Reviews (page 7 of 13)
Pretty good trip hop
Enjoyed it but skipped 'Daydreaming'.
High highs, low lows
Desde "Safe from Harm" pasando por "Blue Lines", "Five Man Army" pero sobre todo por "Unfinished Sympathy" y "Hymn of the Big Wheel". Dudo entre 3 o 4 estrellas. Peros serán 4.
Excellent album. Completely new to Massive Attack. Fusion of hip hop rock reggae etc. A really fun listen
Solid Album
Good electronic shit, nice remix collection nothing more to add
So good. Have listened to this for decades.
Great album, loved this equally as much as their other album. Such a unique sound and tons of amazing instrumentals.
Tiene rolas que son 4 y tiene rolas que son 2, y tiene unas que son 5. Eso me lleva a un sólido 4 y a la necesidad de establecer un claro marco de referencia para las calificaciones: 1. No me gustó. 2. No me gustó pero reconozco las importancia del disco o las chingonería musical del artista. 3. Me gustó, pero no me parece un pinche discazo. 4. Un pinche discazo, pero quizá tenga un par de rolas que nomás no. 5. Un puto discazo.
Modern classic that didn't seem to have aged. Best Song: Unfinished Sympathy
Subversive...
Que discazo aunque renieguen de ser los padres del género, el trip Hop me gusta mucho y Bristol ha dado buenas bandas. Esa mezcla de Hip Hop, rock, rap, electro es sublime
El Triphop en definitiva no es mi género favorito y me cuesta mucho trabajo mantener la atención durante todo el disco. Sin embargo, creo que merece puntos extras por muchas razones: gran uso de voces, mezcla de ritmos y estilo, excelente sonido de los bajos, y obviamente por haber sido el álbum pionero de este género. Me lo quedo para tener de fondo en momentos de stress.
Yeeeessssss liked it. Airport music in the best sense of the term. Still prefer Groove Armada but the hip hop all over this is better than GA pull off. Excellent cover of Be Thankful too - TUNE
Good old school soul and funk.
Great listening while cruising to Beverly Hills for a pick up, very cool album
Classic
SCORE: 7/10 The Horace Andy tracks are mediocre, the Shara Nelson tracks are spectacular, and the rapped tracks are pretty solid.
Best album so far, I heard a lot of samples from this album that I hear in everyday rap
nice mix of alt sounds. Enjoyed
Enjoying this one more than I did before.
Liked 6/9 songs, good diversity of vocals. 3.75/5
4 star mostly pretty good, nothing outstanding bar unfinished sympathy
Rytmisk, hiphop-produktion, samples
Solid. A couple tracks that did nothing for me, but a good introduction. Would've preferred more instrumentals, but I liked it. Sounded fantastic in my headphones (Pandas)
Really liked it. Nice and mellow.
Cool bass sound and female vocalist. All the other musical elements kind of flop. This genre of music does not hold up to modern-day standards, and I don't really see how people consider it revolutionary for the year 1991 when it sounds essentially like a disjointed mishmash of disco, soul, and proto-hip-hop. The main male British vocalist is very bad and I don't think he (or anybody else reviewing this album, apparently) realises it. Pretty insane just how many enthusiastic 5-star reviews there are for this guy. He distracts from the otherwise great instrumental. The better songs – those with less, or none, of the British guy – are so violently better that it's hard to believe all this material belongs to the same album. Great bass tone in particular. Safe From Harm starts us off dark, groovy, and with a nice base tone. Love the clear, melodic vocals and how the lead singer doesn't try to take centre stage (but kind of does anyway). Then there's the oddity One Love, coming across like an extreme Bowie throwaway from the Let's Dance era. Plus a splash of reggae. This vocalist is absolutely horrific and makes me feel bad about dissing the vocal quality of a lot of rappers on this list. Oh, how I wish for those rappers now. At least they (usually) pronounce the word "ask" correctly. But not this Horace Andy guy. Blue Lines is again incredibly groovy, particularly the percussion, which remains complex yet surprisingly understated. Not a fan of the vocals at all, though as far as British deadpan monotonous melodies go, it's honestly pretty decent. But when the vocals pause and let the soft keyboard shine... Man, I could listen to that for hours. Give the musicians time to show off, boys. Your rapping isn't interesting. Be Thankful For What You've Got feels like a message directed at me for my review of low-calibre hip-hop and related genres. Alright, Massive Attack. You get a pass this time. To finish side one, we have Five Man Army, which is pretty underwhelming. Musically repetitive, fairly bad vocals, and the band spends too long making love to their own name. The title of Unfinished Sympathy is presumably a reference to Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, and this idea gets reflected (somewhat) by the inclusion of strings to the otherwise trip-hop-esque sound. Great changes of textures, especially towards the end (around the 4-minute mark). Daydreaming: "Ugh. Ooh. Massive. Ugh." Plus some more really, really bad rapping. It sounds like the guy isn't trying at all. And not in a good way. The dude with the deeper voice (Tricky?) is substantially better and I wish he'd replace the irritating British guy entirely. The song Lately is the next standout, and it's very obvious why: beautiful vocals, an excellent "sploink bass"-driven groove, and a subtle audio crackling that gives a nod to the "golden era" of modern music. Hymn Of The Big Wheel is also solid, though a bizarre choice of closer. I like this guy's distinctive vocal texture and the fresh, modern feel. This is the only song that one could probably argue is/was groundbreaking. 3/5 Key tracks: Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy, Lately
This was interesting ! It got me through a heat wave on the tube and left me feeling quite calm. I’d like to listen to it again.
