Mezzanine Reviews

• 1998's finest album

  
  By AXXSAR1VBAFEM on 2000-05-20
  `Mezzanine' is the third and finest album from the most important British group of the 90's, Massive Attack. Their debut, `Blue Lines', virtually redefined UK soul music and invented the much-imitated genre of Trip Hop. If it's follow up, 1994's slick `Protection' was somewhat disappointing, then `Mezzanine' recaptures the spark of creativity and genre fusion that first thrust them onto the world stage.

  `Mezzanine' is Trip Hop's logical conclusion, and this new sound is harder and more confrontational than before. It's closest relative in the music world is The Prodigy's `The Fat of the Land', although whereas that album fused heavy punk with dance music, `Mezzanine' fuses Radiohead-esque prog Rock with hip-hop. Opener `Angel' is a brooding, moody track, illuminated only by Horace Andy's androgynous crooning. It is a fine introduction to this schizophrenic, guitar heavy new sound, as Led Zeppelin-esque guitars come crashing down in the climax. `Risingson' was the track Massive Attack chose to release in September 1997 to preview the new album. Built around a looping bass line over which 3d and Daddy G rap, the track is vaguely psychedelic, what with 3d's talk of `clicking shines on foreheads' and samples of The Velvet Underground. Massive Attack are actually more similar to Reed's crew than you may think; both are (or were) fiercely experimental, yet never take fore granted the ability to construct a decent song.

  The next track, `Teardrop' is many people's favourite track (myself included). A sublime and simple song built around a stuttering drum beat and harpsichord riff, it also introduces us to Liz Fraser (of the Cocteau Twins) and her soothing, impossibly high vocals. The accompanying video to the track was that of a baby in the womb, and the song does have the effect of rendering the listener to an embryonic state. The addition of sombre piano chords and subtle overdubs creates a stark, mesmerising and beautiful track, proof (if any were needed) that `Unfinished Sympathy' was not a one off. After cradling us with `Teardrop', we are severely awoken by `Inertia Creeps, an Eastern tinged rap track that uses its electric guitars to full effect. It also helps one understand why The Clash were thanked in the sleeve notes.

  `Exchange' is probably the albums weakest moment, an instrumental that actually has little to do with Massive Attack, and seems too retro and backward looking in the midst of these thrilling new soundscapes. `Dissolved Girl' is much better, featuring Sara Jay who whispers and purrs where others might full-bloodedly sing. It is also the albums `chestburster' moment, as no sooner have we gotten used to the relatively sparse and soulful composition, a thunderous guitar with its amp on max invades the track, mimicking the previously discrete bass line. The fact that it was featured on `The Matrix' should have been a clue to this; other artists on it were Rage Against The Machine and Marilyn Manson. `Man Next Door' is initially reminiscent of `Exchange' and that track's shortcomings, in that it again is not a Massive Attack song and is similarly retro. But, in the context of the album, it works fine, what with its themes of suburban paranoia, Horace Andy's almost rude pronunciation of `fight' and the fact that it's very melodicism is welcome after the nuclear bomb of sound that was `Dissolved Girl'. `Black Milk' is the album's most danceable track, a hip-hoppy song that utilises Fraser's lolloping vocals and fuses it with a deep grooving bass line and synths to provide the album with the closest thing it has to bombast. `Mezzanine' and `Group Four' are the albums landmark progressive tracks, and should be taken as one epic 14-minute track, as they both share the new found heavily electric sounds that are the album's trademark. With their dark, vicious intensity, they could certainly teach Korn or Slipknot a thing or two about the fusion of rap and electric guitars. Whereas those groups are just axes, coming down on you in one fell swoop, Massive Attack is a shower of acid rain, permeating the melody constantly. Although this makes the album sound depressing, it is not (moody is the word), and Fraser's psychedelic interplay with 3d on `Group Four' is quietly exhilarating. `Group Four' is progressive rock, and I don't mean that in the derogatory manner with which it is usually intended. An eight minute epic, it is a perfect climax for the album. Except, in a magnificent coup, the album does not end there, but reprises `Exchange'. As with the previous albums, Horace Andy reappears for the final track, and he sings delicately and soulfully over the vamped up `Exchange', which has a heavier bass and several elements stripped away. The album ends not on fade out, nor a big epic blow out, but the sound of vinyl scratching. It seems strangely fitting, and I can't help but feel that this is the only version of `Exchange' that is required. `Mezzanine' is true heavy metal, an industrial strength hulk of steel, jamming out conversely fragile and brilliant melodies over its finely tuned sonic barrage.
  
