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Sublime appealMassive Attack - The Best of Massive Attack(Virgin) 4 stars (out of 5 stars) Reviewed: Feb. 5, 2007 |
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Review by Andy Argyrakis Though Massive Attack officially formed in 1987, its debut disc Blue Lines didn't actually release until 1991. And from then through the present, the group's been notorious for the lengthy wait in between albums, though members continue to reinvent themselves as one of the most innovative and ingenuity-filled trip-hop combos with every year that passes. Not only has the outfit been credited with birthing the genre and then mixing it with hip-hop, soul and samples, but its also collaborated with the likes of David Bowie and the Dandy Warhols and Beth Orton.As the wait continues for its next studio project (the last one was 2003's acclaimed 100th Window), Virgin put together an ample best of collection tracing fourteen key cuts from the past decade and a half. All of the most important singles have been selected, from the traffic filled rumble of "Teardrop" through the reggae-spiked "Karmacoma" to its latest sophisticated batch of soulfulness "Live With Me." Other memories include the club favorite "Unfinished Sympathy," the cocktail sipping vibe of "Protection" (comparable to Everything But the Girl) and the more aggressive guitar pegged instrumental "Angel." Though the collection is available as a single disc featuring all of the aforementioned, a double disc deluxe edition is the true treat for faithful. In fact that bonus installment includes a dual disc featuring one side of additional music with video clips on the other. The musical portion packs in a generous sampling of new songs, rarities and soundtrack selections, including the recent "Danny the Dog." The visual portion again covers all the primary hits, while also showcasing the shorts behind "Be Thankful For What You've Got" and "Live With Me" (in both its original and alternate versions). The results make Collected impossible to pass up for any serious Massive Attack collector and a sure fire starting point for those yet to discover its sublime appeal. |