I am not a fan of electronic music or hip hop in general. This is a decent record, although I find it boring. The beats are good, the lyrics are alright, but it doesn’t speak to me. I suppose it’s worth the listen, but I won’t be back. 3 stars
Well, very chill and cool. Thought to myself "damn that's smooth" at points. Absolutely fine as background music. The significance and artistry is lost on me, though. Likewise, it didn't excite me or anything, and I'd probably listen to something else when seeking relaxation, driving, or similar. I can see the "cinematic" aspect I suppose.
Kivan melodista ja tunnelmallista.
Ihan kivaa maalailuu. Kuitenkin vähän pliisuu. Tais kuitenkin toimia jonkunlaisena pioneerina jonkun saralla.
The first 3 songs were okay I liked the beats of them all but not my cup of tea, but then the rest of the album I enjoyed quite a bit. In the end I was thankful for what I got. 3.5 out of 5
A great blend of their electronic and Caribbean roots.
I’m digging the beats. Cool sound.
The thing about Massive Attack, for me, is that they always leaned more into the Hop than the Trip of Trip Hop. In my brain, the hop is the hip hop bit, the dance club bit, and the Trip is the slinkier, evening in the elements bit. To me, that is the best bit. The Hop is the salt in the Trip caramel, adding an unexpected grit and tempering what could be too cloying otherwise. It's the interplay and the balance. It's not that Blue Lines is upbeat for electronic or club music, but it's still more distinct as club music. Maybe that's the weak vocal on One Love, the only lightly chilled 80s adult contemporary vibe of Be Thankful For What You've Got, or Tricky choosing to flow over the minimalist piano riff of the title track, instead of the ominous creep and creak of his work as the mid 90s approach. It all feels just a little off, or maybe just a bit too on for a more generic drum and bass style. You can kind of see how triphop births itself from here, but by the time we get to the (much better and weirdly snubbed) Mezzanine, even Massive Attack are dialing the tempo back just a little bit. Tricky is getting deep in the gutters on Maxinquaye (and sample-buddies Portishead had smoldered over the template a year prior). That's the sound I was really hoping for here. So while the Shara Nelson contributions hit the right balance of vocal tone, Unfinished Sympathy still feels more like the era's pop (which I admittedly have soft spot for), while Safe From Harm gets the closest, but is still more of a “this is how we get to there” vibe. Overall a good laid back club album, but that's almost never a vibe I'm seeking. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was cool. I'd heard of massive attack but never really listened to them.
Generally well-done. I do enjoy when someone goes the dub direction in their music. Plus the Draco Malfoy dudes rapping was real smooth. There's about three songs I'd skip, but the real good ones give me that Happy Mondays feeling with extra reggae and hip hop. I guess that's where trip hop comes from. Overall, a fine blueprint for the guys who would go on to make Dr. House's theme music (7/10, 3/5 on this scale)
Felt way shorter than it actually was, surprisingly pleasant mix of things. Couldn't think what they could’ve mean by trip hop, with electrónica and rock. Good album
And out of the blue, another one I actually am ok from the first track. But what is "trip hop"? I wouldn't dance to it, but I will sit&chill and enjoy. This one isn't carplay, but is hanging at the house hiding from life play, when that is the mood lighting.
I would say as an album, its fairly standard. Its never stale due to the switching artists. Due to that same fact, it becomes INCREDIBLY inconsistent, with my ratings going from 3s to 9s. Its worth a listen dont get me wrong. Its just not my personal taste. I find some of the vocals corny and the instrumentals to be repetitive. 63/100 aoty
I expected something much more energetic from a band called Massive Attack—almost like the Beastie Boys. Instead, I got a very laid-back, atmospheric album. I can appreciate its influence, but as someone who’s never been much into rap or trip hop, I found it a bit too slow to really grab me.
Not my kind of thing. But it isn't bad.
Favourite Track(s): Be Thankful for What You've Got A honeyed, dark album, that makes me feel like a smooth motherfucker taking a drag of a ciggy out late at night. Especially the titular track; low-key vocals and an almost hypnotic beat. I really enjoyed the cover of William DeVaughn's 'Be Thankful for What You've Got'. Much like the rest of the album, its a low-down, well produced, late night haze. But not a mood-setter for me. Would put this only if I am already feeling slow and sly, low and fly.
I have heard that this is good. Female vocalist quite good. Male vocalist not so good. Electronic instruments. No song really stands out. Average album. Three stars.
I actually a decent album if a bit boring or same.‘I especially liked the back half, I particular the final song. I wish I had heard this in public at a cool lounge instead of in my headphones.
I quite enjoyed this as background music, but some of the songs were less interesting than others. Notably, I really enjoyed the first track and Unfinished Sympathies, but songs like One Love had interesting cores but ones that weren't built to be used for the songs' entire durations. My favourite will always be the bass in Safe from Harm though.
Good Atmosphere
This is the beginning of a genre, but it was still too early for that genre to really get its legs. You can hear the origins of Mezzanine and Dummy here, but its still a little bare.
I enjoyed this album. It's not something I would of organically listened to. There's nothing on here that I am rushing back to listen to, but equally I didn't dislike any of them. In an ideal world I would of ranked 3.5/5
Honestly a great listen through I especially liked the closing track. 7/10
Я ТАК ЛЮБЛЮ МЕССИВ АТАК но это не лучший их альбом на первом треке я завайбилась после как-то не то
It waas okay i guess. Didn't exactly stand out.
Never heard trip-hop before. Not bad but not my thing.
Bit repetitive and the songs drag on for a little too long, but will probably start to enjoy more after a couple listens. Really like unfinished sympathy and hymn of the big wheel. The latter especially suprised me.
