Blue Lines - Massive Attack

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by: Patricia High (United States)
on: Monday, 11-October-2010

delighted to have bought a second hand cd. it was in perfect condition and arrived very quickly from the UK. Thanks!

by: John (United States)
on: Friday, 20-August-2010

Once someone ask to Beethoven ou Mozart what the piece that he just played means... the answer was its easy... and play the piece again. No words can discribe music like that. I just have to say: listen!

by: thedre (San Francisco)
on: Thursday, 28-January-2010

CHeck out the cut Dreamin..That whole sound is from Wally Badarous album, Echoes. Echoes is a wonderful album...all instrumental, mostly synth. Badarou was the best at what he did, and his music on Echoes was very attractive, and had real melodic ideas. A classic. Look up Wally and say hello...and buy Echoes. Wally used the Prophet 5 a lot in his sound...and its super rich.

by: C. Woodruff (Encino, CA United States)
on: Monday, 14-December-2009

That in and of itself blows my mind. I dont need to go in depth about the style and impact of this music, but I will say that I am still waiting for someone to top it... but Im not holding my breath. If you are too young to have heard this one the first time around, pick it up. Cuts like Unfinished Sympathy, Daydreaming, and Safe From Harm helped to create and define trip-hop. The album takes some unexpected turns, unlike later Massive albums that tend to maintain one sound throughout an album. Thats not a bad thing. When I first got the album, I wanted it for the grooves for dance class and the gym, so I skipped a a few tracks that didnt fit that vibe for me. I dont skip them anymore. Its that kind of album. Put it on a good pair of headphones, lean back, and enjoy.

by: resident_out_of_touch (Schenectady, New York United States)
on: Thursday, 2-July-2009

Blue Lines may certainly throw off an unsuspected listener more accustomed to Mezzanine and the innumerable imitators that have sprung up since the inception of trip hop in the early 90s. When Blue Lines came out, Massive Attack was trying to combine the approach of a dub sound system with American hip-hop, a far cry from the plodding, rock-informed downtempo anthems that now populate trip hop bins. Rather than the dense atmospheres, glacial beats, and breathy vocals that now typify the genre, they were taking cues from old-school hip-hop when it came to sampling and programming, and using bare bones tracks to support lengthy MC verses and melodic turns by soul and R&B singers. Its a distinctly more home-brewed and urban affair than what followed.

I mention all of this because this is what makes this album so noteworthy - these are the elements out of which everything else arose. Blue Lines is one of the rare places you can find it all exposed in such a raw form. Its jarring at first, if youre more familiar with their later releases, as there isnt much in the way of studio glaze or ear candy, and the limited electronics they are using sound instantly dated. All this is a testament to the innovation that was going on however; all the spontaneity and experimentation captured on tape. When I listen to Blue Lines I feel like Im in Del Najas living room or something, watching them make this stuff up as they go, puffing blunts and improvising over a loop playing off a sampler. Some of the songs may not be that catchy or even easy to listen to, but they represent an extremely compelling time capsule of electronic music. As Ive said in a few others reviews, the unrestrained, pioneering attitude of 90s electronic music is also always refreshing, and nowhere is it more fully embodied than on this album.

If you are hopelessly attached to the Massive Attack that produced Teardrop, go ahead and get a hold of Safe from Harm and Unfinished Sympathy, and youre probably all set. On the other hand, songs like Be Thankful for What Youve Got are sure to send many a stylistically-sensitive music fan for the hills, its spare beats and slightly off-kilter vocal delivery leaving little for one accustomed to polished, expansive productions. Put your genre prejudices aside however, and you will be singing along just like everyone else.

by: Patricia C. Amancio (Sao Paulo/Brazil)
on: Tuesday, 26-August-2008

I have written a review complaining about the Free Shipping in the US (broken cd cases, torn covers), but actually there seems to be a problem with PAID INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING too.
I bought Madonnas Give it 2 me single, Massive Attack - Blue Lines and Depeche Modes Speak and Spell and all of them arrived with broken cases, I had to replace the cases for new ones.
Just to mention what I said in the other review: bought a box set and 3 CDs from HMV Japan and they arrived in more than perfect condition in Brazil, faster than your site!
I tried to buy from your site Japan, but guess what? The Fedex shipment is pretty bad as the parcel ALWAYS gets stuck in Customs and you have this long list of taxes that almost exceed the price of the product!
The your site shipment service (national and international) is a joke!!
5 stars for the CD tho. A very nice kick start effort by Massive Attack.

by: Joseph Collins (United States)
on: Wednesday, 17-October-2007

If you are looking for a great cd to listen to than look no further than Massive Attacks Blue Lines. My personal favorites on the album have to be Daydreaming and One Love. This CD is a must have for any true fan.