Blue Lines

Not bad but not good enough to keep listening to

Better than I anticipated. I would give it 2.5 stars

Pretty good! Nice to listen to, think patio party at dusk.

An odd mashup of genres. Not completely unenjoyable, but definitely not a type of music that I like. Wasn't really in the mood for it this week, which probably impacts the review.

Great city driving music. Never heard of them however I loved this album.

3 stars

A pioneering album - must have sounded revolutionary at the time. But as with many other pioneers; the formula hasn't been perfected yet and will be improved on later albums,

Smooth

Back to some trip hop with Massive Attack. This is their debut album (and allegedly the first trip hop album), coming three years before Protection, which I got about 115 albums ago on here. This genre doesn't really do a ton for me, but this one at least has a few songs there were enjoyable. The hip hop part really has a strong '80s hip hop sound (which makes sense of course). Beyond that you get a mixed bag of a bunch of different music styles. This one generally has a super chill vibe, which I did enjoy. "Unfinished Sympathy" and "Safe From Harm" stood out as clearly the best two songs on here, but there were a few others that had a chill vibe that I enjoyed. I don't think this is ever going to do a whole lot for me, but it was enjoyable enough with a few songs that I won't hate hearing again. A fine Sunday night listen. Favorite song: Unfinished Sympathy Other: Safe From Harm, Be Thankful For What You've Got, Lately, Hymn Of The Big Wheel 11/10/24

Not a terrible album but nothing really stood out to me. Quite forgettable tbh.

One of the next albums, of any genre, ever made. There was nothing like Massive Attack before, and nothing like it since. Although the genre as a whole didn’t stick around, this album sounds as fresh and cutting edge as the day it was released. And it’s not even their best album.

very weird and ambient when i was expecting rap for some reason, but i still liked it

So you’re looking for some weed, you hear about this guy who is a friend of a friend. As you walk into this apartment and you are slightly on edge and suspicious, you hear this atrociously mixed hip-hop and reggae blend of music. This immediately puts you in a funk and the drug dealer Darin is cool and all, but he pushes harder drugs on you. You say “no thanks” and leave. Glad to be out of the situation. Maybe if the music was better you would have stayed longer.

Not for me

Awesome album, an album I was not expecting much from but really enjoyed and will listen to it over and over again. This album can easily be background music or an album to really pay attention too. It has it all. Musically there is some great drumming on this album!. Favourite song: I have always loved safe from harm and unfinished sympathy but discovered day dreaming and blue lines through this challenge. So many great tunes. Least favourite: None Album artwork: Love the cover

Much like Portishead - which absolutely holds up to this day - I remember this as an outstanding album. Listening to it now, though, it's still very well produced, but not nearly as moving, swallowing you whole, as I remembered it to be.

Excellent

Mezzanine is in my top 10 favorite albums of all time, so obviously a huge Massive Attack fan. With that said, this album was a hit or miss for me. However, all bands need to start somewhere and this is a great start. Technically, would give this 3 1/2 stars if I could.

I can see why this is on here. Mezzanine is better. :)

Blue Lines and Be Thankful are Great. The rest is pretty meh. Fiddler on the Roof “sample” sparks joy though.

James Bond nightfire soundtrack meets house meets hip hop? Very 90s. Not my style. Fuck Donald Trump

This is pretty cool for 1991. I definitely hear how they influenced bands like the Gorillaz. I didn’t know the date of the album and my first take was “wow these rhymes are wack!”. The early date gives them a bit of a pass. Little ages worse than rap flows. It’s nothing I’ll be coming back to, but it’s not hurting anyone.

After a bad run of electronica, I was not looking forward to this. However, it surprised. I suppose the genre is not always so awful...this one was catchy.

This whole thing was really weird and I didn’t care for it.

It was a mixed bag for me.

Very few albums \ artists \ tracks have the effect of transporting you to a place and\or time. This is one of those albums though. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I was back with my mates in the early 1990's - driving round in Tommy's 205 GTi (1.9 obviously) or Jay's XR3i cab. Another genre-creating album, one of the easiest 5 starts I've given.

I liked the vocals a lot more than I liked the instrumentals but it was good overall

Meh, didn't really do it for me.

I liked it a lot.. "be thankful for what you got" is a great track.

I liked the beginning but it seemed to fall off for me the further into it I got.

Didn’t like

Amazing 👏

I mean, it's fine. I get why it would be waaay up some people's alley, but it's not really doing it for me. The whole thing has the feel that it's supposed to be background music.

Legitimately one of the best albums I’ve heard in my entire life. Massive Attack are absolute units 5/5

I love massive attack, though have never thought Blue Lines is even close to being their best album. Some songs are masterful, but then you have horrible duds like One Love. Net positive of an album, but give me a Mezzanine or Heilgoland any day. 3.4/5 -> 3/5

Undir niðri kraumaði eitthvað ofboðslega gott stöff sem braust út í Unfinished Sympathy á meðan restin daðraði við að vera gott og féll svo í rappgildru sem passaði ekki inn í lögin.

Sounds exactly like bristol

hell yeah

Not Banksy’s best work and not to my taste at all - bearable at best.

That was pretty decent.

I liked the first minute, got annoyed relatively fast afterwards, the last song was okay

Impressive!