I was not familiar with the music of Massive Attack. I found this one pretty good (even if it's not my favourite style). I liked "Safe From Harm", "Be Thankful For What You've Got" or "Unfinished Sympathy" (probably my favourite). It's between 3 and 4 stars for me.
I liked teardrop
Really wanted to connect to this but something was missing. Great tracks but didn’t hook like I expected.
This was nice.
Ok this is a quite interesting album! I’m pretty happy with this one today, it’s a change from what I’ve been getting recently. Safe from harm had that lovely grooving bass in the background. I enjoyed the mix of the two vocalists with different styles. Definitely sounded very 90s. One love was quite different then the first track, and wasn’t one of my favourites on the album, but the almost reggae sounds were quite cool. I liked the title track, and the percussion on Unfinished symphony was quite good. The tracks are blending together to me slightly now though. I really like the ones with the female vocalist. Daydreaming was a bit of a bop. To end, Hymn of a big Wheel was pretty good. It was another eh album, good moments but nothing that overly stood out to me. 3.5/5 ⭐️ 161/1089
Trip hop is very hit or miss for me. I can kind of see the appeal of it. It is almost hypnotic. But it also can sometimes get a bit repetitive and not really stand out. Blue Lines falls into this latter camp. I like it but I won’t listen again
Trip hop...ugh, whatever. It's fine, I'm giving it a 3 because I'm glad I gave it a shot, thought it was pretty cool but I have no desire to listen to this again. I'd probably like this more if it were just the instrumentals and not the singing/rapping.
This album is at parts interesting and enjoyable and also bit insipid. I've liked many aspects of it, as it feels like a work on blending different genres, making of this record a pretty original one, with some really nice moments. But it also lacks of being something else, as many songs tend to feel a bit bland or repetitive. But I've liked overall the ideas, not much at times the development, but sure it's a very decent album.
Good, feels a bit too sparse in places though.
Not really my kind of musical style, but I can see the appeal.
Honestly, a little underwhelming on this listen. The beats sound a bit too polished, and the vocals are pretty uninspiring on the balance. There are some standout tracks, but overall this one hasn't aged well. Mezzanine was always better I think. 3/5
exactly the sound massive attack has. slow and rhythmic, with a view more groovy tracks
6 - good groovy triphop
This felt like it took a while to get going but when it did it was good. Closer to a 2 than 3 though.
I liked this.
I can see where Mezzanines came from and I prefer it infinitely to this.
This just isn’t for me, but it’s not bad
I liked this album, but I didn't love it. I liked the Big Wheel song. I can see why this is significant to the genre that it's in, but it doesn't really fit what I enjoy listening to.
Not their best. Just some meandering synth pads behind female vocals. (I say “female” because “women’s vocals” sounds worse) Their best is known. It’s Mezzanine. It was always Mezzanine. Mezzanine is a perfect listen. Shoutout Massive Attack’s 1998 album ‘Mezzanine’
Jodå, rätt nice.
Niet echt goed geluisterd maar volgens mij niet helemaal mij genre
Zoo divers???
90s electronic, trip hop. Debut. Considered first trip hop album and one of the absolute greats. Cool album but not as great as its biggest hit.
Not bad. ★★★
Review - already listened to their second album for this list - can confirm the debut is far better. Score - 7.5/10 Need to listen? YES
Ondero, hip hop para estar enojado/misterioso. Buenas batas.
This album has a really nice vibe to it, and I can appreciate how unique it must’ve sounded when it was released. Even so, nothing here really stood out to me in a major way. I enjoyed the listen overall, but I wouldn’t call it great.
For me at least it is a mediocre electronic album 3/5
Good debut album, but not the music of theirs I'd put on this list.
Kind of repetitive and same feeling throughout the record. Some good tracks though
Some decent stuff in here. Also some pretty meh stuff as well. Can definitely see how this paved the way for their later releases.
Well, now I know Massive Attack more than before. Quite surprised Mezzanine isn't on the original list, but 2 other albums are. Happens.
Some definite iconic high points, but if you take away the ground being broken, there's not much substance left. I feel this should be somewhere between three and four stars, but trip-hop opened the door to (in my opinion) more trash than good, so I'm going down to three.
Unfinished Sympathy is sick af. Massive Attack in general is sick af. Trip-hop is such a great genre. Hymn of the Big Wheel is also chill.
What is it about Massive Attack that their sound just screams '90's angst and grime? Their sound pervades so many different types of media from the era. I would even hazard to say that their influence is way understated as they never made it super mainstream in the US, but so many front line influential artists of the time were listening to them.
don't know how to feel
7/10. I get why this album is important, and it definitely has a cool, dark, slow-burn vibe. Some moments really pull me in, but others don’t fully stick with me.
Fun and funky most of the time. An interesting listen. Liked Safe from Harm best.
It's ok - not more
the first album I knew no songs from going forward!! as a massive fan of instrumental hip hop and trip-hop adjacent stuff like J Dilla, DJ Shadow, and Sneaker Pimps, it is super cool to see where the subgenre got its start. the whole album is verrryyyy chill and downtempo, mostly featuring clicky drums, gentle synths + keys, string samples, hushed rapping, and 80’s-esque pop singing, layered in fairly effective, soothing ways. not crazy interesting, but i can see myself putting this on to study to. also its STUPID influential and directly inspired much of my all-time favorites so it would be a crime not to give it props
The relationship between Daydreaming (1992, Massive Attack) and Jizz in my Pants (2009, Lonely Island) is a straight line. 3 stars
Interesting sound, if r&b was elevator music.
