Product Description

'Blue Lines' was the debut album by the Bristol-formed dance collective, Massive Attack. The album is a prime example of what was later dubbed by the UK music press as "trip hop".The top 30 singles, 'Unfinished Sympathy' and 'Safe From Harm' are included.

Track Listing

1. Safe From Harm
2. One Love
3. Blue Lines
4. Be Thankful For What You've Got
5. Five Man Army
6. Unfinished Sympathy
7. Daydreaming
8. Lately
9. Hymn Of The Big Wheel

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #975 in Music
• Released on: 1991-06-01
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
The critical and commercial triumphs of Portishead, Tricky and Roni Size have established Bristol as a centre of slow-burning creativity, but it was the staggering impact Massive Attack made with their debut album which first put the West Country town on the musical map and made reluctant superstars of Mushroom, 3-D and Daddy G. Blue Lines provided a blueprint for the sound which would become known as trip-hop, combining the raw soundsystem vibe of the Wild Bunch parties with immaculate production and the distinguished vocal talents of Tricky, Shara Nelson and Horace Andy. From the understated beats and deftly-arranged ensemble rapping of the title track to the smokey paranoia of "Five Man Army" and the unrepeatable melancholic splendour of "Unfinished Sympathy", the album is a modern classic through and through. It won the Mercury Music Prize in 1992 and remains the finest work of a frighteningly talented group. --Ed Potton

Customer Reviews

Bristol music
In reference to the review dubbing this a one track album, what album were you listening to???? I am offended by your review!

Yes unfinished sympathy is a truly great song, but is by no means the best on the album! Blue lines is one of the greatest albums ever and every track is a classic!

Sadly, a one-track album
The outright winner here is "Unfinished Sympathy", a thing of beauty so superbly crafted and utterly satisfying that, ironically, it makes all the remaining tracks on this album sound dull. Bedazzled and blinded by genius, or just plain ripped off? Whatever the truth is, I'll be inclined to download that one track and spare myself the cost of the album.

A Massive Triumph
I came to this album very late - 13 years late to be exact - and I'm still in the honeymoon period with it, playing it constantly. I'm probably about to say the same as everyone else but there's not a duff track here, mainly because of the different styles at play (jazz, hip-hop, dub, dance, bits of soul, the beginnings of trip-hop, tribal beats with 'Hymn of the big wheel' and of course, orchestral music on 'Unfinished Sympathy'). There's a wonderfully sparse, late-night feel on tracks such as 'Blue Lines' and 'Five Man Army' - the way 3D and crew languidly interact with each other on these tracks is awesome - and 'Lately' has such a dreamy, atmospheric quality to it, not forgetting a wicked bassline. Then there's the magnificent 'Unfinished Sympathy', but I don't think I need to go on about the chilling effect it has on my mind, body and soul because that's all old hat really. Not that this album will ever be old hat - I'm pretty sure I'll still be listening to it in another 13 years.