I always found trip hop to be a bit cringy. Shara Nelson raises this to an undeniable classic.

nice listen, didn’t sound very original or special though.

-favs while listening: Safe from harm (the Bassline 😮‍💨😮‍💨), Blue Lines, five man army, Lately - man, all of these are fire - this is such a well made album - the tasty basslines, drum parts - absolutely amazing mix of HipHop, jazz and soul in a nearly psychedelic manner - I need to add this to my vinyl collection OVERALL: 5/5

fucking righteous mannnnn. kind of insane that this is from NINETY-NINETY-ONE. i love the reggae influence, as well as the 1970s soul moments…they’re clearly drawing from a lot of different sources of inspiration and combining them to form something totally new and exciting. massive attack has always been one of those bands where i knew i would like them a lot if i ever sat down and listened to them properly—so i’m glad i finally did cos i was right. i do like them a lot. fav tracks: safe from harm; five man army; hymn of the big wheel

i loved that. i've listened to tricky's solo music before but haven't heard massive attack so it was cool to hear the precursor to it. just very cool and fun....will definitely be coming back to a lot of these songs

I loved the instrumentals in all the songs, but I felt like some songs were lacking a bit in the lyrical side.

Did not enjoy

Weirdly intense but chill at the same time, quite a moody album. Some interesting takes on some cover songs! Good beats and flow on the vocals. Inherited this CD of my cousin after he died so will always have a soft spot for me. Opened up some musical influences I would never have had otherwise. Thanks Mark <3

I like Massive Attack

"the birth of trip-hop" several vocalists, several styles, soul/rnb/drum&bass incredibly, I'd never heard this before (even though I have "Protection"), liked it.

5/5. This is one of those classics that is hard to argue with. Just the innovative energy through the whole thing, you can even hear it nowadays. They jumped into something new and are so confident about it. Every song feels like a step into a new door of a beautiful and elegant mansion. It's simply a well made and produced album that is a must listen. The blending of the darker genres mixed with upbeat genres of dance and electronic is perfect. It's walking on a beautiful day in the park while being worried someone might be following you vibes. Just awesome stuff. Best Song: Safe From Harm, Be Thankful For What You Got, Unfinished Sympathy

Dark, deep, bass-driven trip-hop. One of the finest of the genre. I always expect it to age and it doesn’t, it’s just a heavy hitter album.

not really into it, had fun with a couple tracks, or maybe just unfinished symphony

Solid background music. Quietly seeps in while you are going about it.

Very enjoyable! I haven’t heard a Massive Attack song I disliked. Maybe no song in particular was a stand out for me, but I really liked the atmosphere it conjured.

I don’t think so

Interesting mix of songs

Fun poppy / hip hip

Great 80’s album with pretty in pink

Having heard Mezzanine, this felt a bit underwhelming but still a fire record. There's R&B, Soul, Hip-Hop and even Reggae.The opening song is just so badass. Loved the rimshot beat of Five Man Army. Unfinished Symphony was really unsettling. The track Lately was strangely beautiful. Others were just okay. Maybe a 3.5.

5/10

I’ve never been able to get big into Massive Attack. Not for lack of trying. I liked Unfinished Sympathy and Karmacova, didn’t really connect with the rest

Day two! Massive Attack. It felt like some of the tracks dragged on for quite a bit, especially 'Five Man Army'. I liked the beginning of that one but I thought the song was over when I had 2 minutes to go. 'Daydreaming' was honestly downright cringe. There was a one song though that I caught myself bopping to, that being 'Be Thankful For What You've Got'. So it wasn't all bad. But still, 1/5.

Not bad. 6/10

Super moody, great listen

No consistency, blue lines as a song was awful, kinda bopped to the rest of it

Honestly really good, added a few of these to the playlist, cool how it was a different voice with each song, only negative was if you really liked one then you weren’t getting many from that person. Overall, good album.

