix of hip-hop, soul and reggae. Keen to check out more from this band. Highlights: Safe From Harm (that baseline!), Five Man Army, Lately, Hymn of the Big Wheel.
Relaxed Trip-Hop, perfect for elevators and shopping-malls. I cannot see why it is in the 1001!
Have listened to Massive Attack sparingly throughout the years and glad I have found this. What an album.
Zeitloses Trip-Hop-Werk
Pretty cool, unique songs mix of r and b and other reggae or punk shit
'Blue Lines blended elements of hip hop (such as breakbeats, sampling, and rapping) with dub, soul, reggae, and electronic music.' I couldn't've agreed more! I mostly enjoy this for atmosphere while doing a task, cleaning, drawing or entertaining. I love the mix of sound and massive array of sampling that lays CLEAN on top of a nice soulful beat.
Un album con rastros hip hop, funk y pop, que por momentos me recuerda a Michael Jackson o los Jackson 5. Cuando canta la chica el album cobra otros colores, incluso progresivos. Cierra con una cancion que me hizo acordar a la banda sonora de El rey león.
Like they couldn’t settle on a sound… in any singular song. Some beats would sound okay then it swapped quickly to sound like jargon
Some gems here, but most of the album didn't connect with me.
I liked this a lot more than I expected. Hadn't heard of Massive Attack before
I’m not like the biggest fan of trip hop or anything. It’s a genre that takes a certain kind of mindset to listen to. Because it’s weird. And often times the production style is kind of off and unorthodox. Massive Attack was one of the leading artists in the 90’s for this sound. When going into a record like this, I’m mostly looking for one thing. And that’s unique and varied production. Particularly with the drums. And this album definitely has that. If you are looking for variety from song to song, this would be a good album to check out. The vocal performances are decent. I wasn’t looking for stellar vocals in an album like this anyway. And some of them are a little basic, and they don’t always add much to the instrumental. Rating: 6/10
Soft 5
Highlight: Unfinished Sympathy If you're new to trip hop, Blue Lines is a good place to start. You get a little taste of the genre before Massive Attack lean into the sound on later albums. Overall: 7/10
Not too much of a fan. Clearly a 90s album. Some decent stuff but overall meh
how is this massive attack?? it sounds nothing like the other stuff i've heard. it's pretty cool though. 7.5/10
Some great songs, some less great songs. Overall pretty good but sometimes felt a bit incohesive as an album
Definitely early 90s R &B feel
Fav song: be thankful for what you've got
Favorite Tracks: Hymn of the Big Wheel Safe From Harm One Love Blue Lines
Definitely feels aged but an interesting blend of early hip hop and trippy beats
Good beat, easy to dance to, and Be Thankful For What You've Got. A nice little trifecta, if you ask me.
Ahh, the birth of trip-hop. I love Massive Attack. Have listened to this album several times over the years. I like the British rap, reggae influence, and Horace Andy vocals. Takes a while to get used to that guy’s voice. “Blue Lines” and especially “Five Man Army” are favorites. I think Mezzanine is Massive Attack’s best album, but it’s a vastly different feel from Blue Lines. Much darker, heavier, and a little more album-oriented. Blue Lines is a comparatively easier listen, but a little short of Mezz’s perfection. 4 stars or even a little higher.
I enjoyed this album but there wasn't a lot for me to come back to. I think Massive attack was a pioneer in this groove style of music this early in the 90's. This kind of sound is all over now and its cool to see an early version of it.
Some great tracks with guest singers. But not really into this style of music.
I always wanted to like Massive Attack more than I actually do.
Far be it from me to speak out on the development of trip-hop, so I ought not a lot. Just accept my demure suggestion that this record portrays adolescent and awkward early Massive Attack, a hip-hop collective with a glimmer of an as yet unrealized innovation. It sets itself apart aesthetically as urban soul with rap/reggae inclinations. I get it, this represents the inception of a powerfully stylistic impulse, but Protection, Mezzanine and 100th Window are so much more absorbing and transcendent, any of them would be a much better inclusion in this list. I sure hope any or all are on this list so I can give them each a 5.