  

• multileveled magic

  
  By A30B8DOR8U4LH on 2002-08-02
  Mezzanine was fixed, almost permanently in my car for two years. Now, it shares space with Morcheeba and Hooverphonic and Portishead, who also enjoyed semi-permanent status. Thing with Mezzanine is, there are so many levels of sound that every time you listen to it, you hear something new. That in itself is a wonder, but the vocals are simply gorgeous, the beats are hypnotic...bone conductive...and the lyrics are completely incomprehensible. With this album, it's all in the sound, which just wraps you up and takes you away. Massive Attack is a an eclectic mix of genres: jazz, pop, folk, rap, blues, even classical. They take what they need from each and create their own, unique sound. One of the best things about this album is the unique style of each cut: different vocalists, different styles, totally different sounds, but all absolutely Massive. I could not rate this album higher. I'm not a kid, I'm well past the half-century mark but always searching for really good new music and Mezzanine delivers in spades. The very first song on the album, Angel, has been in five films that I know of, including The Matrix! Why these movie guys never got past the first song is anybody's guess, but the rest of the album is just as good as the beginning. It just keeps getting better. I know Massive has a new album coming out and I'm almost afraid to hear it; equalling Mezzanine would be an amazing feat, but to best it seems impossible. Mezzanine just may be my favourite album of all time, ever, but be warned: you need a very good sound system to hear it all. There is nothing simple here.
  
  

• Dark, brooding, phenomenal genius (now with big guitars!)

  
  By on 1998-05-31
  With their third album, Massive Attack reclaim the "trip hop" (see Tricky, Portishead, Morcheeba, et al) throne while taking the music in a darker direction than their previous efforts (none of which are exactly "Walking on Sunshine," knowwotImean?). The core rapping duo of 3-D (sinister whispers) and Daddy Gee (deep-voiced nonsequiturs) really stand out here, especially on the title track and "Risingson." Frequent guest Horace Andy also gives a pair of great vocal contributions on the haunting opener "Angel" (which boasts some of the deepest sounding bass ever recorded)and the dubby "Man Next Door." Personally, I find myself lacking any strong reaction to Elizabeth Frasier's (ex(?)-Cocteau Twin) presence; her vocals are certainly good, but surprisingly more "there" than standing out. The main differences between this and previous Massive Attack albums are the "bigger" (read: louder!) beats (especially on the latter half of "Angel") and the greater use of guitar -- where previous songs like "Protection" found the guitar riding along rhythmically, it frequently breaks through into some great leads/breaks, as on "Group Four." So far, this is the best album of 1998.
  
  

• Unlike anything else.

  
  By ANL4DX4QWLEQI on 2000-03-26
  More than much-touted releases from Portishead or Goldie or Radiohead, Mezzanine opened my ears to the breathtaking possibilities of contemporary music and production techniques. It's definitely one of the most vividly realized albums I've ever heard, from any genre of music. At the same time, it's drastically different than the laid-back Blue Lines debut or the eclectic, dancy Protection. These are dense, lugubrious, menacingly dark tunes, perfect for cruising aimlessly in your black Beamer, looking cool. Also great headphone music--in fact, I'd say it's essential that one listens to this record through 'phones at least once, just to catch all the subtleties. The first four songs are a hypnotic series that draw you into this album entirely. Teardrop has especially entrancing, beautiful vocals from Liz Fraser. The two versions of Exchange are tinged with jazz and recall the laid-back motif of Blue Lines. The second half of Mezzanine is even darker and slower-paced than the beginnings. This album is a unique treasure that belongs in your library if you're a fan of well-produced and well-written music.
  