Massive Attack invented Trip Hop with this album and even though it was the start of the genre, this album is still really solid and stays as one of the best Trip Hop records of all time. The blend of the trippy and dreamy Hip Hop inspired beats with the light vocals that switch from gentle rapping to soulful performances as well as the additions of instrumental and electronic Raggae in the form of Dub is just a one of a kind spectacle. And although their album 'Mezzanine' is much, much stronger, this record had crazier and more forward thinking ideas that pushed Trip Hop into the path we know today. 'Safe From Harm' kicks things off with the mix of the trippy sounds of Trip Hop and the energetic breakbeats of Street Soul while incorporating a lot of Turntablism into the mix. The song uses the repetetive nature of sampling with a turntable perfectly as an advantage to create tension while still having a lot of soundscapes build around the main beat. And on top of that, the vocals are absolutely amazing and work so perfectly. I think the entire song works perfectly and not just as an opening track but as a song itself. The Dub appears fittingly on 'One Love' which is a perfect mix of the Raggae influence with the Trip Hop style. The vocals are a little bit silly at points but to be honest, it doesn't annoy much. I think the main "problem" is that the song is feels not fully fleshed out and at multiple points like they didn't check over it. I think it's still a good song but it also stays at good and not much more. The title track 'Blue Lines' now adds much more Hip Hop with some very low-key and gentle rapping that has a pretty warm and atmospheric feeling too it. I really love the production with the Jazz Bass, the sample flip as well as the actual verses that sometimes even go into Abstract Hip Hop territory. I think if there was a little more to it like a chorus or a hook (vocally or instrumental), it might've been a perfect song but the way it's done here is still really incredible. The very prominet Soul vocals of 'Be Thankful for What You've Got' with the R&B sound of the track do make this a really enjoyable track even with less Trip Hop in the actual production although it still has the typical drums, it's just that the entirety of the song is much more a Soul song than it is Trip Hop. I think the song is great and I love the chorus as well as the vocal deliveries but I just don't connect with it as much as with other songs on here. 'Five Man Army' returns to the strong Hip Hop influence and combines it with some Dub which is a lovely combo. I really love the production with the few trumpets in the mix that really add the enjoyment of the beat. The verses from the rappers are really well written and performed and are pretty much some of the best UK Hip Hop moments that have been made up until this point and are still from todays view, really solid. They obviously aren't close to anything from Little Simz or idk GZA but they are solid. As is the full track by the way. Even with the length of it it does have a lot of incredible moments and comes out to a pretty great song. The albums second half is started by 'Unfinished Sympathy' which combines strong Dance elements with Cinematic Classical strings that create a sound that feels both epic and energetic while still having the dreamy soundscapes of Trip Hop above it. Although I think that these elements don't perfectly work together, the vocal performance is really holding this together as a track but I believe it would've been better without the strings. It's still a great song and I get why so many see it as the best track on the album. 'Daydreaming' returns with more Rap influences and I think that they work pretty well especially the flow seems to fit neatlessly on the beat which I think is really the star of this track. The production is so great especially the details in there. I really like the song but I think that it doesn't have enough to it overall to reach a great level although I'd really wish that because I really like the production choices, it's just the thing finished that don't feel enough. There is again more Soul on 'Lately' but I feel like it doesn't go as hard as it did before. This track doesn't feel fully finished and also pretty lame in comparison. It's not bad but it doesn't go above an okay track that is fine to listen to but I don't really care for it at all. The album closes with a sonically very pure Trip Hop track 'Hymn of the Big Wheel' that only adds a couple of Dub, R&B and even New Age elements beneath the surface and with it being the albums longest track, it does feature some of the most interesting moments. The production feels grand but still very atmospheric and even a little bit cold. Although the vocals are again a little bit silly, they still work and I do think that the song ends up being pretty great. I really like the song on its own and also how it closes the album. favourites: Safe From Harm, Blue Lines, Unfinished Sympathy, Five Man Army least favourites: Lately, One Love, Daydreaming Rating: decent 8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Decent album by massive attack. Prefer the later stuff.

Amazing!

Decent. Gets repetitive at times. Not unenjoyable though

Never heard any of this before. Really enjoyed it, especially the final song. A little too inconsistent for a 4 rating, but close.

I really enjoyed this. I have the first song on a playlist and found a few more keepers.

My first thought was that some of the songs sounded like Flight of the Conchords without the satirical lyrics. A second and third listen revealed more. Chill, arty, trance, dance music. Will add some of these songs to my playlists. Favorite song: Five Man Army

Never heard of these guys before, and I couldn't quite figure out what type of music I would call this. Sometimes "club music", sometimes a little bit of jazz, sometimes a little bit of rock. Overall very interesting stuff, and I enjoyed this album.

Interesting...enjoyed it. Had never heard of them but will have to give it another listen.

One phenomenal tune, the rest in memorable. Great production.

Very nice, interesting sound.

Ok

One of the most suitable albums and genres is when you walk 40 minutes after a bar at three in the morning, with a sad mood and slight intoxication. Basically, for all reasons, it's sad to go home at 3 a.m. after a bar. But if it is already beginning to lighten, then it is generally ideal for the atmosphere

Very good background groove music for a lounge

Nothing super exciting in this electronic album, maybe it just hasn't held up for me. 2*

Early Trip hop music was good to drive to

Great debut, still sounds fresh even though a lot of trip hop sounds of its time. The bass creates a great mood of introspection

Long time no hear on this one / the majority of tracks is still a pleasure to hear today / do I have this on CD? ... Hm oh yes...good!

ahead of it's time is an over-used cliche, but having been alive and listening to music in 1991, I can tell you this sound wasn't in the mainstream (i.e. college). It's a good album, but my ratings are too high in general. Since it's not my taste, I'm going to give it a 2, but only because it's not my taste. If you are a hip hop fan, you are likely to give this a higher number considering the frame of it all.

Very mellow jams - all of the songs sound kind of the same though, so it's a little boring.

Sounded good and quiet, not wild things 3

Never heard this one before. No hits that I knew but good listening

Not for me. Should stay in the malls of the 90s.

Absolute classic. The fusion of drum,bass and rap. Brilliant. Unfinished symphony - BOOM!

the guy who this 1001 album book has excellent taste in trip-hop this album makes me want to relisten to low end theory by a tribe called quest. idk why but i feel like I'll appreciate it more after listening to this despite them entirely unrelated

Blue Lines is decent. The songs here are mostly a mixture of hip hop and electronica which is a style that i have liked for quite a few of these albums but here it doesn't really sound worse or better than a lot of the other trip hop albums that i have heard through this project. The beats here could have their funky moments but aren't exactly the most memorable. I do like that there are a lot of different vocalists on a lot of these tracks which does make some of them more unique. This album isn't anything that's gonna light the world on fire but for what it is, its pretty good. Best Song: Five Man Army Worst Song: One Love

It's cool. I only know a few trip-hop projects, and some of the others I've heard I prefer. That being said, I will definitely be giving this more listens to digest fully, so my rating is likely to go up over time.