Excellent album - YouTube Music glitched and I listened five times.
Was a huge fan of the first half of this album. Funky and cool beats with some nice instrumental stuff going on. Kinda lost the magic in the last few songs, but only enough so to keep it from being a 5.
Had never listened. Updated reggae derived music is incredible. I thought this was wonderful.
Massive Attack is pretty cool, man.
Album #4! First album in this series for me you couldn't remotely describe as "blues-rock/hard-rock", a welcome reprieve. I LOVE Mezzanine, been one of my favorite records for years, but I think I remember trying to listen to this one years ago and not getting it all. So, very excited to jump back into this and see if I can get the hype this time around. From the jump, I'm remembering why it wasn't as immediately appealing to me, it's a bit less accessible, more hip-hoppy, more minimal in some ways? But I think I'm starting to get it a bit more this time around. The "Be Thankful for What You've Got" cover/remix is pretty dang stellar. "Diamond in the back, sunroof top, diggin' the scene with a gangsta lean ooooooooo". I think also starting to dip my toes in dub is making me appreciate the dubbier tracks better. "Five Man Army" sounds so good on headphones. "Unfinished Sympathy," just wow. Listening to this song first on my earbuds on a run I enjoyed it but it didn't stand out, then my second time through the album with nice headphones my jaw dropped with those layers of strings. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is so damn good, very different from the rest of the album, feels like watching the sunrise after a night clubbing in London. And of course the deadhead in me can't help but think of "Big wheel turn by the grace of god..." (doing a little research, apparently both are references to the buddhist "bhava-cakra", very cool). Overall, my favorite new listen of this experiment so far (only 4 in though). So happy this project pushed me to go back and check out an album I had written off as "not for me" before. I think this is going to be my first 5 so far.
Nice new experience for me
Maybe I’m just not in a trip-hop mood, but this album is mostly a miss for me. Some songs stand out, like Blue Lines. But other songs, like One Love, are like nails on a chalkboard. I appreciate some of the components of this album - Shara Nelson’s vocals, for instance - but others, like the relentless and unchanging drumbeat throughout, keep me on edge. I feel jittery listening to the album and I can't relax into the music. I don’t think that’s the intention. There is a unique sound to this album and it seems like it should be enjoyable - but it isn't, for me.
All around great sound!
Very cool
Not my favorite, but cool and interesting. The rap sections were fun and flowy.
Not my thing
Blue Lines starts off pretty bad for me. On the first few tracks, I feel like the beats don't fully support the quite expressive vocals. Luckily, it picks up. Unfinished Sympathy is of course a classic, and I found myself enjoying the album towards the end. 3.3
I like the band, but I don't like this album.
Decent. Bit background music to me though
I've listen to this project before so it was a fun revisit, I def like Massive Attack's later works better but I can def hear the influences and them developing their sound. There were a few stand out tracks but all in all I thought it was just good, nothing outstanding.
not for me
Very mellow rap R&B album. I really enjoyed it.
Um som bem diferenciado, creio que para época deve ter soado como novidade, ou como algo da moda mas muito bem feito. Esse sim, um disco que merece figurar nesta lista.
Thought I was going to like it more than I did.