  

• Truly a trip hop masterpiece

  
  By AXFI7TAWD6H6X on 2003-04-09
  I haven't been into Massive Attack for too long, probably a couple of years now. "Mezzanine" was my very first MA album. I bought it because I heard nothing but good things about this group as well as this album. The rest is all history. I have their other three albums ["Blue Lines", "Protection", and "100th Window"]. I think of all the MA albums I own, "Mezzanine" resonates with me the most. The music is dark and foreboding, lyrically and musically. The cd starts off with the dark sounds of "Angel". I particularly love that songs for the dark, slow, hip hop beats mixed with the haunting vocals. The choices in samples is astounding, if not refreshing. Normally I loathe the use of samples but Massive Attack is able to use samples and manipulate them into a totally different sound than what the original artist intended. My personal favorite songs off "Mezzanine" has to be "Man Next Door" and "Teardrop". Those songs are simply amazing. I recently put in "Mezzanine" into my cd player for the first time in months, and amazingly enough it still holds up very well in today's current music scene. I really think that "Mezzanine" set a standard for the whole genre of trip hop music. It is one of the best albums in that genre as well as one of the best albums in general to come out in the past decade or two.
  
  
• A Dark Ocean Of Ambient Beauty
  By A3HTX1NOTTWERP on 2005-04-26
  There are some albums that, even if you don't own them, you are familiar with because they have built up a reputation over the years. Massive Attack's "Mezzanine" is one such album; I think from the time of this album's release in 1998, I have always known - just from looking at the cover - just who it was by. I never really had any desire to buy it, either, but five months ago I did. I'm not going to hail this album as one of my all-time favourites, because I don't think it is, but it certainly is an amazing album. If you can appreciate truly dark music (we're talking darker than dark) then this album is for you, most definitely.
  
  I suppose this is the kind of album you could lay on your bed to in the pitch dark, with your eyes closed, and just unfolding, letting the sound seep into your brain. The beats are deep and penetrating, the bass is pounding, reverberating like sound waves through water; at once near, then a million miles away. The sounds echo around you before drawing closer, disappearing, and then expanding all the time, closing in on themselves and crumpling under their own lead-heaviness. Imagine this album in Surround Sound. I bet it's incredible...
  
  The album opens with the moody "Angel." This haunting and epic ballad begins with a distant bass which draws closer and louder, before the vocals of a mysterious female draw you in. "You...are my angel," she whispers, before telling us she loves us, then letting the really magic begin. From that small particle of sound that opened the song grows a monster of a song, powered by a chugging beat that is relentless until the song's outro. "Risington" is an incredible piece of work, and was the first song to be debuted from the album in 1997. This song opens like echoes through water leading to the sooty vocals of a deep male voice. The chorus is incredible, and the dizzy but tranquil serenity before it is perfectly chilled. Clicks and bleeps reverberate in the background like a helicopter growing closer. The beat is twisted and primal at time, mixing perfectly with the lyrics, "Toy-like people make me boy-like." Unquestionably the greatest song on the album follows, in the form of the absolute classic "Teardrop." This is definitely one of my favourites songs of all time, because I am just in awe at its construction. The way the haunting vocals of Liz Fraser weave a sparkling web around the pounding heartbeat of a bass is awe-inspiring. Such a simple yet complex song. The first minute is incredible, as we gradually hear the bass getting louder before those sunlit vocals shine light into the immense darkness created by the piano. As the voice of that Goddess teeters on the edge around the fourth minute, before tumbling into the darkness, you'll experience something profoundly moving. Trust me.
  
  "Inertia Creeps" is a song that has an unnerving quality to it and has the ability to make me rather paranoid. I'm not sure why, but I just get a strange chill whenever I hear this! The bass is deep and pounding, as the beat bounces off the walls of your headphones and crashes into your brain. "Exchange" is probably the nearest you'll get to relative happiness on this album. The beat is rather soothing and relaxing, and there's a feeling of serenity about the whole four minutes of this instrumental. "Dissolved Girl" is one of my favourite songs from the album. It's also one of the catchiest songs on the album. It opens with a bass that will make your head spin due to the dizzy, repetitive nature of it. The vocals by the mysterious female work amazingly, bringing out a rather vulnerable and confused woman amongst the smothering darkness. "Man Next Door" opens brilliantly with a beat that sounds distant, with further-distant beats bouncing off from it. This is also one of my favourite songs from the album, because the story that is created is rather spooky, but with a humorous tone. The vocals seem a little unusual with a slight giggle in them, as the man sings of a strange men next door and of the things he gets up to.
  