Quite a sexy album...maybe TOO sexy. The variety of sound is something to behold. Though the album is cohesive, no two songs are really the same.

They have some good things going. I like the drums and synths. I'm not really a fan of the rap, but it could have been a lot worse. I prefer this album over Mezzanine. Unfinished Sympathy is an incredible song.

This is a really solid start for the band that would later created the masterpiece known as Mezzanine. Unique, great beats, I like a lot about this.

Massive shrug. 2.5

I enjoyed it, but I think I prefer my memories of when it was in heavy rotation.

Very chilled, not my style though

Not yet the sound that made them famous. Enjoyed it less than their more popular stuff.

Quite fun! I dont think I’ll add anything to my library but it was enjoyble

Track 1: sounds like it belongs on The Matrix (or similar movie) soundtrack or in the closing credis. That's not a bad thing though Track 2: could absolutely do without the vocals from the guy with weird voice Overall, not bad. For a minute there, I was going to complain about the overly simplistic rhyme schemes / poor cadence / old white man flow of the rapping, but then I remembered this came out in 1991. And now that I'm writing this, I'm remembering other rap of the time did not suffer from this, so I still can't let them off the hook for it. I tried. That said, nothing else sounded like this on 1991 that I can remember, so kudos to Massive Attack for creating something new. The echoes of this style can still be heard in some of my favorite new music, so I appreciate what they have done here. My rating system is based on my own personal enjoyment, not as a criticism of the music. I'm not a music critic or a musician, so I don't feel like I'm qualified to rate this stuff any other way

strong enjoy, father of so many more amazing albums

Mint Vocals on these were so good Luv big beats me Every song was chef’s kiss 😘 Unfinished symphony wow wow wow

Loved this

Again, one listen and you can tell what decade this was released. Not my favorite decade as far as music is concerned but alright.

gostei

mid. elevator-music energy.

Not very good. Overall, it sounds bland, and I found it boring. Also, this style of music almost always sounds dated (and bad).

me copó pensé que iba a ser re darks y nada que ver 8/10

mid

It was very good and has some bangers on it that we did not expect. Strong trip hop album.

Such a cool album. This was pretty much all new to me, though I've heard some other Massive Attack before. To learn this is basically the beginning of trip-hop, thay really nailed it and it still sounds amazing today. It's very stylish with some good hooks and samplings. I really loved One Love, Be Thankful for What You've Got, and Unfinished Symphony.

Rock, HipHop, 1991 -> 2

# 320 - I don't love it, I don't hate it, I can listen to it, a couple of things stood out... but I still hate Rap!

In the frontline of beat-oriented music in 91’. Still sounds fresh.

It’s not terrible, it’s not good, would maybe have it on as background music, but probably wouldn’t listen to it much again. First track was fun

A few good tracks, but not for me.

Without a doubt one of the best albums of the 1990s in any genre.

Yeah, you know, very much of its time. And I wasn't really into this type of music. For me it lacks a bit of dynamics. But I recognise it's definitely ground breaking for 1991!

Meh

tegen 1 song zeg ik ja, tegen een volledig album nee

Adorei o álbum, um som eletrônico diferente e com vocais muito bons. Ouvi enquanto treinava e foi bem legal a experiência.

“Plan to go to America when I get Visa card. But gettin a Visa card nowadays isn’t hard.”

decidedly not their best

When it comes to trip-hop, I lean way more Portishead than Massive Attack. There’s something about Portishead’s vibe that pulls me in, while Blue Lines just kind of... floats by. It’s not bad by any means, but it didn’t grab me. The beats are solid, the production is smooth, and I can see why it gets so much love. But for me, it felt more like background music than something I’d seek out again. Good enough to hold my attention, just not enough to keep it.

OMG!! What greatness! It’s practically the 2nd coming of the Beatles!….meh, it’s really not that good. It has no sense of itself, sometimes it’s R&B, sometimes Motown, sometimes hip-hop, but always with the annoying fake music that is electronic sound. Nope, not great just grating.

Not my favorite album, it was good for background music but nothing really stood out

HEARD BEFORE - YES OWNED - YES (VINYL & CD) WILL BUY - N/A Truly one of the greatest albums ever made. Never gets boring. Still hear new things to intrigue me every time. Sounds incredible through good headphones. One of the best late night driving albums.

grunge

It’s been nice re-listening to this album. I have forgotten how much I love this style.

Massive attack make excellent music. They are dark and varied and interesting. Their use of strings and soaring vocals, interesting rhythms and good production make them a serious band making progressive, interesting music. When it works, it is unbeatable and unfinished symphony is a contender for best song if all time and they have a few of these. Ive never really fallen in love with their rap led tracks and this inconsistency is the only thing holding this back from a 5.