Blue Lines, like the mysterious haze that oozes from this seminal album. Like the waves of pleasures one can feel roaming this nocturnal, urban maze--soul, dub and hip hop all merging to create all those lush sound-system-inspired skylines. Listen to "Five Man Army", and you'll see those evocative nightly shapes in front of your very eyes. You might even smell the scent of burnt engines. Younger listeners may not understand how groundbreaking this record was at the time of its release--and how it still informs many genres today, far beyond the "trip hop" moniker that was ascribed to it at the time (more on that in the conclusion of this review). Truth be told, this sort of "fusion" had never been encountered before. Even if, in a way, said fusion hearkened back to the spirit that had for instance guided musicians of The Mahavishnu Orchestra, here sampled at least twice during the course of this LP, or the ones of Love, whose "Be Thankful (For What You've Got)" is wonderfully covered during the proceedings. Add the singular vocal performances of soul singer Sara Nelson and reggae legend Horace Andy, and what you have as a result is a jewel. From the ominous, obsessive "Safe From Harm" to the wide-eyed, almost naive "Hymn Of The Big Wheel"--from the heartbreak of "Unfinished Sympathy"'s tense strings to the sensual groove of "Daydreaming"--each and every track of this masterpiece is a gem. *Blue Lines* was not a simple debut, you see. It was already a crowning achievement. So it doesn't matter if the "groundbreaking elements" of this LP get lost in the mix today. There's still enough urban poetry in this album to make up for how supposedly "dated" it sounds in 2023. A couple of records later, for *Mezzanine*, 3D, Daddy G, and Mushroom would incorporate post-punk in their formula to further their ambitions and make everything sound more (in)tense. Yet what we get here is equally precious. It's a *smoother* version of the Massive Attack project, and this mix of juvenile seduction and more menacing undertones is an asset the collective would never *fully* profit from ever after. Some say that *Blue Lines* is one of the best debuts of all time, and they're damn right about that. Others say this record is the birth of trip hop, its whole starting point, and they're right as well. Yet this album is far more important that trip hop--which was just an ephemeral phase during the history of modern music, a transition within the great mix of the times. This album is a tone poem, first and foremost--and it's one of the most impressive tone poem ever put to tape. No other record will ever sound like it again, as influential as it was from 1991 onwards. Massive caught lightning in a bottle that year. "Inflammable" indeed. Number of albums left to review: 356 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 291 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 154 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 206
Not my type of music, but I can hear the difference between this and what came before. I can see it being revolutionary for the right groups.
Boring. Just.. there. Good background music. Opening song was the best then became a huge disappointment.
Met vlagen best lekker
Mooi!
Altijd lekker!
Fijn plaatje!
Amazing album. Up and down, left and right.
Safe From Harm- 3.8/5 One Love- 3.7/5 Blue Lines- 4.3/5 Be Thankful for What You've Got- 3.7/5 Five Man Army- 3.6/5 Unfinished Sympathy- 3.5/5 Daydreaming- 3.7/5 Lately- 4.2/5 Hymn of the Big Wheel- 3.8/5 Total- 3.8/5
I feel like I was transported back to the 90s with this album. Favorite song: Be Thankful for What You’ve Got
Not bad
Great album but aging out...
Its crazy that the first trip hop album is already so good. Also enjoyed it quite a bit more then protection, which I got earlier from this generator. That album was pretty solid too, but this one is consistently pretty good with some really big high points.
They certainly have a favourite bass drum sound.
Really fun, I can see why they’re highly regarded
As a casual Massive Attack fan I enjoy their later albums, not the early ones. Blue Lines has a feeling of the band trying to figure out their own sound, experimenting and looking for a secret recipe. What that leaves us with is this record, pretty heavy on hop, not so much on trip. Honestly, I didn't really enjoy this album, even though it had to be a breakthrough at the time. Maybe I need to be more mature to like it.
November 28, 2023 Masterpiece. Innovative, executed perfectly. Every track holds. "Because my ak rig goes boom boom My ak rig goes boom"
When I saw saw Apple Music describe it as one of the very first trip-hop albums, I knew I was in for 40 minutes of shit. But what came out was not what I expected. I found it very listenable and overall pretty decent. Per my scale, I'm giving it a 3 but it's very close to being a 4. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.
Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac Diamond in the back, sunroof top Diggin' the scene With a gangsta lean Gangsta whitewalls TV antennas in the back You may not have a car at all But remember brothers and sisters You can still stand tall Just be thankful for what you've got I love this album, it really stands up as a great album. Takes me back to my CD changer and how long this CD was in the rotation (it outlasted many other albums.) 5/5
Sopi lumisessa aamussa kävelyyn.
