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Amazon.co.uk Review
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as distinctly Massive Attack-like as any of its predecessors, except the low, slow raps of Daddy G and Mushroom have been replaced by the fragile voice of Sinead O'Connor.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
Review
Oh dear. Regrettably, the latest offering from the new slim line Massive Attack falls way short of the spurious hype and their previous musical triumphs. The sense of event that the publicists like to attach to the release of each their albums has boiled down to little more than a giant poster campaign. With Mushroom out of the picture and Daddy G away on parent sabbatical, Robert Del Naja aka 3D is now the sole member ofa group which is both dwindling in numbers and, unfortunately, artistic flair. Musically the 'Attack' seem to be suffering a severe case of middle-age spread.
Not content with steering the sound east with swathes of Arabian strings and Saharanambience they (or should that be he?) have employed Sinead O'Connor as guest vocals not once but thrice. Why? Yes, she can warble away in her melancholic fashion but the positioning of the nutty priestess smacks of a lack of adventure or risk taking.
Massive Attack used to be adept at bringing lesser known vocalists in to the mainstream and making them shine. Miss O'Connor may need the work but listening to her pine for the slaughtered children on the hugely self indulgent "A Prayer For England" is tiresome whilst the debut single "Special Cases" does little to redeem these felonies.
Production-wise 100th Window is solid and occasionally sublime. The drum/bass relationships are all expertly executed and the tracks are mixed beautifully, "Butterfly Caught" in particular. But that means jack when you feel nothing whilst waiting for the record to play out. There simply aren't enough hooks, melodies or songs here to make this memorable.
The prior outing Mezzanine had a brooding, cinematic edge that did much to fire the imagination, Protection had the emotive title track, "Karmacoma" and "Weather Storm" amongst its finery. And Blue Lines was... well... Blue Lines. This takes itself so seriously you can feel the furrows of worry. Not content with giving over eight minutes to the desert opus and closing track "Antistar" the track then proceeds to bleep on for another eight minutes doing absolutely chuff all.
This is lazy music making, to be avoided at all costs. --Andy Puleston
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sweeter than Mezzanine,
By smiley (chealde, cheshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: 100th Window (Audio CD)
The strength of this album lies in the fact that Massive attack have not given into pop pressure.It is more serious than that and more suited to the modern ear.Sweeter sounding than Mezzanine.Gone also are the days of Blue lines - that may be classic stuff -I love it- but it is now history.My only regret is that Liz Frazers beautiful voice is missing. I predict this album will attract as many new fans as others loose pace and drop away. More strong tracks than weak ones - and that is unusual these days.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still Brilliant,
By
This review is from: 100th Window (Audio CD)
Granted, not all tracks are perfect - I personally find some of the Sinead O Conner (sp?) tracks to be the weakest with somewhat sentimental lyrics to the cynic. However, this album contains some of the most incredibly heavy atmosphere I've yet heard created by anyone - both instrumentally and lyrically. After 18 months or so a track as spellbinding as 'Butterfly Caught' has me on this page ranting as if it was recently purchased. This release is less compromising (it goes deeper and darker) than any by MA before and although some won't relate, those whom do will discover timeless worth. Superb.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
As dark as ever,
By
This review is from: 100th Window (Audio CD)
To put it quite bluntly if 18 by Moby was the follow up, or, a continuation of Play, then 100th Window does the same and more for Mezzanine.From the opening Electronic chords of Future Proof, to the magical strings fading away on Antistar, this record never seems to let up. To be honest though what else would expect from Massive Attack, they never seem to dissapoint. As ever, with all the records, they have chosen their female vocalist carefully, from Shara Nelson to Tracey Thorn they have gone for the haunting vocals of Sinead O'Connor on this record. I'll be the first to admit I'm not her biggest fan but her voice suits the mood perfectly. She delivers the lyrics with such emotion and utter grace that you find yourself wrapped up in this record from an early point. Highlights, although exceptionally hard to pick would be Future Proof, Smalltime Shot Away, The fantistic lyrics on Prayer for England and the sizzling strings on Antistar. At first listen I wasn't sure what to expect and I must admit I did feel quite dissapointed. It was very sameish as Mezzanine, I expected them to move on as they had done on previous albums, as the album continued it did grow on me, and in a big way. Fans of Mezzanine will love it, it's just as dark, if not darker, just as chilling, perfect evening listening. It's nowhere near as friendly as Blue Lines or Protection, people will turn their noses up at it which is a shame. It really is a fantastic record with variation that is hard to pick up, but is there all the same. As long as you enjoyed Mezzanine you'll enjoy this, and Sinead fans will love it, she brings a whole new dimension to the record.
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