Blue Lines

History: With their roots in the Bristol, England, club scene of the early '80s, the members of Massive Attack originated trip-hop, one of the most influential sound sof the '90s, combining the rythmic urgency of hip-hop, the freewheeling samples of the DJ's craft, soul-rich melodies, and dub-reggae's hebty, intoxicating bottom end. The group began in 1983 as a loose collective of singers, rappers, DJs, and producers that stages parties under the name the Wild Bunch. Included in its ranks were Mushroom (Andrew Vowles) and Daddy G (Grant Marshall), as well as Nelleee Hooper (later of Soul II Soul, and a producer for Madonna, Bjork, and others), and Tricky. The Wild Bunch released a 1986 cover of Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love," which became a European dance-club sensation, just as legal authorities began to clamp down on the Bristol party circuit. In 1987 graffiti artist 3-D (Robert Del Naja) joined Daddy G and Mushroom to form Massive Attack. A series of singles led to the 1991 release of Blue Lines, which featured an array of vocalists--including Shara Nelson, Tricky, and reggae singer Horace Andy--and promoted a somnambulatory beat that ran counter to the hyped-up dance rythms of techno.

Importance: As a revolutionary force in music, this album is in the highest circle--with The White Album, Exile on Main Street, Astral Weeks, The Bends, The Velvet Underground and Nico, and the new Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, by Wilco.

Further Listening: The only Massive Attack album which comes close to the pure form of Blue Lines is Mezzanine. Also, listen to Maxinquae, Tricky's best solo effort, and Dummy by Portishead, the other 'trip-hop' classic.


Massive Attack's Stunning Debut   April 12, 1999
18 out of 21 found this review helpful

Beautiful. Danceable. Innovative. Just a few words that describe Massive Attack's debut album "Blue Lines." I'm not really sure why everyone is raving about "Mezzanine" because I found it to be quite a step down from "Blue Lines" and "Protection."

The album features slow bass beats, club beats, the soulful vocals of Shara Nelson and Horace Andy, and the rapping of Tricky (Kid) and 3-D. Every song has a voice of its own. "One Love" is a features twists and turns and a beautiful piano at the end. The title track features soothing spoken word. "Be Thankful..." and "Unfinished Sympathy" are two gorgeous, swelling tracks. A club beat dominates "Daydreaming," which also benefits from the vocals of Shara Nelson. And what on Mezzanine can match Horace Andy's soulful prayer on "Hymn of the Big Wheel?"

I've been disappointed with Massive's turn towards the darker moods. "Protection" was incredible too, but "Blue Lines" the best of all. Skip "Mezzanine" and cheer up! I hope this group moves toward an innovative future that continues in the tradition of their past releases.

Check out the Import single of "Unfinished Sympathy" as well.


Original, fresh, and the beginning of Massive Attack's power   April 23, 2001
Christopher Culver
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Released in 1990, BLUE LINES was the first LP by Massive Attack, a trio from Bristol that had colloborated together before, with others, as the Wild Bunch. The nine tracks of BLUE LINES hit contemporary music in the gut, creating a new style that was more melodic than hip-hop but still retaining a beat. Combining the soulful singing of Shara Nelson, the rapping of Grant Marshall and Robert Del Naja, and the reggae crooning of Horace Andy, this album was something new and exciting.

More than ten years later, it's still an surprisingly fresh album. "Safe From Harm" deserves radio play still. The dialogue rapping "Daydreaming" continually amazes me. "Unfinished Sympathy" has retained its excitement, and DJs like Sasha still spin it.

Massive Attack's first album, and just as good as the two since released.


Blue Lines IS Trip-Hop   February 28, 2000
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

The members (and producers) of Massive Attack will always be known as THE pioneers of the trip-hop genre. Blue Lines swirls with snare drum beats, soft bass guitar, and other instrumentation that flows through and through like a dream of peace and proserity. As one reviewer described the "positive" aspect of this album, Blue Lines is the kind of album that gives inner calm. I relaxed and meditated with this album for months. Massive Attack's debut produces a sedative effect on the listener, like soul food, and even brings back the spirit of the 1960's that everything within should promote your consciousness to being a peacemaker and peacegiver. Songs like "Hymn of the Big Wheel" describe the plight of man's short time on earth and how destiny shapes us all. "Be Thankful For What You've Got" is a motown remake set to a reggae sounding beat and soft record LP scratchin' (used in R&B and rap music), sounding much the same yet with modern vibe. "Unfinished Sympathy", a U.K. hit single from this album is painfully beautiful and lyrically stunning about the lover that hurt you, but yet you still want them back (which fades out with a piano solo) "Like a soul without a mind/ in a body without a heart/ I'm missin' every part" Every song on Blue Lines is a testament to the human existence (sex, love, for richer, for poorer, ecstasy, joy, remorse, jealousy, life...)


Revolutionary; to compare it to the other 2 is futile..   April 24, 1999
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

I've been an MA fan since '94. I own all three albums, as well as No Protection and the Singles Collection. Massive Attack, aside from being insanely talented, switch formulas from album to album, which is why it's pointless to compare the albums to each other. Moreover, many of the latecomers who think Mezzanine is MA's best are oblivious to the beauty and texture of "Protection" and "Blue Lines". (You can't get to C by ignoring A and B.)

Now as far as "Blue Lines" goes, what can be said that hasn't been said already? Eight years after it's release, this album still stands as a masterpiece of "trip-hop" (I loathe that term.) The groove is melodic, built from fragments of hip-hop, soul, and reggae. One of the best things about the album is the harmonizing of Shara Nelson. She brings depth to everything she touches, whether it's the opener "Safe From Harm" ('but if you take what's mine/I'll sure as hell retaliate...'), "Unfinished Sympathy" (a Radio 1 favorite, with a hip-hop bassline and orchestral strings), or "Daydreaming", the 1990 single that _really_ started it all. The verbal exchanges between 3D, Daddy G, and a young Tricky are also witty (listen to the way 3D pronounces 'vitamin' on "Daydreaming".) And how can I leave out Horace Andy. From his work here, it's easy to see why he's been a mainstay ever since. (IMHO, however, "Spying Glass" is Horace at his best.)

All in all, this is a gem. It singlehandedly gave birth to a sound that matured with each passing album.