Pari huippua, mut ei Massiven parasta antia muutoin. Hyvä levy toki
Unfinished Sympathy sounds like Mobi, but with more soul
Love: Be Thankful for what You've Got Like: One Love Blue Lines Five Man Army Lately Unfinished Sympathy Meh: Safe from Harm Nope: Daydreaming
It’s really an inspiring Music. It sound very fresh and timeless.
Album got kinda ruined by One Love and Hymn of the Wheel.
Ok-ish
i just don't like massive attack.
The music is fine, but having a different singer on each track makes it sound like a v.a. compilation, Massive Attack's production is too bland to have a strong unifying force.
Ok so this was not what i expected from massive attack but pretty good, but like would only listen to it when in a particular mood
I'm in disbelief that this album was labeled as one the greatest albums of all time. I feel like I'm Mr. Skinner saying "Am I so out of touch? No! It's the children who are wrong." This album is just not good... To me, of course... Apparently it's well received by a lot of critics... It is a conglomeration of genres that are on the lowest rung on my musical taste ladder. I'm sure as their career evolved, they got better? Maybe? I mean, apparently this album is amazing.. So could they get better than that? Ha! They've been around awhile... I'm sure I heard something by them in HMV but I wouldn't know how to pick them out from any other artist of the same genre. To me it's very generic and nothing screams to me that this song or album is. Massive Attack. I don't know.. I could keep pushing my opinion on this album. But we all know music is subjective... So my opinion only matters to me.. And with that, this album was a massive disappointment. 1/5
This one is more of the “hop” side of Trip-Hop. I really like this but it is kinda overshadowed by Mezzanine, which shows more of the “Trip” side of Trip-Hop and I just prefer the Trip side of MA. Still a 4 stars though
Maschine: Grado Hemp Mische (2012 Mix/Master): insb. Bass-Referenz, besonders tolle Dynamik im (Re)Master Musik: zeitloser Trip-Hop Meilenstein Meinung: 5/5
I'm not a fan of electronic music, so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this.
As far as I can tell this is the first major Trip Hop release, at least in terms of stuff more substantive than just singles. I don't think it's unfair to say that while there's a lot of strong songs here, they aren't necessarily full of original ideas for the entire track runtimes. There's a lot of great bits in songs for sure but, for example, "Five Man Army" is a very nice chill song that doesn't entirely fill its six minute runtime with originality. That's not always a bad thing though and I gather that here a lot of the appeal is in letting the softer relaxing beats run for longer, it just doesn't entirely translate into a thrilling listen throughout for me. I'd also say that much of the album feels like it's running on a "good song, decent song" one two combo and that makes it hard to fully connect with the tracklist. Either way, there's a lot of soft soulful songs here underlayed with fun groovable beats. Tracks like "Safe from Harm" and "Hymn of the Big Wheel" (the latter totally different from a lot of the rest of the album) are really enjoyable stuff.
I was honestly expecting Mezzanine, maybe I’ll get it down the line. This one is also cool but not as good, in my opinion.
Låter ungefär som jag förväntade mig.
Yes yes yeees!
I thought about giving this album a 4, because they have at least 2 better albums, but then ❤️❤️❤️unfinished sympathy❤️❤️❤️ came on.
< mezzanine, bet tāpat 🤯❤️
Wallpaper music, but good if you like that kinda thing.
Quite chill, ain't it?
Meh. Fun sounds, listenable album. But not going to go out of my way to hear it again.
Love the electronic vibes and the groove that this has. Hip hop sits well with me, and adding some electronic to it makes it even better. Some of the songs were whatever, some were quite good. It was a really nice album to listen to while getting some work done.
Pleasant with nice sampling. Rapping is a bit odd, though. Stratus right up front was a surprise. Good background music for mundane tasks but that's about it for me anyway. Maybe I haven't heard the right Trip Hop album yet or I just don't get into this style of music.