  "Black Milk" has a distant intro before a static buzz filters in. This song sounds like the soundtrack to an alternative club in the middle of space, floating around. You could imagine this song being in an advert, as a man stares at a woman in a club, no speaking from anyone, only body language. The song has that edge to intimidate you, and I think you can't help but visualise a scenario if you close your eyes. The album's title track, "Mezzanine," has a deep and pulsating throb that courses through the blood stream of this euphoric song. The darkness of this album is at its peak here, with whispered vocals and chattering beats clicking on and off in the background. The longest song on the album is "Group Four," at over 8 minutes in length. This is a really great song that creeps into your ears with the stark contrast between whispered male vocals and angelic, sparse female vocals. The man mumbles effectively as the woman expresses herself so beautifully with an almost operatic vocal style. The album closes with "(Exchange)" which is a great outro track for this album. The job of this song, in my opinion, is to gently bring you back down to earth after the amazing high that the previous ten songs put you on. Something is needed to ground you safely, and this song is the perfect antidote. A beautiful end to an incredibly dark masterpiece.
  
  OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
  
  This is by far the darkest album I own. This is not particularly true in lyrical content, but it is most definitely true in the case of the music you actually hear. Because this album is so profound, it has managed to almost create a genre for itself; think of visually dark music and this album will come out top nearly every time, I can guarantee it. The blend of trip-hop, electronica and dance is rather incredible, and something I am accustomed to being such a huge Björk and Radiohead fan. Granted, this album isn't for everyone, and it took me these five months to truly appreciate everything on offer, but once you get into it you won't be able to stop listening. The darkness on this album is the temptation in your soul, and you will give in every time; you're putty in this album's hands.
  
  
• A Personal Favorite
  By ANL4DX4QWLEQI on 2000-03-25
  More than much-touted releases from Portishead or Goldie or Radiohead, Mezzanine opened my ears to the raw possibilities of contemporary music and production techniques. It's definitely one of the most vividly realized albums I've ever heard, from any genre of music. At the same time, it's drastically different than the laid-back Blue Lines debut or the eclectic, dancy Protection. These are dense, lugubrious, menacingly dark tunes, perfect for cruising aimlessly in your black Beamer, looking cool. Also great headphone music. The first four songs are a hypnotic series that draw you into this album entirely. Teardrop has especially entrancing, beautiful vocals from Liz Fraser. The two versions of Exchange are tinged with jazz and recall the laid-back motif of Blue Lines. The latter half of Mezzanine is even darker and slower-paced than the beginnings. This album is a unique treasure that belongs in your library if you're a fan of quality, experimental music.
  
  
• The Essential Late Nite CD...
  By A7OH3IRY8XGTR on 2003-04-03
  This is Massive Attack's essential work. It is the greatest midnight to early hour chill-out album ever created, an amazing blend of hip hop, rock, r&b, reggae, and soul seem to combine into one completely mind-blowing masterpiece. The complexity, yet beauty, of these tracks allow you to re-discover the songs over and over again.

  "Angel" sets the mood for the album, my favorite track on the CD if I had to pick one (appeared on the movie "Snatch," which originally got me into Massive Attack). It's an incredible gem that puts you in a trance.

  Every song has an addictive beat and rhythm, and most noticeably in the hip-hop style tracks, such as "Inertia Creeps" and "Mezzanine," both outstanding. My favorite of this style is "Rising Son," amazing vocals purified with a hypnotic beat.

  Songs like "TearDrop" and "Dissolved Girl" allow the female vocalists of the group to shine, and they do a great job. Theses tracks provide a "cool out" to the album which fits perfectly. Other tracks which are very good are "Man Next Door," a catchy reggae tune, and "Black Milk." The only couple tracks I didn't get into were the two "Exchanges." To me, they're the only two rather dull moments on this '98 release, but who knows? Maybe I just haven't gotten into them yet.

