100th Window - Massive Attack

7.3	Listal rating

Manufacturer : Wild Bunch
Release date : 10 February 2003
Number of discs : 1
EAN : 0724358123920
UPC : 724358123920

Electronica (3), Trip Hop (3), 2003 (1), Trip-hop (1), Alternative (1), Dub (1), Mark (1), Album (1), M (1), Ambient (1), Downtempo (1), English (1)

Description

During the 1990s, Massive Attack were simply untouchable as the most groundbreaking British band for decades. Each of their three studio albums preceding 100th Window were pioneering masterpieces, with 1991's Blue Lines acclaimed as one of the best British albums of all time. Nowadays, Massive Attack aren't so much a "great band" as a During the 1990s, Massive Attack were simply untouchable as the most groundbreaking British band for decades. Each of their three studio albums preceding 100th Window were pioneering masterpieces, with 1991's Blue Lines acclaimed as one of the best British albums of all time. Nowadays, Massive Attack aren't so much a "great band" as a "one-man-band", with Robert "3D" Del Naja the only member of the original trio on this album.

100th Window may be Massive Attack's fourth album (on paper, at least), but it's effectively Del Naja's solo debut. Ironically, 100th Window sounds as distinctly Massive Attack-like as any of its predecessors, except the low, slow raps of Daddy G and Mushroom have been replaced by the fragile voice of Sinead O'Connor. Put simply, 100th Window sounds eerily similar to 1998's Mezzanine; it's dark, broody, intense and, at times, quite uncomfortable, with the odd shimmering ray of light allowed to peep through Del Naja's murky nocturnal soundscapes. Occasionally it sounds like Clannad done in a dubwise style (check the impressive "A Prayer For England" or unlikely single "Special Cases"), at others like a late night trip through Bristol's run-down estates in the company of the Grim Reaper.

With such an impressive back catalogue, 100th Window should have been something new, fresh and original, but as it is it's just another dose of Mezzanine's paranoid broodiness. Of course, 100th Window is still a very good record--no-one does darkness with quite the same warmth and murkiness as Massive Attack--but this isn't half the album it could have been. --Matt Anniss ... (more) (less)

Performed by

Massive Attack

Track listing

1. Future Proof
2. What Your Soul Sings
3. Everywhen
4. Special Cases
5. Butterfly Caught
6. A Prayer For England
7. Small Time Shot Away
8. Name Taken
9. Antistar

Lists


	3 votes Massive Attack (5 items) by Tom Last updated 3 years, 4 months ago Best Albums of 2003 (37 items) by GoodFaith Published 2 months ago View all lists