Me esperaba más.
it’s fine, i would probably play it in the background of me playing video games or something
Overall great 7/10. Tracks liked: Blue Lines, Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn Of The Big Wheel
Really cool vibe on this album. If each song was 1 minute shorter, we'd really be cooking with gas here. Still enjoyed this quite a bit more than I usually do with electronica. Favorite track: Unfinished Sympathy
Love that trip-hop sound. These guys weren't on my radar in 1991, but I imagine I would have totally listened to this CD tons on study nights. 4*
Pure perfection.
Great vibes
Love it
Meh
Enjoyable but felt a lot longer than it was.
Not a fan. I added the first track but I may remove it, not sure if it has staying power. Overall, I could see how big fans of the genre might like it, but ultimately, it just wasn't for me.
Really enjoyed this album. I had not listened to this album top to bottom and it has some great songs. Love the opening track with the hand cramping bassline is fantastic. Love the different vocalists. 3.5*s
Un album que je connais bien, que j'écoute de temps en temps sur ma hifi et que j'ai eu le plaisir de redécouvrir dans mes écouteurs Sorti en 1991, dans un monde ou le hip hop est à peine installé, il est à la base de plein de belles choses, notamment en terme d'electronica et de trip hop Au final en réecoutant cet album je me rends compte qu'il m'a beaucoup inspiré dans mes créations, j'adore la façon dont ils utilisent les samples, j'adore cette fusion entre electro et orchestral, leurs invités et le tyoe de chant qu'ils décident de poser sur leurs productions C'est impecable C'est beau C'est très inspirant Et ça a franchement bien vielli malgré que ce soit marqué par son époque Merci massive attack 4,5/5
I'm sure it was cool at the time
喜欢鼓点伴奏，节奏和音量适合做工作bgm？
Not bad. Ahead of its time.
- Heard some of the tracks before and listened to Mezzanine but first full listen - Really, really good, somehow sounds ahead of its time and of the era at the same time - Fav songs: Unfinished Sympathy, Safe From Harm, Blue Lines
More reggae than Mezzanine (at least in my first very limited impression)! Really didn't expect it to sound like this! Less "darker" than mezzanine too. I draw comparison w mezzanine bc its the only Massive Attack album I'm familiar with 😅
Good
Liked this
Ok
Epitome of fusion. Totally understand now why they had such a cult following. Even listening to them today, I’m not sure that I’ve heard anything like it.
Great vibes, good working music. 10/10
Actually, I liked it. It’s not at all the music I normally listen to, but it just found me in the right mood for this, so yeah.
Actually did not expect to like this one but I really did. Some parts sound a little dated but overall I enjoyed it
Good! What PM Dawn could have been had they not found drugs. Beats are solid, singers are solid, MCs are solid-a solid album!
4.5, on reflection, Unfinished Sympathy (one of the greatest songs of all time) is not quite enough to make this a 5-star overall
Pretty good but I much prefer Mezzanine.
Unfinished Sympathy was a revelation to this 14 year old rockist and made me realise beauty did not need guitars. The track is an outlier, a bolt of pop lightning in an otherwise murkier, more dubbed out creature, heavy on atmosphere, tunes optional, though still memorable. There's only one song I'd seek by itself, but I've been happy having this roll on over the day, which distinguishes it from what followed: no epochal record's influence is entirely benign. Too important to warrant anything under 4.
Approached this with a weary sigh, but was pleasantly surprised. Much more interesting than I rememeber, I guess it lost some impact through being overplayed in every dark bar and/or teenage afterparty in the mid-'90s. Not bad at all but hardly thrilling
Unfinished sympathy Hymn of the big wheel
My initial impressions of Massive Attack suggested that this would be an album I was going to love. The only song I’d heard before (‘Unfinished Sympathy’) is a complete banger and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the tracks on ‘Mezzanine’ that I’ve heard. I love Portishead’s ‘Dummy’, which I consider one of my 25 favourite albums of all time. I knew Massive Attack had a different sound to Portishead but both fall under the ‘trip-hop’ label. Finally; Robert del Naja is very attractive ;) However, while I can recognise the influence and impact this album has had on electronica, I found it rather bland and repetitive. While ‘Dummy’ appears to focus more on the ‘soul’ aspect of trip-hop due to the sheer power of Beth Gibbons’ voice, ‘Blue Lines’ seems to lean more towards the juxtaposed ‘hip-hop’ aspect, with a focus on beats over the singer, and extended tracks. Hip-hop is one of my least favourite genres, primarily as a result of what I see as unimaginative music. The lack of a unifying singer also increases focus on the arrangements and instrumentation. Overall, though, the album was not a regrettable listen. 5/10.