Didn’t love it. Nice mix of tracks, but nothing really grabbed my attention.

pretty good

Added to library

Wasn't a huge fan of this but it wasn't terrible

One decent track (Lately) One classic (Unfinished Sympathy) The rest are very of their time. Not my bag. 4/10

Slightly diversified, chilling electronic record. best known: "Unfinished Sympathy" worst: "One Love" just because of the vocals

Scheisse...

Not bad. A pretty relaxing listen with good melody.

Breathtaking. From start to finish

I think I missed the window on this album as its influence is widespread and other bands have done better things with the genre. Above all, it was very boring. I also lost count of how many times they name-dropped their own band name. That was a huge annoyance.

Kind of surprised how much I like this album. Groovy. Doesn't feel like 1991. I'm not enamored of sexy ladies singing on top of techno. This does it in a way that isn't ... offensive in a dated and painful way. It feels more like someone had a thought and explored it.

OK

I liked the first song but that‘s about it. The rest can stay in the 90s.

An absolute masterpiece, origins of trip hop right here, add in Shara Nelson and it's just the right tone. "Unfinished Sympathy" remains an all timer as well.

pretty cool, 1991 didnt know what hit em

Legal

Really enjoyed this. I’ve heard tracks here and there but never listened to a whole album of theirs. Guess I’ve been missing out.

Not for me.

Awesome album. The freshest thing I have heard all year and it's 35 years old. the samples are incredible; reggae guitar, baselines, vocals, everything. I want more and more and more. That last track just set the fucking tone for the rest of the day too. Easily will come back to this album. The drums are incredible too. Stand out Tracks: Safe from Heaven, One love, Unfinished Sympathy, Hymn of the Big Wheel

Considering this to be Massive Attack's music is absurd. https://open.spotify.com/track/2KvUzdKxcvGEHYcUgb9Nkc

Massively mediocre.

This was awful. Horrible voice.

Never heard of it before but surprised me a bit

Brilliant British dance album of the month.

very very awesome. one of the albums i knew about prior to starting this project, and i didnt know what to expect. i always heard it talked about as an indie head record. so trip hop wasnt exactly what i was ready for, but every track had something special. also fantastic album art

Love the instrumentation and then when the vocals come on…😑

Two thoughts: I had to chuckle when “Five Man Army” shouted out the line “But gettin’ a Visa card nowadays isn’t hard”. Prescient for 1991, and how easy credit in some ways helped create some of the market chaos that’s happened since, including the 2008 crash. My second thought is less ominous: this is my next vinyl purchase. I was surprised I didn’t have it already, honestly. Lots of memories of just being right out of college but still going to nightclubs and this was everywhere, you couldn’t escape it. Rightly so too; it’s a stone cold classic. Literally every damn track is a banger. It’s now considered an early classic of what became dub, but what blows me away is how fresh it all still sounds over 30 years (30 years!! 😱) later.

Loved this album. Genuinely original and pioneered the trip-hop genre. A couple of tracks I'd consider filler so doesn't get full marks but really enjoyed the album none the less.

Super cool, liked some of the songs. Not entirely my jam.

I fear not for me. Trip hip doesn’t do it for moi. But cool music and obviously well made.

Enjoyed!

Probably will be a 5 for me after a few more listens

this sucks

I've heard Massive Attack but know very little about them other than I somehow manage to get them confused with the Massive Genius character from the Season 1 Sopranos episode. I had no idea Tricky was in this group and had no idea what their sound was like. Safe from Harm, One Love, Be Thankful and Unfinished Sympathy are all excellent tracks. I was very pleasantly surprised and would recommend this album over many of the other albums that are trip-hop on this list. It has the easy, laid-back sound that I like to hear and is focused on making good songs and avoiding overproduction. If I also like the next Massive Attack album then I may have to add their music to my personal playlists.

9/10. Trip hop is a really cool music genre. This is an innovative album. :)

I feel like I could've skipped this album and not missed much. There were a couple cool tracks with good backing beats and grooves, but by and large the cadence and rhymes resembled something from a kids' YouTube channel about safety tips and lessons. I appreciated some of the crossover of musical styles, but this was a pretty boring listen for the most part for me. Notable Tracks: - Be Thankful For What You've Got - Five Man Army 4/10

i think it's really cool but some of the songs were a little to monotonous for too long and i would have wished for a little beat switch here and there that's why i liked one love the most i think

One of my favourite albums ever.

Very chill album

56/100

Full of great grooves and basslines, an array of different vocalists that all bring a different feel to the songs, each does their job well. 'Unfinished Sympathy' is an 11/10 song, and while the rest can't really compare, there isn't a bad song on here. Was just naturally bobbing my head pretty much the whole time.

Very rhythmic. The drums were the clear standout of the album.

Only listened to two or three songs off this album before after Elliot told me about them but listening to the whole album I definitely found more songs that I’m found of - really interesting feels like rap and new wave? Really vibey good driving music for evening sometimes a reggae vibe to it? Not big on the last song of the album

Highs are very high, but the deep cuts aren't at consistent. Mezzanine is much better. 3.5/5

Cool but that's it. Some beats are really good. You must be in the same wave to really appreciate it

It was fine. Mostly good vibes, a couple songs that I didn't like the sound of.

