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Massive Attack|Protection

Protection

Massive Attack

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Massive Attack's sophomore effort could never be as stunning as Blue Lines, and a slight drop in production and songwriting quality made the comparisons easy. Still, from the first two songs Protection sounds worthy of their debut. The opening title track is pure excellence, with melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats perfectly complementing the transcendent vocals of Tracey Thorn (an inspired choice to replace the departed Shara Nelson as their muse). Tricky, another soon-to-be-solo performer, makes his breakout on this record, with blunted performances on "Karmacoma," another highlight, as well as "Eurochild." But even though the production is just as intriguing as on Blue Lines, there's a bit lacking here -- Massive Attack doesn't summon quite the emotional power they did previously. Guest Craig Armstrong's piano work on the aimless tracks "Weather Storm" and "Heat Miser" leans uncomfortably close to Muzak, and his arrangement and conducting for "Sly" isn't much better (vocals by Nicolette save the track somewhat). Though it's still miles ahead of the growing raft of trip-hop making the rounds in the mid-'90s, Protection is rather a disappointment.

© John Bush /TiVo

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Protection

Massive Attack

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1
Protection
00:07:51

Tracey Thorn, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer - Grant Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, MainArtist - Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Del Naja, ComposerLyricist

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

2
Karmacoma
00:05:16

Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer - Massive Attack, Producer, MainArtist - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Tricky, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Norfolk, ComposerLyricist - Locke, ComposerLyricist

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

3
Three
00:03:49

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer - Nicolette Okoh, Composer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

4
Weather Storm
00:04:59

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - James Lloyd, Composer - Craig Armstrong, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cedric Napoleon, Composer - The Insects, Programmer - CURTIS HARMON, Composer - Cameron Murray, Composer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

5
Spying Glass
00:05:20

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer - Horace Hinds , ComposerLyricist

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

6
Better Things
00:04:13

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tracey Thorn, ComposerLyricist - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

7
Euro Child
00:05:11

Andy Wright, Programmer - Richard Lewis, Composer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jerry Dammers, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Bradbury, Composer - Terry Hall, Composer - The Insects, Programmer - Neville Staples, Composer - Lynval Golding, Composer - Robert Locke, Composer - William Norfolk, Composer - Roddy Radiation, Composer - Sir Horace Gentleman, Composer - Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws, Composer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

8
Sly
00:05:24

Grantley Marshall, ComposerLyricist - Andrew Vowles, ComposerLyricist - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, ComposerLyricist - Nicolette Okoh, ComposerLyricist

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

9
Heat Miser
00:03:39

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Composer, Programmer - Grantley Marshall, Composer - Andrew Vowles, Composer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Composer, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Robert Del Naja, Composer - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

10
Light My Fire (Live From United Kingdom/1994)
00:03:15

Andy Wright, Programmer - Marius de Vries, Programmer - Nick Warren, Programmer - Jeremy Wheatley, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - JOHN DENSMORE, Composer - Jim Morrison, Composer - Ray Manzarek, Composer - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - NELLEE HOOPER, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Robby Krieger, Composer - Massive Attack, Producer, Mixer, Programmer, MainArtist, StudioPersonnel - Al Stone, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Insects, Programmer

(C) 1994 Virgin Records LtdThis label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved.(C) 1994 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

Album review

Massive Attack's sophomore effort could never be as stunning as Blue Lines, and a slight drop in production and songwriting quality made the comparisons easy. Still, from the first two songs Protection sounds worthy of their debut. The opening title track is pure excellence, with melancholy keyboards, throbbing acid lines, and fragmented beats perfectly complementing the transcendent vocals of Tracey Thorn (an inspired choice to replace the departed Shara Nelson as their muse). Tricky, another soon-to-be-solo performer, makes his breakout on this record, with blunted performances on "Karmacoma," another highlight, as well as "Eurochild." But even though the production is just as intriguing as on Blue Lines, there's a bit lacking here -- Massive Attack doesn't summon quite the emotional power they did previously. Guest Craig Armstrong's piano work on the aimless tracks "Weather Storm" and "Heat Miser" leans uncomfortably close to Muzak, and his arrangement and conducting for "Sly" isn't much better (vocals by Nicolette save the track somewhat). Though it's still miles ahead of the growing raft of trip-hop making the rounds in the mid-'90s, Protection is rather a disappointment.

© John Bush /TiVo

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© 1994 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited

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