This is better than some techno in this list. It's let repetitive and doesn't have the same bpm in every song. But there aren't any stand outs here for me either.
sounded good but didn’t get to listen enough i need to go back
4 - different
Muy bueno
Great.
Not for me
This has definitely aged poorly in some places, and I didn’t love it as much as I used to, but it’s still a quality record. Innovative, experimental, and definitely iconic: it screams 90s for me. And while some parts of songs sound aged (I’m thinking the vocals on Safe from Harm), the rest sounds relatively fresh. Highlights: Safe from Harm, One Love, Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn of the big wheel, Daydreaming. I’ll not leave it 15 years to return back to this one.
Never clicked with this genre of ambient background music, always sounds like they built the foundations of a song and didn't add any of the ideas that are actually interesting. Unfinished sympathy is by far the best song and is the only time this approach seems to come together in any way. Wasn't a painful listen but it's just so dull.
I was a bit disappointed with this - I'm a big fan of Heligoland, it was one of my study-in-the-library albums. None of the songs on this first release caught my attention at all, sadly. Unfinished Sympathy is decent.
This album largely passed me by while I was listening to it. It felt like the album never really got going. Highlights: Five Man Army Unfinished Sympathy
Agree with the other guys. It's just not that interesting. Fine as background music I guess but nothing more. Unfinished symphony by far the best track.
Very nice as background music, but I can't decide if it's something I'd want to work to, relax to, or sleep to.
I feel like this was a really mixed bag. Some tracks were excellent, while others were kind of boring or even a bit grating. 3.5, I guess. Highlights: - Safe from Harm - Blue Lines - Five Man Army
Vibey album, maar te eentonig om echt goeie nummers te hebben (behalve de laatste die is vuur)
Somewhat a decent album, never listened to massive attack before and I don't think I'll add them to my repertoire but I didn't actively dislike it. Best song - Blue lines (is the start of this what Wiz and snoop sampled?)
UNFINISHED SYMPATHY Blue Lines Be Thankful For What You've Got THIS WAS SO GROOVY Honestly just gonna give it four stars because i think if i re-listened to it more that i would like it more too. It just needs time to *marinate*
Safe from Harm I like but it is 2 minutes too long :(. Unfinished business is "good" but it sounds like a song that would play in the end credits of a cheesy 90s action movie that took itself too seriously. Blue Lines is a straight BOP Five Man Army
Album was OK
*El pana del cabello largo rating stuff* WOOOOOHHH. Me emociono cuando conozco el disco. Oiré again. Ya oí, estuvo mid-high
Loved it
HOUSE GUYS, but pretty boring and no Teardrop in this album. 3/10
Nice but not very intriguing, also ok for learning
Safe From Harm is the perfect intro the album. I'm getting really into trip-hop. Didn't care for One Love. Blue Lines and Five Man Army are lyrical and so fun. Unfinished Sympathy is real good too.
This isn't my favourite Massive Attack record, but there are some great tracks here, and obviously Unfinished Sympathy is an absolute masterpiece. Favourite tracks: Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy, Lately, Hymn Of The Big Wheel
Fun one, never heard before. Almost like spoken word over classic hip hop beats Wouldn't go back, but very much enjoyed
4.75
Exceptionally enjoyable. Happy to listen to this, two tracks in my top 100 easily, others are very happily listened to and rediscovered.
Groovy baby. Immaculate vibes
interesting, I liked one love a good bit, not bad overall
Interesting, not their best though. On the verge of a 4 star.