A pretty solid 3 here. Unfinished Symphony is such a classic - the rest of it was ok but not really giving me the 'hook' the I would need to come back to it.
This is described as trip-hop. Never heard of this group but I really enjoyed the album. Probably not enough to buy it, but enough to listen to it again
Escuchar este álbum con auriculares es algo que nadie se tiene que perder, experiencia única.
Super
its like rock but not really, lots of rap. could be workout music, but very chill and lowkey. liked blue lines
Pretty cool, I knew the hits and liked them, and they were the highlights here. The rest of the record is a pleasant listen, I guess.
на ровненьком. понравилось: • unfinished symphony • hymn of the big wheel • safe from harm • five man army
I thought I'd find this better. It's fine. I don't know if this was changing the game when it came out but it sounds pretty bland nowadays. Looking at some other reviews maybe I'm missing something. Could be. Didn't get me too much but sure, have it on the list.
I think this might be great for what it is. It just doesn't do much for me, which makes it hard to rate. The music seems so simple. I thought it would hit harder. Kraft makes the best plastic wrapped processed cheese, but on the grand scale of cheese it's at the bottom. It still does the job on a burger or as a grilled cheese sandwich. *not a paid advertisement* (yet) I'm going to go with a 3 because nothing stuck out for me to complain about really.
This record is pretty good. Every track is good. Favourite Track(s): Safe From Harm, Blue Lines, Lately Least Favourite Track(s): One Love, Unfinished Symphony, Daydreaming
Couldn't finish, lyrics were juvenile/sophomoric. Reminded me of early 90s local/regional R&B albums. Surprised this was international
neat
not my thing, but good
Improved sufficiently to justify more than just “Fine”, but not enough for a 4.
It's OK.
Penumbral
Better than their last one but still didn't really grab me
Listened in the car. Another British electronic album from the 90s. It's fine, didn't love it but I prefer a bit more bombast. Really liked Unfinished Sympathy.
not my style of music, but it is not a bad album, would listen more to like 2 songs out of all 9, though.
The danger of trip hop like this is just how extremely easy it is to get lost in the background of everything else going around you. This album has that happening in spades. When you can focus in on it though, it's quite good. 2.5 stars rounding up to 3.
nice
I’m gonna need more time with it. It grew on me as the album went on.
3.5
Rap, not into the voice
I like Massive Attack but some of this album is so fucking stupid.
90s trip-hop blending elements of electronica/house, reggae, dub/soul, and R&B. Perhaps not my exact cup of tea (it definitely feels like a child of the 90s) but still super groovy and easy to get lost in, and undoubtedly massively influential on many artists/releases that would come later.
Liked: Blue Lines; Be Thankful [...]; Five Man Army; Unfinished Sympathy; Daydreaming. Didn't like SFH; One Love, Lately or HotBW
Bão mas esquecível
it grew on me 3.5
Massive Attack are known for their ambient sounds and electronic experimentation. This album is a further contribution to their discography, blending some English rap, jazz-vocals, and a lot of ambiance. To be honest, it’s a solid listen but I can’t say that I was overwhelmed in any direction. Shara Nelson’s vocals were the key element that stood out for me on the entire album. For key songs I would go Hymn of the Big Wheel, simply because I enjoyed the gospel-like element mixed with the techno backbeats. It’s a good listen but I don’t know if it’s a headphones and silent introspection kind of album.
Random thoughts: * This sounds like early MAssive Attack where they have more of that late 80s/early 90s hip hop mixed in to the sound. It got so much cooler with the full on trip hop on later albums. * I listened to this a few times but nothing really grabbed me but it was a pleasant listen. Not a lot to say here.
this walked so that DJ shadow could run with Endtroducing
Pioneers in what later became known as Trip Hop, if you like funky bass lines and deep base with some pretty chill lyrics, some sung, some rapped, then this album is for you!
I think this deserves its place for its towering trip hop influence but sounds dated compared to what came after - a more muscular Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky’s debut. Lyrics and delivery are a bit trite and earnest. Some great songs though and enjoyed hearing a young, less paranoid Tricky
Muy buen vocalista
Not bad trip hop stuff. Weirdly I don't think trip hop holds up that well, it seems to have really been a product of it's time. Although truthfully for 1991 this seems to be quite a bit ahead of it's time. It's not bad, it's just a bit soft jazz for my taste.
Interesting grooves that oscillate between catchy & obsessively experimental.
I enjoyed listening to this record. It's not in my wheelhouse and wouldn't make it into my regular rotation, but it was a pleasant surprise and I can see why it is critically acclaimed.
This was mildly interesting but pretty pedestrian.
Goed album, maar wel erg gedateerd
Mezzanine is one of my favorite Triphop albums. The fact that Blue lines is pretty universally considered their best is wild. This album is ok.
I really liked this album. Great production end-to-end Fav Tracks: Be Thankful For What You've Got, Unfinished Sympathy 7/10
Ugh, if only it didn’t have that annoying rap in it… It would’ve been a 5 stars
trip hop genre is slowly growing on me favs: Be Thankful, Unfinished Sympathy
Cool album, I think it's got merit for many listeners. 3/5.
Bit rough around the edges but the foundations of something good Fave track: Unfinished Symphony
It’s interesting to finally hear this after years of only listening to Mezzanine. The clear favorite for me is Unfinished Sympathy. I also dig the contributions from Tricky. Horace Andy’s vocals are hit and miss with me… making me not really care for One Love or Hymn of the Big Wheel, but being less of an issue on Five Man Army. Mostly I’m a little disappointed that a lot of the sounds I associate with Trip Hop aren’t really there on this record. Blue Lines gets closest to the sound I was hoping for. Maybe it isn’t fair to review this album for being years away from the major sonic breakthroughs the band would create later, but it’s clear to me that Mezzanine is the one that belongs on the list.