  An interesting point. I only got into Massive Attack, and especially this album, in 2002. I say this because I feel "Mezzanine" is the most timeless in their impressive collection. I recommend all their CDs, "Protection" is really good and "Blue Lines" is a classic, but to me the music from it is stuck in the 90s. This album will stand the test of time, pop it in 20 years from now and it will still be the essential late nite mix...
  
  

• Have I got views for you
  By A11F8K3BXY0IME on 2004-10-28
  In 'Mezzanine', Massive Attack main-man Robert Del Naja has summoned from the dark abyss an extraordinary record, best served in the safety of your own home with all doors and windows safely locked.
  There ought to be an advisory sticker warning against playing this on your Walkman while walking down dark alleys. Edgy, brooding, menacing - this is sonic murk of the highest calibre.
  Opening song `Angel' would have been used by Hitchcock had he re-made Psycho in a Blade Runner setting. Prowling, phased drums and a hypnotic bass line build to an eruption of distorted guitar chords and a disturbing vocal delvery.
  Defining moments come aplenty. A minute into 'Teardrop', Liz Frazer's haunting vocal shudders into life against a crystal-clear heartbeat and instrumentation designed for atmosphere over and above any dance floor ambitions.
  Chilled-out? Frazer's vocal delivery is as blissful and mesmerising as anything she has done during or after her Cocteau Twins career. The effect knocks `Song to the Siren' into the same cocked hat that Neil Davidge threw out with the rubbish when he began producing this album.
  `Inertia Creeps' bursts to life with the type of Byzantine chaos that litters Peter Gabriel albums. Here, as with the band's groundbreaking `Blue Lines' album, hip-hop vocal influences sneak through, but on Mezzanine the words are whispered rather than blasted through a megaphone. Goth-hop anyone?
  Throughout the production, bass lines register on a level that never leaves the pit of your stomach. Intelligently crafted drum and synthesizer loops augment rather than overpower the songs.
  This album was voted number 15 in Q magazine's list of 100 all-time best British albums. The Prodigy's `Fat of the Land' only made 47. It's not hard to see why this dark, brooding, monster of an album is considered so highly by critics. It's a work of true genius.
  
  
  
• one of the best cd's ever released
  By A15ZQS4DSTNR8H on 2002-12-05
  i have approximately 1500 cd's spanning almost every genre imagineable. and this is the one of the best cd's ive ever had the pleasure of owning. From an objective standpoint the work on this cd so perfectly reaches its aim that while listening to it (from the first track) you can tell how flawlessy it has been engineered... subjectively, there is no way to describe it. it fits in no genre. its almost like a mirror of the rap-rock 'movement', except instead of rap there is singing from several different vocalist (most notably elizabeth frasier from the cocteau twins) and instead of rock there is guitar distortion, moogs, keyboards and a slew of undefinable sounds.
  definate chill-out music

  the final product is smooth, dark, sly, uplifting and entrancing. the replay value for this cd is a perfect 10 out of 10.

  The last bit of info i can give on this cd is this, its the only cd i own that EVERY SINGLE PERSON I HAVE PLAYED IT FOR HAS GOTTEN A COPY OF THEIR OWN... and if your into this one check out portishead, ruby, massive attacks previous album protection, tricky, bjork, everything but the girls 95' album 'walking wounded', and peter gabriel (especially the new one: 'UP'...
  
  

• WARNING: ITS ADDICTIVE
  By on 2000-12-27
  (A long review but I feel that I should share my story)

  I dont believe most of the critics, because they have different musical tastes than i do, but TRUST ME ON THIS ONE.

  I own 400 cds and this is by far, THE BEST OF ALL OF THEM. Mezzanine is the perfect CD. I consider this album to be in the company of Blood on the Tracks, Dark side of the Moon, Rumours, Cypress Hill's first one, PE's Nation of Millions, and Ten as the greatest Cds of their respective times.

  Mezzanine flows perfectly from one song to the next. [Many people have stated to me how much they like thisalbum].

