Bristol’s Massive Attack released a classic with their first album, Blue Lines, but only those who were paying careful attention noticed for a while; then, after everybody caught on, they were overshadowed by the likes of colleagues Portishead, who were cooler. But not so after the release of Protection, which sported a massive hit and was just as critically acclaimed as their first album. (The hit was the title track, for which Everything but the Girl’s Tracy Thorn lent her divine pipes–a move that presaged EBTG’s move to the dance floor.) Eschewing the showmanship of their scene mates, Massive prefer subtler soundscapes and using a diverse range of vocalists (including Horace Andy, Nicolette, and Tricky) who give them a number of flavours and moods with which to work. Protection is an understated album with a rich palette; it reveals more of itself on repeated listens, growing better–and deeper–each time. –Randy Silver