Insane album
I don't think I've ever listened to a Massive Attack album start-to-finish before. Trip hop isn't really my thing, but this isn't bad. I didn't hate it, but I don't feel compelled to listen to this again.
Certainly an interesting and unique album from what I usually listen too. Overall though trip hop is not really my thing (at least based on this album I didn't know trip hop was a subgenre til today). I liked the reggae influence on some of the tracks, but probably would prefer listening to regular reggae. The songs were alright, but nothing really stood out too me too much. Favorite Track - Safe From Harm Least Favorite Track - Five Man Army ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Damn. I've made clear I don't care for trip-hop in my reviews of Portishead and others. But I like Massive Attack, and what they stand for. Clearly though, I don't like everything. This is all sorts of hit and miss. Some of it, like the big songs (Same from Harm, Unfinished Sympathy) are great. Others, like One Love go from boring to annoying (what the hell was up with those horns?).
Very different album. Love the Tricky tracks and some of the driving synth. The tough thing is a lot of it sounded the same.
enjoyed it but 4 seemed too high. 3 and a half
Remember my brother having this album growing up, the artwork always stuck with me. Really enjoyable overall, a solid 3.5. Unfinished Sympathy still sounds sooo good.
Too slow for my vibe
Somehow boring except for couple of really good songs. 2.8.
Nothing to really grab me here.
I liked this well-enough, and I guess the author chose it because it was the vanguard of trip-hop, but it really pales in comparison to Mezzanine. I think maybe there's too much early 90s still hip hop? I dunno.
Pretty solid, enjoyed listening to this album. Bunch of different styles all merged into one, with a dark r&b motif throughout. Fave songs: Blue Lines, Unfinished Symphony
Listened to Protection on this list a few months ago, and didn't care much for it. I liked this album better, especially the closing track.
This was pretty good to me. This sort of music isn’t really in my wheelhouse, but I enjoyed it well enough. 3
Trip hop indeed, chill vibe but not something I think I will revisit
Unfinished sympathy and safe from harm are modern classics. However like a lot of the trip hop albums of the time there is an awful lot of guff to wade through. One for the chin strokers
Gran estilo musical, muy innovador y original.
Mezzanine is better. Enjoyed some of it but other times i was a little bored of it
One thing I have to give this experience credit for is exposing me to more electronic music than I have listened to up until now. I've gained a greater sense of just how vast this genre is (I could've guessed this was the case as few genres are one note, but its nice to hear it for myself). That being said, I know this is not *the* Massive Attack record and while there were some cool bits here and there it didn't do a lot to move the needle for me. 3/5
A chill and funky sounding album, a pretty good listen and seemed quite orignal for its time. I enjoyed listening to this but was completly blown away a couple standout songs, good but nothing insanely good.
I had only heard of them as the theme for Luther, so this was a nice joy discovering them in more detail. This didn't blow me away, but I still liked it. Chill beats, the features were solid and interesting, and overall solid soundscape. Felt a little short and repetitive at the same time, but I wouldn't mind listening to some of the tracks again.
Very good trip-hop if a little forgettable.
There are moments and moments throughout the album. Some songs I found boring and some others I thought okay that sounds cool. I especially liked the ones that seemed kind of trip hop. However I would not revisit the album.
це прікольдд
Interesting
I thought I had this record...I recognise the cover art. I must be thinking of Protection. Okay, so I get that this would have been revolutionary at the time but like, it's not their best record...? I could be showing some ignorance here but it seems like the samples aren't even really dressed up, they've just sung over the top of Billy Cobham etc. Maybe that's what they also did later but I was too young to realise? Anyway, yeah pretty cool genre-defining trip-hop type thing out of the Bristol scene. Mezzanine is still my pick.
ok 3.5
0/9 bekannt 5,5/10 Beste Songs: hymn of the big wheel, safe from harm, five man army
RYM 3.0
nothing that stands out
For its time, it really was fresh and progressive music, but now I only like a couple of the tracks. I guess trip-hop just isn't my thing
the soulful vocals and gated drum machines of Be Thankful For What You've Got, the whistling wind and deep dub of Safe From Harm, the colossal ambient washes and unabashed turntablism of Unfinished Sympathy. this album is bold, and creates a sound for itself from the ground up. more hip hop than their later work, and a lot of the tracks aren't quite developed, but good debut overall. deserves to be one of the 1001? sure. but alongside Mezzanine obviously
bof
Light 3. Honestly, this project has really made me come to appreciate and genuinely dig trip hop. That’s a genre I had almost never listened to before but it just HIT for me. Some of my favorite first listens for this project have been trip hop! And I was interested in finally hearing this one, one of the biggest, one of the first, but ultimately I was not as into it as some other entries. It’s a little overproduced, a little busy, and British rapping is always suspect. Like, the bars are REALLY bad, generally. The best tracks are, I feel unsurprisingly, just the women singing. That’s what trip hop should be! Women with ethereal voices singing over esoteric beats! That’s all I want!!!
Never managed to get into it very well. Interesting to hear the much more hip hop sided sound compared to Mezzanine.
Reminded me a lot of Portishead. Really like Unfinished Sympathy. The rest was mixed but overall a good album.
Acrescentei duas faixas as músicas que gosto mais, achei muito interessante o conceito do álbum pois a união dos diferentes gêneros realmente causa um impacto por se diferir de outros que já escutei, pela minha ignorância dou 3, pq n é um álbum que vou escutar novamente, porém salvei algumas faixas.