  When I first purchased this CD, i planned on doing homework. Normally, when I listen to CDs for the first time, I sample an excerpt of each song to get a feel for it. However when I started listening to Mezzanine, I could not bring it upon myself to skip to the next song. I was sucked in by it. Nor could I concentrate on my studies, because I was mezmerized by the beauty and originality of the album. (I am a decent student, so I usually dont have a problem studying). Needless to say, I sat for 5 hours and listened to the Cd over and over again.

  The following night, I lent the CD to a friend so I could actually study. However the following day, HE WOULD NOT GIVE IT BACK, because he was hooked. I told him to keep it and bought myself another copy.

  No matter what type of music you like, I recommend this CD. I cannot listen to certain songs. When listening to Mezzanine, like Dark side of the moon, I like to set aside an hour or so, to listen to it in its entirety.

  I strongly suggest listening to this CD with headphones to get its full effect.
  
  

• simply unbelievable
  By A2GBWXM04DXSTG on 2000-05-21
  its now the year 2000, and two years after this album's release, it still remains the first and foremost in musical innovation and just downright grooviness. i am a big fan of complicated music. when a sound, riff or melody seeps into my listening experience even after hearing it numerous times before, i think it is the mark of true music genius. and this ablum does seep, crawl, stalk, flow, seethe, and pulse with sounds, vocals and beats blended into a never before accomplished masterpiece. the music is as layered and complicated as the new NIN cd, but with a groove known only as trip hop. this music is cool, cutting edge, dark, erotic and hypnotic. play it loud at a party for its sheer sound, or low in the middle of the night with your siginificant other. a few of the songs with the female vocalist remind me much of the gothic sound of switchblade symphony, only with sexier, less dated musical support. this album never stops, it'll never leave your cd player. be prepared. leave the boy boy bands and all the mtv trash behind, and come into a world of intelligent, sexy, and challenging music known as massive attack.........
  
  
• This album destroys pretty much everything else
  By A1LBYOVDWDRS6Z on 2005-02-04
  I won't waste time repeating what others have said about this album. I discovered this record in 2001 and I couldn't believe what I had been missing for 3 years. This is just one of those CD's that just opened my eyes and made me look at music differently.
  
  This album is dark, intense, intelligent, and original. It is art.
  
  
• Still Outstanding After 2 Years
  By on 2002-11-21
  I have owned this CD for two years now. Usually after 2 years, I dont put reviews in because I have moved on to other music genres and artists. This is an exception. I must spread the word.

  When I bought Mezzanine, being from New Jersey, I had never heard of M.A. I was pleasantly surprised and perplexed. How come I didnt hear of this group before? The different music styles used blew my mind. I had never heard any music even slightly close to this before. Anyways, I listened to it nonstop for at least 6 months upon purchase. I must say it is still a great CD and is still included in my rotation.

  I will warn you that this album is addictive. It will suck you in. If you are one of those singer-songwriter lyricist freaks, you may not be phased by its charm and you may not like this CD. The lyrics are not complex, but the outstanding music makes up for that. The music is dark, mechanical, and engineered for perfection.

  Personal note: Over the last 3 years, I have purchased about 250 CDs. I feel that Mezzanine, Radiohead's Kid A, Chicane's Behind the Sun, Doves' Lost Souls, Jay-Z's Blueprint, and Lincoln Park would be among the best. Yes, this CD is that good. If you like to chill--be sure to check out Chicane and the Doves. Not many people (that I know) are familiar with them. They are great.
  
  

• yes, of course it is.
  By A280PLM8DLQ7XX on 2004-12-05
  i'm not going to go into how mezzanine is the tightest album ever made
  because there are a lot of albums that i have not heard
  and its ridiculous to suggest that there is nothing to compete
  but i will say this.
  mezzanine is the tightest album that i have heard.
  and i have heard a relatively large amount of music.
  it took a long time to get into
  i am ashamed to say, i disdained it for many months - even after i got into protection, and then blue lines
  it was too inaccessible for me
  i don't know
  i was young, foolish.
  i now understand the error of my ways.
  i listen to it regularly.
  the worst day of my life was when someone stole my copy of it.
  
