MOOPY ALBUM SYNC LISTEN - Massive Attack - Protection - 28/06 20:00

Tisch

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The next chilled Sunday re-listen tomorrow will be this one from Massive Attack

MassiveAttackProtection.jpg




I know nothing about this album or the band. We own one album of theirs which I found out later was a remixes album so I can't really say I've ever given Massive Attack a proper listen, so looking forward to this!

Small link to the Dance Anthems thread as well as I can see the first and title track features Tracy Thorn from Everything But The Girl on vox, so that should be nice! Apparently they wanted Tracey Stubbs, but she was on tour the day they recorded it. :(

So as I said - I know nothing so here's some copied and pasted FACTS!

  • This is Massive Attack's second album and was released in September 1994 and reached #4 in the UK
  • Was ranked #51 of the best albums of the 90s by Rolling Stone
  • Their lead singer had left after the first album, so several singers were contacted to replace her. They even put out an ad in NME magazine that read: “Female vocalist wanted for internationally acclaimed pop band. Influences include Aretha Franklin and Tracey Chapman”.
Join us tomorrow. Stay safe. Stay alert.
 
I've got Blue Lines, Mezzanine and 100th Window.

I acknowledge that Blue Lines is their most influential etc. but Mezzanine is probably my favourite of the ones I own and know. 100th Window has great moments as well and Sinead's vocals are heavenly as ever.

In spite of loving the title track to this album thanks to Queen Tracey, I don't own it and I don't think I'm that familiar with it beyond 'Protection and 'Karmacoma'. So I'll try and join in!
 
PROTECTION

Well I'm familiar with this and of course it's fantastic. But I know the single version and not the 7-minute plus album version.

So good.
 
For me, this is one of THE great songs of the decade. Affection and care are usually implied in love songs rather than being the focus and Thorn's lyric is wonderful.
 
The synth line rising to meet Thorn singing "sometimes you look so small" is the audio equivalent of a hug.
 
You're a girl and I'm a boy

I'm sure I read somewhere that the gender reversal lyric was influenced by 'Sheila Take a Bow' but I could be wrong.
 
For me, this is one of THE great songs of the decade. Affection and care are usually implied in love songs rather than being the focus and Thorn's lyric is wonderful.
I agree with that. I'd say that this vocal is probably the pinnacle of Tracey's very fine career.
 
At the time, I recall a few raised eyebrows at Tracey Thorn being Shara Nelson's replacement (not really but you know what the music press were like) but it showed how savvy Massive Attack were and how uninterested they were in making the same record twice.
 
The rainfall sound just had me looking out of the window to see whether it had started again. I'm not sure this would have worked so well on a sunny evening.
 
KARMACOMA

I know this one as well. I liked the live version they did of it on Jools Holland at the time.
 
Karmacoma is such a deep, deep pass. The bass is delicious and the overall blend of sounds is so obtuse. In 2020 tho', this does feel like a dry run for where they would go more successfully with "Mezzanine".
 
I less familiar with the rest of th album. I'm sure I've heard Karmacoma before, but probably not for quite a long time. It's a much more sexual song than Protection, which gives it an interesting juxtaposition.
 
THREE

I can definitely hear the Nellee Hooper sound here from Bjork's Debut and Madonna's "Bedtime Story."
 
It's a while since I;ve heard the rest of the album too...good move to have a change of pace now (bit cheesy to have "Three" as track three tho')
 
It feels like the first three tracks on this album heavily inform the first three tracks on Mezzanine but in a reversed order. Three leads to Angel, Karmacoma to Risingson and Protection to Teardrop. I assume that it has to be deliberate.
 
WEATHER STORM

I definitely know this. The piano sounds very familiar. Either it's sampled or the song has been used in some TV show/advert...
 
WEATHER STORM

I definitely know this. The piano sounds very familiar. Either it's sampled or the song has been used in some TV show/advert...
The sample is 'It's Time For Love' by Pieces of a Dream. I don't think I've heard of that so I assume the song must have been used somewhere else.
 

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