Solid massive attack album

First time listening to this artist. First song, Safe from Harm kills, so good and I was looking forward to the rest of the album, however it never reached that level again for me.

Good sound, 3.5

1 seems harsh, but I really didn't enjoy anything on this album. The rap wasn't interesting, the singing was underwhelming, and the music was boring. I'm just glad it wasn't too long.

From the first song, I was fairly certain this wasn't going to be a winner for me. I didn't care for the main vocalist's voice, the synthetic drum beats felt glaring and tired, and none of the lyrics really spoke to me (tbf, I was listening to this during work though so I didn't listen very intently). There were a few songs that I caught myself bopping along to as I worked though, so there's something inherently catchy about their beats at times. The rap flows were also a little reminiscent to ATCQ, with smooth playful ups and downs, so there's another small redemption. All in all, I don't see myself listening to this one again, but I appreciate the influence it had (and that I now know that "trip hop" is a thing).

ayy

Pretty cool, but in today’s time maybe not as exciting anymore. I’m not so sure what to make of it.

Very cool, almost easy listening. Made breakfast and drank coffee listening to this

Listened via Youtube in order to hear original master, since the 2012 is also a reMIX (kinda wish streaming services would stop replacing originals with remasters). I intended to compare the original to the 2012 mix/remaster but the album didn't compel me to me listen twice.

Inner city life Inner city pressure The concrete jungle Is out to get ya

...(. Definitely not their best

I’ve always wanted to like this but it’s one great song surrounded by stuff I don’t like.

I don't mind it but it's trip hop so fairly mellow. I'm not going to day lift music but chill out background music maybe.

Some nice ambiance. I was too young to realize how important these guys were.

Majestic Ealy trip hop though their peak (Mezzanine) is strangly absent from here. Cool funky and dark

3.0 Didnt particularly care for the vocal stylings but the overall mood/feel was pretty cool. Had a sense of place

Pretty "meh" in my opinion, even more so than Protection was. I likely won't listen to this one again. 2.4/5

Another Massive Attack album I don't get. I think most triphop isn't for me. Nothing specifically is bad, and I liked a few of the tracks more than others, but overall as a package, I'm not interested. 2/5

I think I like this better than Mezzanine, it rocks a little harder and the vocals are more impressive. Still not my first choice but I understand why these guys matter to many. B

It wasn't great. It wasn't worst. Just was an okay album.

Albumi #5, 01.08.2024 Massive Attackin debyyttialbumi lienee maailman ensimmäinen trip hop -albumi. Musiikillinen kulma albumilla oli ajassaan innovatiivinen ja erityinen. Albumi myös oli alkusysäys Bristolin 90-luvun musiikkiskenelle. Hittikappale Unfinished Sympathy muistuu etenkin yhdellä otolla kuvatun videonsa kautta, joka ilmestyttyään pyöri jatkuvalla syötöllä television musiikkikanavilla. Albumille luonteenomaista on matalatempoinen melankoolisuus, vaikutteita otetaan muun muassa hip hopista ja soulista. Blue Lines on kokonaisuutena uraa uurtava merkkiteos, jossa ei ole huonoa hetkeä.

If Mudhoney is on the best side of 1991, this would have to be on the worst. Why did they decide to take the worst parts of some great genres and mash it up into something awful?

Vibey. I think they did the House theme

A bit dated, but I like the beats

Better than the other Massive Attack album but mid. 2.22

Every Massive Attack album on this list has just made me think "This is pretty good, but I could be listening to Mezzanine right now". This one sounds a bit dated. "Mezzanine" sounds like it shouldn't have even been released yet.

It has one or two ok songs.

Not really my style

One of my music discoveries of the past 3 years or so is “trip-hop”. It’s heyday was a little before I was tuned into music, and I didn’t really give it a solid focused listen until my mid 30’s. It’s a deep, groovy genre with several masterpieces, this being one of them and one of the first. Blue Lines is definitely an album that demands being listened to from beginning to end. There are only a few songs that I think are songs that are good for playlist listening or for listening to one song: from the beginning Safe From Harm leads you into a unique listening experience with its foreboding, dark, groovy groove. It’s a journey from there, and it’s dark at times, a party at times (though a party with a hint of danger), and it finally gets existential with the closer Hymn of the Big Wheel. It’s probably one of the best albums of the 90’s, and even if Massive Attack bested it (in my opinion) with Mezzanine, it’s still a perfect album that everyone should be familiar with.

I really tried. I just hate music like this. I think trip hop might me my most despised genre, even over jazz.

Best album in the world. Ever.

Technically great I guess but it did nothing for me. 2.5 stars.

The more I listened the more I loved it.

Vibes. Rapping is a bit dated lowkey on some of the tracks but production is gorgeous.

A journey

Excellent. Never heard it before.

The laid-back funk of Be Thankful For What You've Got is the absolute highlight of this for me!

# Playlist track - Hymn Of The Big Wheel # Notes - An genre-defining album. - Love the ebb and flow of the rhythm as the listening goes on. It never gets boring or repetitive and ends in an awesome note. - Must-listen. And a great starting point to digging more into massive attack and trip-hop in general.

vibei mais com umas faixas do que com outras

I wanted to like it, honest, but it is just so boring

Interesting album. Very cool blend incorporating hip hop and soul and funk and reggae. I might revisit this at some point.