I liked this!! Daydreaming and Be Thankful for What You’ve Got were my faves
I was excited to listen to this but feel kind of disappointed in it. I don’t think it’s aged very well with some questionable language choices. I just found it a bit of a flat album. Unfinished symphony doesn’t fit into this though, is a great song that really stands out from this so can see what it was the standout track at the time.
Found that this has dated quite poorly, feels very of its time. 'Unfinished Sympathy' is an obvious classic but there are some on here that just feel tired and old. Maybe you had to be there.
I really enjoy a lot of the beats, but some of the songs get repetitive and meh. Others are very good. This group seems dependent on the guest vocalist they have on each song
Never heard of them before so didn’t know what to expect. Heard hints of reggae, funk, hip hop, dance, prog rock,…. A little of everything. Sections reminded me of Enigma’s MCMXC (1990) album (music not the monks chanting). Probably wouldn’t seek it out, but would listen to it again.
Smelled a little funky but tasted fresh
The album starts strong with a killer beat featuring an awesome bass ostinato in “Safe From Harm”. We get some lovely dreamy soulful vocals on this track but sadly the vocals on this album are the element I find the most uneven. On the next track “One Love” the vocalist is doing some really weird vibrato that I find a bit annoying. Also not a fan of the reggae style vocals in “Five Man Army” or the whole of “Hymn of The Big Wheel”. In fact Big Wheel is probably the weakest track for me which is an unfortunate way to end the album. The instrumentals however are excellent throughout the album, slick cool trip-hop beats with enough variety to keep it interesting. Particular standouts for me were “Blue Lines”, “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” and “Unfinished Sympathy”
Decent album. A few good songs mixed in with ok songs. Nothing shattering here.
I've heard Massive Attack but had no idea what they sound like. Surprised this came out in 91. Nice mix of rap/reggae
mid 3 kind of disappointed in this i thought id like it more
Had potential but found it very boring. Some cool drums and production
This is one of those bands I've heard of but hadn't heard until this project. Better than I thought, some cool songs.
A few covers. So 90s chill.
Dream like.
90’s realness
Just not that into it.
More RNB and soul than trip hop. Solid album, before they found their sound
Doesn’t really do it for me. Still found it a little interesting though
Fave tracks- big man army and be thankful for what you’ve got
Have I changed, or have Massive Attack? Didn't hit quite the way it used to.
Good and solid but I’d always pick mezzanine over this if I wanted to listen to some massive attack
Was happy to see Massive Attack album, but it didn't capture me at all. Guess i only like Mezzanine from them
Strong production and atmosphere. A couple dud tracks (One Love and Lately), but also a couple hits (Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy)
I like the base in the opening track quite a lot. And the closing track in general. Those are the only parts that stood out to me. I don't like any of the vocals in this album, except for the closing track. The closing track is saving this album for me
Niet zo'n heeeel boeiend album. Klinkt allemaal een beetje hetzelfde. Wel lekker chill. Was verrast dat ik unfinished symphony al kende. Dat vind ik oprecht een leuk nummer
nice but a bit boring. I didnt like the guy rapping
not really my thing. the repetitive soothing nature of most trip hop is kind of boring to me. but i also think everyone on this album has a really unique and beautiful voice and i liked what i heard of the lyrics. maybe i will revisit..
Good
A very 1990s mix of styles. I liked the opening and the heavier electronic sounds used in soul(-ish) music, not so much the rap and rap-adjacent passages. Favourites: "Safe from Harm", "Unfinished Sympathy" and "Latey". 3.5 / 5
Smooth beats and chill vibe with laid back vocals. I'm becoming a fan of trip hop.
Meh
Me gusta, tiene estilo de hip-hop.
Not my style of music necessarily, but I can see how Massive Attack is loved and appreciated for pioneering a musical genre. I saw Tricky back in 1995 when he was opening up for PJ Harvey. I enjoyed it!
I like the diversity of sound here and the tracks are all really good, but it doesn't really stick with me.
Really good. Think i prefer Mezzanine but this is an amazing start.
3⭐️/5 02.20.2026
Really good but can’t say it made me want to listen again, unfinished symphony is a classic though
This was fine. Some standouts. A lot of ‘British talk rapping’ ala Pet Shop Boys
*Another dance album with cool samples that I don't hate, I just don't love the genre
alright
First trip hop album Safe from harm Five man army
2.5
2.5
Mellow, doesn’t blow me away. Some good lyricism and production
I like the vocals and the grooves they create. I get tired of it by about the 5th track but generally I liked it.
I liked the title track the best. The rest was pretty good considering the time period.
On makeita soundeja ja smoothia hiphopia ajoittain
Interesting. Not sure how to classify it. Not a bad listen but a little too bass heavy, takes away from the other instruments and vocals
Solid, but not as groundbreaking as their later work. Largely just an incremental evolution of Caribbean Hip Hop and House, genres which existed long before them. The lyrical subjects delivered in slow flow, are not any different from countless other hip hop from the Americas, prior to the Gangsta Rap movements (which was accelerating in earnest in 1991). This album was a nice reprieve from the ugly and cheesiness of Gangsta Rap. It was the hip hop that felt like it arrived in a 3 piece suit carrying a cuppa, instead of in baggy pants carrying a blunt and an uzi, but still no lack of cheesy rhymes. It would be on MEZZANINE that they would actually lay down the definitive sound of the trip hop genre, truly making something new and original, and thereby making it their most influential album from a technical, cultural, and artistic standpoint, particularly in the U.S. My favorites from BLUE LINES are the throbbing "Safe From Harm" and "Unfinished Sympathy". In my opinion the only pieces that have fantastic instrumental arrangements while also bringing the non-cheesy lyrics, although frankly I would have enjoyed both more without any vocals at all.