Good beats. British rap. Would like to listen again sometime and maybe with the lyrics available? Didn't love every song, but some were interesting musically.
Cool combination of a lot of genres I did not previously think to put together. The album has a great variety of moods, and it is obvious that a lot of thought has been put into the album. 4/5 due to it seeming more experimental than refined.
soulful, electronic, new wave
decent, some good tracks, not all
Much better than I expected
This is such a subjective thing I suppose, but I just didn't really enjoy this album. The whole concept of their sound just isn't my thing.
I had never heard this before, and I can see why it's considered a masterpiece. What an incredible album.
cool grooves.
Groovier than I initially anticipated, liked the album, thought it was definitely worth the listen.
Very cool album! Loved the beets and jazzy hip-hop style. Reminiscent of old-school Digable Planets/Fujees...
Every song is great and transitions nicely. Mellow.
Beautiful 🥲 I can listen to this on repeat for days
Yep, this is still great.
Eh
Just great. It sounds as fresh 32 years on as it must have done when it came out. The level of intensity throughout the album is really high, but it's not oppresive or unpleasant to listen to. Its influences seem really diverse, from the dance scene to soul and obviously trip-hop. I guess technically it's 'not my sort of thing', but it turns out it very much is.
I guess this was important to "trip-hop?" Listened to remastered version on tidal. meh.
It's outshone by Mezzanine but still an incredibly influential album. Unfinished Sympathy is a masterpiece, but I found myself impatient to get to it.
Not huge on hip hop but liked it and would listen again
great
I finally read where all these albums come from. So, now it makes sense why there are so many great albums. Massive Attack is one of my favorite groups. I have listened to this album many times and will keep it in my regular rotation. 5/5.
73/100
Never been a fan of Massive Attack. Their lilting/dragging style makes me search for the 'skip' button every time they come up in a shuffle. Pass.
Understandably important but parts haven’t aged well
Cool album, but not something I'd revisit.
Meh. I liked the rhythm, didn't like the rapping. First song reminded me of Blast Off by Gesaffelstein. Though there wasn't a climax in the song, which is frustrating to listen to after all the build up.
Meandering mellow dance music. Meh.
It's okay musically. May be a bit chaotic at times (especially for the early 90s) but it doesn't really appeal to me. Not a fan of the singing, the production is good I guess, but the style/instrumentation is not appealing to me. A solid 2/5
This is kind of boring to me and really isn't my thing. In the 90s I thought this was what music would sound like in the future, but now it just sounds like a 90s sci Fi movie soundtrack throwback...something like Strange Days.
Definitely ahead of its time - but I just can't shake that Massive Attack are one of those bands I should absolutely love based on my listening preferences... but more often than not it just washes over me. That's usually most true of the rapping/vocal tracks, in particular the title track - I think that's where this record is held back and shows its age a little. Unfinished Symphony is a solid gold classic, though.
Driving in a city @ 2 am in the rain
Pretty good - quite different from Portishead
Chill
droney. Gotta listen to each song for at least 90 seconds before giving an honest review. First half of the album is significantly better. Throwback 90s bohemia. simple and hypnotic
Funny how many songs on this album I've already heard and love. Big Wheel is the perfect closer and Horace Andy's best performance with Massive
Sounds incredible, well mastered A bit sleepy and repetitive for me. But I can definitely see myself listening to it or similar again Similar feel to some synthwave, good for driving in a city at night through the rain.
Not my cup of tea
Well done, but not my jam
Not my favorite. Drums are pretty much the same on each song.
I genuinely tried but track 3 really burned all the good will I had from the House theme song.
Not their best, but still solid. Vibes are kinda like a British version of the Sopranos theme. +1 for the pronunciation of vit-a-mins
found it enjoyable
There’s some alright songs here, but nothing like the timeless tracks of Mezzanine.
A pretty mid Massive Attack album in my opinion. If you wanted to have a definition for what trip-hop sounds like, this would work though, it comes across as pretty straight in that genre, but none of the individual tracks really jumped out at me.