Some of the rapping/whisper-y spoken word type stuff I disliked, but the beats 👍. Think the first massive attack song I remember listening to was from Blade 2 (i against i with mos def): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fkUccUFShs&t=1s And also the unofficial NWS music video for [Paradise Circus (zeds dead remix)]

I love Massive Attack in general, and this album isn’t an exception. I sort of prefer their later stuff with less vocals but these songs wouldn’t really work with no singing. The vocals are part of the instrumentation, especially when the male singer is involved. His style just works with the beats. “Safe from Harm”, “Daydreaming”, and “Blue Lines” are my favorites but really they’re all pretty great tracks. I could probably live without “Be Thankful for What Youve Got”, it’s got that wackiness that makes it sound too much like a disco song. “Unfinished Symphony” is like that too but the backing track is so good I can forgive it. Other than that, they capture that late 90s euro lounge style without being cheesy like so many other imitators are. There’s obvious rap and reggae undertones as well, which all work excellently. Perfect music for having a drink in the dark with a good friend. The only reason this is a four is because I really do prefer the later stuff; when I put on Massive Attack it’s gonna be Mezzanine, 100th Window and even Heligoland. This album definitely holds its own though.

There is much in this album that I hear in later electronic music. The brass sounding in One Love left me expecting a trap drop. There's clear elements of dub, house and other ambient music that I didn't know existed in 1991. All in all I enjoyed the listen but think it would be helped entirely by removing the vocals. With the vocals, I'll give it a 4. One Love, Unfinished Business, and Lately are going in the playlist.

Was hoping for more from them. An OK electronic album

It’s extremely instrumentally interesting, drawing inspiration from a wide range of influences. It’s a cool bridge between 80s/90s hip hop, and I can hear stuff here that artists are still doing now. Lyrics are vapid af tho. 73/100

Ok. Didn’t care for the vocalists.

This is fine for 90s electronica, which might be my least favorite genre.

Another album that I just love to pieces. Certainly Safe From Harm and Unfinished Sympathy are standout tracks but the whole album is just sublime.

A nostalgia 5, for sure, but probably a 5 if I was hearing it for the first time too. Lot of affection for this album - one of the first non-metal albums I got into as I left my mid teens. Sets a fantastic tone and blends a bunch of separate elements into something cohesive and smoky and dark. Fave tracks - "Safe From Harm" has that throbbing bassline. "Unfinished Sympathy" is magnificent. "Hymn of the Big Wheel" is an epic closer.

Certifiable top shelf classics interspersed with filler in my opinion. Essential album but not their best whole piece of work.

I love the chilled-but-tense feel that Massive Attack put in their music. Great album. The problem is that Mezzanine is so much better, so I can't give this a five...

Interesting and different, will have to return to this one at some point for sure.

This is in my top 3 childhood albums. I have listened to this album hundreds of times and it holds a special place in my heart. Nearly a perfect album in my eyes except that I have always skipped “One Love” as I feel it interrupts the vibe the rest of the album lays out. It just fuckin slaps. The beats, the raps, the singing is just phenomenal. I still to this day say “Massive” when I wanna describe something that’s awesome. I wish more people knew about Massive and I know they have had success and a following but they are definitely overshadowed in how great some of these earlier albums were. Nostalgia rating 10/10 , nonstalgia rating 9/10

I’ve heard of massive attack… why? Is it sexist that I’m surprised I’m hearing a woman? Probably. Oh there’s the guy (I’m listening to “Safe From Harm”). These folks are English??? Nevermind “Blue Lines” is so British. I like this. A lot! Especially “Daydreaming.”

Sounds like what I would hear at the Hyatt Place lobby bar.

Quite enjoyed this. Never really listened to it during its heyday, and I imagine it was more impactful at the time, but it still holds up strong by today's standards.

Prior to this album I am certain I have never queued up Massive Attack. And I can’t recall having ever heard of them. Def not the style of music that I listen to. But I did find it quite solid and enjoyable.

love Massive Attack, their music is catchy and fun and also introduced me to Tricky

I thought it was a different album going in, and I think I prefer other trip-hop. But I appreciate the legacy—this is where the genre got invented, slow and smoky like the Bristol air it came from.

Mezzanine is such a critical and vital album. So I was curious to go back to the beginning with massive attack and see where it all started. You can definitely hear the inklings of where things would go, but this is no masterpiece like Mezzanine. Still, very solid.

Crabs and football: that's what Maryland does. Banksy and Trip hop: that's what Bristol does.

Interesting blend of electronic and other influences.

Ganske nice

Another listening adventure today, I know Massive Attack but have never sat through one of their albums all the way through. I liked it, sounded better in the afternoon's listening session than the morning's.

We’ve all heard that famous one. Hadn’t heard the rest. Perfectly enjoyable.

Frankly, just brilliant. Seems to encapsulate that whole Bristol early nineties vibe in a single album. From the urgency of 'Safe from Harm' to the majexsty of Unfinished Sympathy its just cutting edge and timeless.

