Massive Attack

rabpaul · « **on:** 18 Jan 2008, 06:07 am »

Another sub review recommended "Mezzanine" for again its bass content. In case you are wondering I am not a bass freak but when I heard this album it was again nothing like I ever heard before. My CD store has Blue Lines in stock which I will listen to and decide on this weekend. I would appreciate any other recommendations.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-0692352-1086227?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=massive+attack&x=10&y=22

toocool4 · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 02:20 pm »

Not sure what recommendations you are after, is it to get Blue Lines or albums with a lot of bass content?

If it’s about Blue Lines then it’s good album the first Massive Attack album, contains the main track that most people think of when they think of Massive Attack “Unfinished Sympathy”.
Also the album Protection is worth getting on this album it has a track called “Better Things” feat Tracey Thorn from Everything but the girl. The bass line on this track trips up some systems they distort it.

Chris

emac · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 03:02 pm »

Anything by the Thievery Corporation will give your sub a good workout. Better than Massive Attack in most cases too. Also, drum n bass by nature has good basslines.

But if you're looking for the ultimate sub workout, you need to consider the genre of dubstep. Not much is released here in the US, but what's out there is bassy to the max. Good stuff.

Cacophonix · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 03:07 pm »

If you are looking for bass heavy music or something with -huge- dynamics, check out "Fujiyama" by Ondekoza.

http://www.amazon.com/Fujiyama-Ondekoza/dp/B00000I397/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1200669435&sr=8-2

JoshK · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jan 2008, 03:13 pm »

I really like Massive Attack Mezzanine, I think it is their best complete album. I've use to use it for system demo's when I went to hifi shops. Virtually no dealer setup system could play Teardrop's bassline without sounding uncontrolled, distorted or straining. But that is really a hard midbass line in the power region with some sub level content added on.

To me, the interesting thing about this is there is a lot of content in the power region (~80hz-300hz) and delicate female vocals coincidentally. Most two ways don't do a good job at this task because of the excursion requirements makes the midrange cluttered. The amount of midbass content makes a lot of speaker cabinets ring. So it is a good test of systems competency with a broader spectrum of music beyond jazz or acoustic. But it isn't acoustic music so there isn't a standard per se of how exactly it should sound.

awe-d-o-file · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 05:24 am »

Fun band. I have a lot of their stuff. I like the remixed album by the Mad Professor best. "No Protection" -great bass and BY FAR the best stereo image of any of their recordings. MILES!!! If you can find the singles box it's very good too. But get No Protection.

ET

rabpaul · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 11:56 am »

awe-d-o-file - I have ordered "No Protection - Massive Attack vs Mad Professor" from Amazon.
toocool4 - I will be buying "Blue Lines"
According the guy at my CD store the above titles and Mezanine are what MA most known for.

emac - Would you recommend TC's "The Mirror Conspiracy"? I picked this as I wanted original music.
Cacophonix - Fujiyama is on by save for later list only because its pricey.

Thanks guys for the recommendations.

emac · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 02:01 pm »

Quote from: rabpaul on 19 Jan 2008, 11:56 am

emac - Would you recommend TC's "The Mirror Conspiracy"? I picked this as I wanted original music.

Mirror Conspiracy is pretty good. I feel that their original album, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi and their most recent, Cosmic Game, are their best. But they have changed their sound over the years, so take a listen on Amazon to decide what style you like the most. I'm not a really big fan of the Richest Man in Babylon album, so I'd avoid that one. Their DJ Kicks cd is fantastic. Still bring that on most long car trips. Not very bassy, but very nice. And their 2 remix albums are good as well.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 03:18 pm »

Hmm, I think Mirror Conspiracy is their best... but I don't have the dj kicks album (yet).

Massive Attack is fun too, I saw them in Denver last year.

Dave

emac · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 04:37 pm »

Quote from: DaveC113 on 19 Jan 2008, 03:18 pm

Hmm, I think Mirror Conspiracy is their best... but I don't have the dj kicks album (yet).

Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi is probably my favorite Thievery Corp album and one of my favorite electronic music albums period. Though admittedly, there are probably 2 factors that go into that. One is that it came from an era when I was "discovering" electronic music, so it has sentimental value for that reason. Also, it took me over 6 months to find the album. When I bought it, it still wasn't easy to find things on the web, so I had to really hunt around for it.

awe-d-o-file · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 09:33 pm »

Rabpaul- enjoy. The Karmacoma remix is my fav. No Pro is different from other MA albums. I like every MA album I have heard. Angel is a great tune. Frontline used it on a show about a kid that killed his parents.....it was so perfect for the show. The fidelity on No Protection is just OK, the source material is a limiter but sometimes the excessive processing used lowers the fidelity but the soundstage/image is huge, by far their best, and you'll like the bass. There's a nice double/double layer cd with their videos on it too, can't remember the title, too lazy to go look right now. MA was also on IFC's show called "Live at Abbey Road" good show. It has three acts and they are one of them. Note also the difference in mic quality and vocal sound between the acts. Leanne Rimes <sp> has a totally high dollar mic and sounds great, MA uses cheap dynamic mics and their vocal sound isn't so good. I never liked their vocal audio quality much on their albums either.

ET

mcgsxr · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 10:17 pm »

I have been a Massive Attack fan since 1994 when I first was exposed to their Protection album.

I subsequently bought Blue Lines, Mezzanine, No Protection.

I would rank my preference as such:

Protection
Mezzanine
No Protection
Blue Lines

Then again, I am an EBTG freak, and Tracy Thorn's voice just lights me up, so the 3 trakcs off Protection that feature her vocals are my top 3 Massive songs period.

Glad you discovered them!

toocool4 · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Jan 2008, 10:29 pm »

Quote from: rabpaul on 19 Jan 2008, 11:56 am

awe-d-o-file - I have ordered "No Protection - Massive Attack vs Mad Professor" from Amazon.
toocool4 - I will be buying "Blue Lines"

I have all the Massive Attack albums but I have to say the only one I find hard to listen to is “No Protection remixed by the Mad Professor”. I bought this album some years ago but have only listened to it a few times. I think the Mad Professor has over done it, but who knows with my new Spectral pre-amp

injecting speed into it I may well enjoy it.

Chris

awe-d-o-file · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 Jan 2008, 12:34 am »

[/quote]

I have all the Massive Attack albums but I have to say the only one I find hard to listen to is “No Protection remixed by the Mad Professor”. I bought this album some years ago but have only listened to it a few times. I think the Mad Professor has over done it, but who knows with my new Spectral pre-amp

injecting speed into it I may well enjoy it.

Chris

[/quote]

I hear ya! It's out there and often deletes vocals. Again I would stress fidelity is only OK, it's the big image/soundstage that are over the top. I love dub/reggae so I already liked and have several of MP's work. I really like the 10 CD Singles collection too.

ET

toocool4 · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 Jan 2008, 01:07 pm »

awe-d-o-file I see you love dub then it’s just up your street. I like dub too but that re-mix album is just too much for me.

I always feel like I should be on drugs to enjoy that album and since I don’t do drugs I’ll have to enjoy it a different way.

Chris

awe-d-o-file · « **Reply #15 on:** 20 Jan 2008, 03:55 pm »

Quote from: toocool4 on 20 Jan 2008, 01:07 pm

awe-d-o-file I see you love dub then it’s just up your street. I like dub too but that re-mix album is just too much for me.

I always feel like I should be on drugs to enjoy that album and since I don’t do drugs I’ll have to enjoy it a different way.

Chris

That's the point, with that music you don't need drugs! Like I said it's out there!

ET

Hicks · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 06:00 pm »

Kruder Dorfmeister- K & D Sessions will also give your sub a good workout.

On the straight dub tip recordings by King Tubby and the Scientist feature some pretty heavy bass.

SET Man · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 06:15 pm »

Quote from: Hicks on 23 Jan 2008, 06:00 pm

Kruder Dorfmeister- K & D Sessions will also give your sub a good workout. ....

Hey!

Yup, the K&D Sessions is a great album.

Beside having lots of bass, the album is nicely done with very nice flow from track to track.

I got it on LPs vinyl set.

Take care,
Buddy

JoshK · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 06:58 pm »

I thought DJ Kicks was a K&D album, not a Thievery Corp alb, but its both.

I prefer K&D to TC, but TC is good too.

some young guy · « **Reply #19 on:** 23 Jan 2008, 07:31 pm »

dub side of the moon- easy dub all stars
devel dub- buckethead & co.
versions- thievory corp.
the cosmic game- thievory corp.
projections
hotel costes- stephane pompounac
the exclusives- dj kicks
reyjvaic- nick warren

imho... all great music with lots of bass. i think devil dub is the strongest bass album i own.