  it is great music to write to, to ignore, to immerse oneself in, to make love to, to attempt to match as a musician and always fall short.
  and, yes nothing else they have done compares.
  (not to say that the other music they made wasn't tight)
  i'm not going to go on about each of the individual tracks
  i actually like the second half a lot, though, i will say that.
  people tend to knock everything after inertia creeps, but the climax is in fact my favorite part.
  what makes the album so good is not any of the particular tracks
  but the overall experience that it is
  it must be experienced as a whole.
  
  that is all.
  
  
  clear
  
  
• Inertia Creeps, baby!
  By A3KGYTO6CF8MGF on 2001-09-24
  I don't know whay but one day I just felt compelled to buy something by Massive Attack. Other than hearing a few samples on the radio once and obtaining their song "Teardrop" from the Pure Moods 2 compilation I didn't know much, if anything about this band. So warily I took my chances and decided on their latest release, Mezzanine. I usually don't buy things on a whim but for some reason this seemed an exception to the rule. So despite the ugly cover art I purchased, took it home, and then popped it into my CD player and let it sit there on repeat until I came to a baffled conclusion... I wasn't sure WHAT to make of this. It's not like I threw it across the room in disgust or anything but at first I felt uncertain... Then suddenly, like lightning it just struck me and on contact I loved it. From the smooth, heavy bassline of "Angel" to the sassy eroticism of "Inertia Creeps" and "Group Four," featuring Liz Fraser from Cocteau Twins, I could no longer resist their funky undertones of hip-hop and electronic soundwaves with the additional trip-hop flava thanks in part to the guest vocalists of Sara Jay and Tricky-esqued Horace Andy.

  Other than that, though, I really don't know what else to say about this incredible album. I'm not saying that everything on Mezzanine hasn't been done before and that it's flawless but it's still a treat to the ears. So if you don't already own this than I advice you do so - and soon - For the sake of yourself.
  
  

• Transcending the dust of time
  By A2T90CCCPWJN6R on 2004-02-01
  Mezzanine influenced a whole generation and united numerous people all over the world on the Massive Attack message board. But by all its greatness, you'll still discover particular songs you like better than others.

  Take "Angel": a mysterious voice is floating above a tribal beat, making battle to a menacing bass guitar. When the sweeping guitars take over, there's no escape anymore. You're captivated by this "Angel", your mystique companion on the way to the "Mezzanine". "Risingson" finds you trapped in the wrong movie: whistling winds are
  followed by helicopter motor sounds. They seem to foresay the end of the world...Wrong! The causes of so much pathos are a petty alcohol problem and a party you're dying to leave- this is how overstatement's done! More of this on the excellent title track. It deals with people's common weaknesses- that is if you bother to decifer the lyrics. If not, you'll think it's about stealing holy relics on a stormy Friday 13 night. "Black Milk" is either the perfect soundtrack to your most intriguing nightmare, or the best background sex music. "Group four" offers more of that sexy tension: imagine rocking out with Eleanor of Aquitaine's ghost and you get the full picture. This is what "Mezzanine" excels at: taking the listener to a different world and painting it with the most luminous, vivid colors.

  As there is the dark side of the moon, it's only logical for "Mezzanine" to have a more light, mellow side. "Teardrop" is the ultimate chillout song where Liz Fraser impersonates a crystal tear. "Man next door" surprises with its semi-optimistic mood, Horace Andy's voice can't but lift you to a higher ground. Even the filler instrumental
  "Exchange" sounds beautiful on the vocal version. Sure, some of those tracks may have a bit of that letdown feel but that's the fate of decent songs on truly exceptional albums.

  Then you've got "Inertia Creeps" and "Dissolved Girl", the tracks that build the bridge between the brooding and the relaxing tunes. Both of them illustrate the emotional whirlwind which defines Massive Attack's music.

  I could go on for ages just reliving the feelings this album evokes in me, but a short, laconic conclusion will do: "Mezzanine" is the album you need to enrich bleak days of routine work. I warn you not to overdo it 'cause addiction can end in hatred.

  Note to the reader: It took me a long time to come up with this review. I was never sure from which angle to write- MA's musical evolution, the clash of egos in the project, the fictional trip-hop genre etc. However, I decided the music is the only thing which matters, and not the hype around it. If you agree/disagree with this approach, feel free to make it known by clicking one of the buttons beneath the review.
  