I like this album but I've always felt like their next two albums are huge improvements. The next one takes this sound and perfects it then the one after that creates a whole new thing. (Then the one after that is good too!) I'm waffling between 3 and 4 but I'm going to go with a 3 because I want you all to know my 3 star ratings still mean I like it .
Not my favourite Massive Attack album. Other than the main hit, I just felt it was a little repetitive and lacked the punch that I associate with them. But you know, they’re a solid band and it isn’t a bad album per se! Just not full of bangers /in my opinion/.
Strong 3.
trippy, a bit unsettling, but fun
Very cool album. It’s not really my kind of music, but I still have to admit, that the songs sound great.
Not my favourite
Chill as hell album. Enjoyed!
not bad, might be okay in the background, but generally not for me
I read about this album before listening and I think it was built up a little too much. When it came out I am sure it was revolutionary but maybe didn't hold up that well. I found a few moments of brilliance but after a couple of listens just didn't get that engaged. 3.5
not something i'd typically listen to, but it's not a bad album. if you like alternative hip-hop 90s music, then i'd recommend it to you
I knew this band - just didn’t know it (Teardrop is the other song I know by them). I think this would be an album I’d be comfortable working out to. I maybe did’t have a lot of “favorite” songs, but they all sounded decent enough. Favorite: One Love - Love the beat in this piece, some interesting usage of musical instruments. Lately - This has such a great disco-like beat to it.
I was expecting to like this album a little bit more. It's fine, quite listenable, but nothing I'm amazed about. It's possible that the nature of listening to an album a day may take away from the time needed to appreciate this more. It might be a 4 in the future, but it's a 3 for now.
Not for me, but good
#839. I know a lot of people really like Massive Attack, but two albums in now I'm not sure I'd consider myself one of those people. 3/5: its okay
Really enjoyed this one. Some great tunes and an interesting look at some of the earliest trip hop to get noticed.
This is another album that was undoubtedly a bigger deal in the UK than it was Stateside, though I remember Massive Attack bubbling up among the hipster anglophiles. While the cover design drives me nuts, the music is fine. You get the gist quickly. Opener "Safe From Harm"—which the book says was "the song of the decade" ("for thousands" of people)—is the high point. It settles into a vibe and sound and stays there, which is fine if repetitive. Also, Tricky aside, some of the rapping on here sounds like Flight of the Conchords, but they aren't trying to be funny.
I did like this album overall, and can see how in 1991 it might have been pretty groundbreaking, but it did wash over me somewhat after a while (several tracks seemed unnecessarily dragged out). There were some exceptions: ‘Safe from Harm’ was a great opener, ‘Be Thankful For What You’ve Got’ I liked a lot, and ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ is clearly the stand-out track. Funnily enough, the title track was probably my least favourite, along with ‘Five Man Army’ and ‘Daydreaming’. Basically, I didn’t enjoy Tricky’s rapping, and much preferred the Shara Nelson tracks. A textbook 3 star album for me.
What a different time
Some of this was pretty cool - best track was five man army followed by safe from harm. Otherwise kind of a good background noise album, I like that it sounded like one long jam. Most of these I will not relisten to but I’d check out other stuff.
knew one song, which I liked. The rest was too slow for me.
I love Massive Attack, but I don’t love all of their tracks. Blue Lines carries a few classic tracks (Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy) and all of the hallmarks of early Trip Hop. Hard to believe they were so fully formed on their debut, but I would recommend later MA albums over this one.
hymn of the big wheel
I've not heard a single track before, but I'm enjoying it. Mostly a good combination of easy listening but still had a lot of meat to get into. Some real stinkers bring it down.
Like the band but this record is meh. Very repetetive and boring. no song stood out. Nice on the background tho.
Some big tunes, some was a bit out there for me
Two songs I liked: Unfinished Sympathy and Hymn of the Big Wheel.
Meh. Points for the line used by Jez in Peep Show.
Enjoyable, but brought down by the fact that it doesn't sound very unique anymore. I've heard lots like this since it came out Favorite Songs: Blue Line
6/10 It's all a bit minor key for me - the tracks merge into one. But I like it more than I used to though
Interesting for sure, just not quite a 4
It was good, a very interesting listen. I liked that there was a similar sound, but every song was a little different.
Pretty chill but fell off since like first two songs
A developmental album moving towards eventual seminal works, but not there yet. Massive Attack are one of the greatest Trip-Hop acts. This album you can hear the beginnings of what they turn into, but they're not there yet. They are still trying to be hip-hop, reminiscent of acts like Tribe Called Quest. But they're just... okay... at that. You can hear the beginnings of their eventual sound and style, but it's still evolving. They haven't fully found or embraced the genre they will go on to define.
This was a pleasant surprise. I didn't know what trip hop was. And now that I do, I’m impressed. This just some amazing, soulful music!
When Safe From Harm started I thought I would love this album. However it devolved into the most familiar hiphop/jazz/electronic/lounge background music I could imagine. It felt like I was out somewhere wearing my nicest plaid shirt and feeling out of place yet again. OK, I just read that this is considered to be the first trip-hop album. For the sake of Portishead I respect this but I didn't really enjoy listening to it that much.
я була здивована почути там репчік, але мені сподобалось. сподобалось більше за все інше лол
I would describe this as Lukewarm hip hop, but it was still enjoyable.
Trip hop you say? Wasn't sure what to expect, and hardly my thing, but pleasantly surprised by the smooth beatiness (or something).