How can this album be over 30 years old?? Every song is better than the last. A magnificent album.

punchy 90s brit hiphop/soul fusion with reggae hints, not overdone and tasteful

I think I gave Protection five stars so I don't feel as guilty as I probably should about giving this a very positive four. It is great. It's just a bit safe (from harm). It has some amazing stuff on it. But a few tracks are a bit bland and one of them is a cover so straight down the line that I didn't realise there was a difference for a long time. Still deserves it's classic status. This is my personal opinion. Sorry but also fuck you it's my damn opinion on a very good album.

Amazing album

Fantastic!!

Probably kind of innovative as a fusion of styles at the time. Surprisingly I didn’t care for it.

Some of it I really liked, but most of it was uninteresting.

I loved this album. I loved the rhythm and feel good feeling from the album. Unexpected twist of electronic inputs mixed with soul and new wave style singing. A great discovery

Another DNF.

Trip-hop. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

Me esperaba más.

Incredible production but there are some duds here

Perfect 3.4 stars album

The birth of trip hop music. Absolutely fantastic album. Easy 5 stars

At last the little gem I've been waiting for. Heard of them but never listened to them. My loss..a great album.

Genius record

Great all the way through

This album mostly feels like background music. Maybe I'm missing something, but this really isn't for me. It was difficult to listen to and keep interested.

Not as good as Protection. It was still pretty good, but the vocals were a step down in quality for me. I would've preferred just instrumentals and ~vibes.~

This is one of those albums that were always around me, but I've never had an interest to listen to, and now I know why. I just don't think I ever did enough pot to get this. can't dance to it, not enough of substance to have to understand. it's just background music to do drugs to.

Pretty good. Not really my cuppa but I didn’t hate it

Another solid but kinda boring album with one or two super memorable songs.

Nothing really stood out to me here, in that it played like 1 1/2 times before I noticed. I didn't mind any of it, but it's not my regular fare.

Is it just me, or have we had multiple albums that sound exactly like this? Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed it, but it didn't feel fresh. What makes this album stand out was the interpolation of other songs (for example, "Here Comes the Sun", "Proud Mary), and that is what earns it the 4 stars. I'm being generous here.

not the massive attack album i would have picked but sure. 2.5

Why wasn't this Mezzanine instead? I acknowledge I'm biased because Mezzanine was the first Massive Attack album I listened to, on the recommendation of probably some LiveJournal internet friends who didn't actually read my blog I was just fascinated with them because they were people who lived in cities and were older than me, but I really didn't think that this album was as varied and as interesting overall as Mezzanine. Another history lesson that I would know about if I had the book? A mystery for the ages.

I was really looking forward to this but reggae just isn't my vibe. This was good for reggae, but it's not what I associate Massive Attack with.

liked it from time to time but in the end didn't catch me

Forgot how good this was

I had only really known later Massive Attack. This is fun. More of a varied sound, with more reggae influences.

(the night of) July 2, 2024 HL: "Safe from Harm", "Unfinished Sympathy", "Daydreaming", "Hymn of the Big Wheel" First Massive Attack album /🔥\ I must admit I don't know much about this band besides "Unfinished Sympathy", which I've listened to quite a bit. Does anything match the majesty of that song? No, but what's left of Blue Lines is good in its own right. Though it's disjointed in a way debut albums can be, with wildly different creatives & collaborators offering wildly different ideas, there's enough to unify these songs- ghostly synths, vinyl crackling, fantastic drum tracks. ~Will probably like this more over time. I feel like I've heard a lot of music recently that is in some way inspired by Massive Attack; definitely bumped some Burial this past winter

Massive Attack innit

Reggae but not. MADSIVE

Pretty good for working too. Listened to this whole thing and got a bunch of work done. I wasn't familiar with this one from them I thought it was ok.

I had already liked a lot of their music going into this and this album was another great example of their uniqueness and musical innovation. Very cool seeing them on this list.

Love it!

Honestly not sure what to think. Definitely different than what I am used to. But some good songs for sure. Might have to give this one another listen down the road.

Another album that caught me by surprise in terms of how much I liked it. Had never heard of trip-hop before and, truthfully, still do not know what it is, but this album is good! Great beat, rhythm section grooves and lyrics that have a message. Lots of worthy songs including "Safe From Harm", "One Love" and "Hymn of the Big Wheel". Definitely deserving of being on the list of 1001 Albums...

Holy shit I like this and didn’t think I would. Very interesting!

Great album, probably massive attacks best album to date. Very chill feel and back beat

Great album. Not as good as mezzanine but that's a very high bar

Massive Attack is great. They are one of those bands, though, that I always kind of forget about - and also think are going to be "harder" than they are. This album is super chill.

This album immediately had me moving my body feeling the beats. Very groovy tunes, interesting samples, feels like an early genre-defining album.

Classic. Nearly a five.

really good

השיר הראשון מצוין כל השאר.. בסדר

Stone cold classic

Something new for me Ahead of the times/predecessor of modern hip hop

Great listen good vibe

could i write poetry to this? n

Important because it was the first "Trip Hop" album. I wouldn't call it essential, though. Massive Attack's next two albums after this one were way better. For a real kick, check out the dub remix album, "No Protection" from Massive Attack Vs. Mad Professor. I want to give it four stars, but think it should only be a three. Gotta leave room for "Mezzanine" and "Protection."

I know this is classic Trip Hop but it just doesn’t do much for me. Appreciate the production. The vocals throw me off though.