2006-04-20
Massive attack, a group that can be almost totally be held as responsible for the definition of the genre Trip Hop in the 90's and one of the most influential groups of that genre is releasing a compilation album, and hits right into the center of nostalgic and human emotion.
The new Massive attack compilation is a retrospective midway album, that gives the new listeners a glimpse to the old archive of achievements of the band, and their great work over their four albums, while giving a foundation and hunger for their soon release fifth album.
The songs appear in an order set by the band, that each song will match it's previous one in texture and groove, making the album appear as a one piece, more of a regular album then a compilation , which in my opinion is the best choice, rather then organizing it in chronological order like most artist do, which sometime can make the compilation sound a bit disoriented and makes it harder for the listener to associate with, on this one, every song appears for its own right, and we are presented by a series of musical peaks,
Massive attacks first album "Blue lines" was released in 1991, became an instant classic with the help of songs like "safe from harm" (track number one on the compilation) and the song "unfinished symphony" which has already stroke waves before the album is released, and I think is still one of the greatest pieces the band has ever made, and one of the great pieces to be made, in the segue of the nineties the band released two more albums which became a big success as fast and as much as the first one, renovating in each one of them but still keeping their deep sexy intimate sound aside to their adventuress way of music.
Their fourth album "100th window" got a mixture of bad and good reactions after their three undoubtfully great albums, by some it was considered a very weak album ,by others, it was a natural segue to their previous three albums, and even though might different still had the same orientation and feeling to it.
When you collect songs from 4 albums, which all are counted for nothing less then great albums, in the border of a stroke of genius, you can hardly go wrong. The only thing that can come in the way are things like bad timing in releasing it, or for it to suddenly strike people as less interesting then it was when released, but not to worry, Massive attack did not encounter with any of this problems, the compilation is out just in time to get us hungry for new material which they plan to release soon, and their songs come back in a warm nostalgic fuzz feeling, still manage to become a soundtrack for intimate moments in our lives.
Te last track , a promo for their upcoming album is a song called "live with me". A co operation with jazz folk singer Terry Callier, together they strum every feeling on the emotion spectrum, intimate but rich composition mixing with Terrys vocals giving us a fragile intimate song to fall in love with.
The compilation also appears in a double cd version, the bonus album contains a rearranged compilation of rare and unrealesed tracks along three new songs, and if you flip it, on its other side you will find a DVD with all their videos.
A great opportunity for new listeners to tune in, and for those who already know the band and wants some extra materiel the double version will give you paradise.
Roy Povarchik