Funky, but made me feel nothing.
This album had great vibes other then the vocals on majority of the songs to be honest, I really loved two of the songs - Safe from Harm and Unfinished Sympathy (which I've definitely heard somewhere before). I would give this album a 5/5 if not for the terrible vocals on over half the songs.
Not mindblowingly good, but makes great background music, groovy.
Não é muito a minha vibe Parece que as primeiras musicas musica tem uma frase repetida em loop e so mexem um pouco no panorama sonoro e ta Blue lines ate foi interessante foi uma vibe dif Daydreaming do nada “if i was a rich man dudududududud” “here comes the sun" Sometime again you’ll turn green and the sea turns red?!?
its good but not really special 3.25
Bra!!
Zit wat tussen, zit ook niks tussen. Ik weet dat im dit een geprezen album is maar doorstaat niet de tand des tijds
Ahead of its time and probably a defining trip-hop record. Mixed beautifully; feels cool to listen to. Sometimes lowkey to a fault. I’m not chomping at the bit to hear it again, but I could see myself revisiting.
Safe From Harm: 4/5 One Love: 2/5 Blue Lines: 3/5 Be Thankful for What You’ve Got: 2/5 Five Man Army: 3/5 Unfinished Sympathy: 3/5 —> The instrumental carries this one icl Daydreaming: 2/5 Lately: 2/5 Hymn Of The Big Wheel: 2/5 It’s a good album but I do prefer Massive Attack’s later albums as they lean further into the trip-hop genre (not that this isn’t trip-hop it’s just not as exaggerated!!). I just found it a little boring at times. I can’t comment on lyrics as i’m not a very lyric focused person so my ratings based off the sound alone
Fairly dull for me again. Not terrible, very listenable, but other than a couple of singles, nothing really groundbreaking.
Not bad, but following albums are better.
A little heartbroken bc I Love massive attack usually but I just did not connect w this!!! Hopefully Mezzanine is on this list and I can redeem myself bc I feel a weird amount of shame not liking this Lol .
It’s pretty good but just not my type of music
I kinda liked most of this album, with the exception of the last track. This was fine, some interesting beats, not in a hurry to listen to it again.
Exceptional in some places, very dated in others. Sonicaly interesting though, and too short too be boring
The original "trip hop" album. Not bad; I can understand the appeal. What spoke to me the most were the very British raps ("Blue Lines," for example).
Spoko, podobało mi się ale bez większego szału.
Ungewöhnlich, aber haut mich nicht vom hocker. Ist entspannt aber nichts wo ich groß bick drauf hab es nochmal zu hören gerade
Moody, innovative, cool
Some good tunes here (Safe & Unfinished), but I have always found this too polished to really standout as a classic. Some of the rhythms also seem a bit clunky now (Lately feels very ploddy, for instance). Good, but not great.
Best prima wel.
I often find trip-hop to be a hit-and-miss genre. That said, Massive Attack’s "Blue Lines" begins with promise. "Safe from Harm" is a sonically moody opener anchored by a throbbing bassline, and Shara Nelson’s vocals. Unfortunately, the momentum falters quickly. "One Love" feels sparse and dull, hampered by a sluggish tempo that fails to engage. This lethargy carries into the title track, where a repetitive backbeat and vocals from Tricky result in a listening experience that is more "languid" than "atmospheric." Technically, the album is well-produced and executed with precision, yet it lacks a certain spark. By the fourth track, the repetitive nature of the arrangements began to grate. "Five Man Army" offers a brief reprieve; its solid bassline provides a better canvas for Tricky, whose delivery aligns with the track’s mood. Even the iconic "Unfinished Sympathy", unquestionably the standout, is a track I admire more for invoking memories of that time than as a personal favourite. The album concludes in a familiar vein: "Daydreaming" and "Lately" return to sparse, repetitive structures. On "Daydreaming," Tricky’s performance is the sole element saving the track from mediocrity. Ultimately, Blue Lines is a fragmented and inconsistent journey. It earns a three-star rating, but only just! 1 "Safe from Harm" (3/5) 2 "One Love" (2/5) 3 "Blue Lines" (2/5) 4 "Be Thankful for What You've Got" (2/5) 5 "Five Man Army" (3/5) 6 "Unfinished Sympathy" (4/5) 7 "Daydreaming" (3/5) 8 "Lately" (2/5) 9 "Hymn of the Big Wheel" (2/5) Total - 23 Average - 2.56 197/1001 110/197 albums reviewed were new to me.
It was decent. Great for background, but I probably wouldn’t repeat listen.
Jotain ajatusta jossain kohtaa
Ei ollu meikän juttu
Trip Hop seems like my kinda thing on paper, but this album was underwhelming. Maybe I’m too conditioned by bands like Dirty Art Club or The Jazzual Suspects who have a much more dynamic take on this style of music (with less vocals). Consensus opinion is that Massive Attack created the genre, so this record feels pretty important from that perspective, but things just get better from here!
Interesting and fun.
i like massive attack their stuff is very atmospheric
I’ve never heard of Massive Attack before this. I don’t feel any particular way about them or the music.
sometimes cool, sometimes relaxing, sometimes too relaxing
New listen 1. Safe from harm- goes hard 2. One love- goes hard in parts 3. Blue lines- a different vibe and alright 4. Be thankful for what you've got- unbelievably hard, love this one 5. Five man army- groovy vibes 6. Unfinished sympathy- my fave on the album 7. Daydreaming- another unbelievably hard one 8. Lately- groovy baby 9. Hymn of the big wheel- played things out nicely Overall rating 3/3.5 stars