My 25 Favourite Albums: Massive Attack - Blue Lines

The next in the series of My 25 Favourite Albums is the debut from Massive Attack. It came out in 1991 shortly after the single "Unfinished Sympathy" reached the Top 40. Because of the Gulf War happening at the time, they had to temporarily shorten their name to Massive, but as they were an unknown entity to many people it probably didn't make that much difference.

I do remember "Unfinished Sympathy" at the time but it was one amongst many that you wouldn't hear once it left the charts. In the mid-90s Massive Attack was a name I was hearing more as being part of the "Bristol Scene", but again it wasn't something I was paying much attention to like I mentioned in my previous post about "Dummy" by Portishead.

Then one day I was watching "Club Nation" or a similar programme on TV where they played a record from the archives which was "Unfinished Sympathy". That was probably the first time I'd heard it since 1991 and that's where I learned it was by Massive Attack, the name change at the time may have had something to do with it. I realised then what a great tune it was.

During the late 90s it was being played a lot as one of the all time classics and made number 2 in Radio 1s countdown of best songs of the millennium on NYE 99 despite the fact it only charted at number 13 at the time. The album also peaked at number 13 but would keep re-entering the chart throughout the 90s.

I bought the album around 98/99. When I listened to it for the first time I discovered I also knew the opening track "Safe From Harm" which was also a single and appeared on Top of the Pops.

As you might expect, the album takes a few listens to get into but the order of tracks helps you to give it those few listens you need. Aside from the 2 singles mentioned, the catchier tracks of the album are "Be Thankful for What You've Got" and "Hymn of the Big Wheel" which as it turns out were part of the "Massive Attack EP" which charted in 1992. These are tracks 1, 4, 6 and 9 so you have no more than 2 tracks between these and it's a 9 track album.

You also have the penultimate track "Lately" which would have a degree of familiarity if you know "Mellow Mellow Right On" by Lowrell which it samples. The second track "One Love" takes a similar amount of time to get familiar with.

The remaining 3 tracks, which are all a lot less catchy, feature a then unknown Tricky. However as he was already an established artist when I, and no doubt many others, bought the album it makes them more intriguing.

Overall there isn't a bad track on the album. I wouldn't say I love every track on the album and I wouldn't say it gets better than "Unfinished Sympathy", but that's largely to do with what a great track that is. What I will say though is whatever style of music you're into, you may like this album as it incorporates a variety of styles done in a Massive Attack type way.