(This week's "FEATURED ARTIST")
When I came across MASSIVE ATTACK a couple years ago, I didn't know what to expect. I had heard of the trip-hop group when they appeared on Madonna's remake of the Marvin Gaye track I Want You back in 1995. A decade later, I was inspired to purchase their 1998 album Mezzanine after hearing the song Inertia Creeps in a clip from the movie Taking Lives. Upon hearing that album, I immediately became a fan.
MASSIVE ATTACK was originally a trio that comprised of DJs Grantley "Daddy G" Marshall, Andrew "Mush" Vowles, and MC Robert "3D" Del Naja. The group has seen members exit and return over the years, which is why their music has evolved so dramatically since their debut back in the late 80s-early 90s. Now only "Daddy G" and "3D" remain and they manage to bring us some of their best work to date after seven long years of having fans wait patiently. Heligoland may not sound as sinister as some of their earlier work but it still is a remarkable album. They incorporate several collaborators including Martina Topley-Bird, Hope Sandoval, and Damon Albarn of Gorillaz. The opening track Pray for Rain starts off one way only to an end in a different sound and vibe. Flat of the Blade featuring Guy Garvey, Paradise Circus featuring Hope Sandoval, and Saturday Come Slow featuring Damon Albarn are all very mystifying and deep. But it's Atlas Air featuring vocals from 3D himself that really sends me going...very sexy...and definitely my favorite track from the entire album...
...well...there's also Psyche featuring Martina Topley-Bird...but there are two versions. The version I enjoyed isn't going to be available until Summer 2010 when MASSIVE ATTACK releases a "post-Heligoland EP" containing alternate versions of the songs found on the album, as well as extra songs that didn't make the final cut. The DELUXE VERSION of Heligoland contains five remixes and an unreleased track called United Snakes. To be quite honest with you...the remixes don't do anything for me...they're boring and sound very close to the original so I didn't really see the point.
MASSIVE ATTACK may go over the heads of many...but I am very impressed with their latest effort. I highly recommend this album for anyone that is looking for something out of the norm and exciting...that is, if you can handle the level of sexuality and darkness that is a symbol of who this group really is...
Songs that I Truly Enjoyed From the Album:
• Pray For Rain (Vocals by Tunde Adebimpe)
• Babel (Vocals by Martina Topley-Bird)
• Splitting the Atom (Vocals by Grantley Marshall, Horace Andy, and Robert Del Naja)
• Girl I Love You (Vocals by Horace Andy)
• Flat of the Blade (Vocals by Guy Garvey)
• Rush Minute (Vocals by Robert Del Naja)
From MASSIVE ATTACK's new album "Heligoland", here's "Psyche (Flash Treatment)" featuring Martina Topley-Bird (Remixed by Christoffer Berg)
From the same album, here's "Atlas Air" featuring Robert "3D" Del Naja...
BONUS TRACKS
(iTunes Store)
• Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto Remix)
• Fatalism (Ryuichi Sakamoto and Yukihiro Takahashi Remix) (Vocals by Guy Garvey)
• Girl I Love You (She Is Danger Remix)
• Paradise Circus (Breakage's Tight Rope Remix)
• United Snakes
• Pray For Rain (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)
REVIEWS TO BE POSTED IN TWO WEEKS on FEBRUARY 23rd, 2010...
CHAYANNE-- "No Hay Imposibles"
We are warming up slowly but steadily to all the releases coming up this year...but what's real interesting are the ones coming from people that I haven't heard from in a long while. CHAYANNE is one of them...what's up with his new album? Check here in TWO WEEKS for the answer to that question and more on FEBRUARY 23rd, 2010...!
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III
No comments:
Post a Comment