  

• Ready to lose yourself?...
  By A2F71NW8CW3QKZ on 2002-02-09
  When listening to Massive Attack's Mezzanine, "disturbing" is the first word to come to mind. "Dark" does not do justice to its surreal, vibrantly psychotic sound. I think of Mezzanine as the soundtrack to a nightmare-one of those really scary life-changing ones that you only have once or twice in your life. This album is literally disturbing on every level, but there is something mesmerizing about its ability to consistently scare the hell out of you. It buries itself in your subconsciousness and doesn't let go. It's not just the slow, thumping beats and ambient noises that make this so odd-the eerie voicework and lyrics are the other half of the dark journey that is Mezzanine. The album kicks off with the surreal, mind-bending "Angel", which features Horace Andy's disturbing voice (which, I must admit, gives the song a huge impact). Next up is my favorite, "Risingson", the lyrics of which get more and more incoherent as it goes on, (and even when you do understand them, they're so bizarre you think you heard them wrong-"see you go down / to the men's room sink / strange that we talk / how the madmen think") yet at the same time being probably the most memorable of any of the songs on Mezzanine. "Teardrop" features Liz Frazer of Cocyteau Twins fame, whose voice, though beautiful, holds a very dark energy all its own. Perhaps the most breathtakingly surreal (and definitely one of the best done) of all of the songs is the title track, Mezzanine, which never quite builds to a satisfying crescendo, instead thumping and swirling around your mind for what seems like forever. Its sterile, liquid sound fills in the world around you in a way you never notice until it's EVERYWHERE.

  Mezzanine is not for the faint of heart. It will most likely scare you far more than you think it will, but it's so amazingly enticing that it's hard to let go once the dark roar of "Angel" fills your head. By the time you get to "(Exchange)", the last track, you'll wonder where you are. . . turn off the lights, put on a good pair of headphones (which are required for the most part, as Mezzanine just doesn't feel right coming out of ordinary speakers), and relax. Let Massive Attack's psychosis become your own for an hour. When you wake up from this nightmare, you'll want to go through it all over again. . .
  
  

• Not just for Trip Hop Fans
  By A3KWXNSUFXJF1Q on 2001-03-07
  As a fan of all sorts of genres, perhaps the biggest compliment you can give to an album is that it can be enjoyed by people who aren't even familiar with it's genre. I still remember the first time I heard Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. I was not a fan of jazz music at the time, but after I heard that album 3 or 4 times, I was hooked. I had a similar experience with the Clash for punk music. And obviously, both are landmark albums.

  Massive Attack's Mezzanine may not be such a landmark album (Blue Lines was), but I can still place it in the same context as the two albums I have just mentioned. Why? Because this is electronica music that anybody can enjoy. And while purists may call it selling out, I say it's a work of pure genius.

  Okay, now that I got that off my chest, let me say that this is a fantastic album. A huge improvement from Protection. No, they do not break any new ground, but it is thoroughly enjoyable. In my opinion it is Massive Attack's most consistent album yet. And certainly their most focused. With Mezzanine, Massive Attack have created a bleak, seductive, urban soundtrack. Each song is filled with a dark paranoia. Although Tracy Thorn doesn't appear here, Sara Jay and Elizabeth Fraser give fantastic performances that will leave you saying, "Tracy who?" Elizabeth Fraser in particular is absolutely amazing on the sublime "Teardrop", which is to Mezzanine as "Unfinished Symphony" was to Blue Lines. There are also fuzzy guitars throughout the album. The opening track "Angel" is a near perfect blend of rock guitar and trip hop.

  Needless to say, this is one of my favorite trip hop albums. It draws me in, every time I listen to it. Even if you're not a fan of trip hop or electronic music, you will still find this a rewarding album. After hearing Mezzanine, you'll understand why Massive Attack is called "the coolest band in England" Well worth you money.
  
  

• Incredible! They just keep getting better and better...
  By A24H82RJJ7DJJV on 2000-04-11
  Mezzanine shows that despite some personnel changes (both major and minor) Massive Attack is still one of the acts to watch in electronic music. The album is darker,harder and more complex than previous albums. But it shows Massive Attacks'amazing ability to create lush soundscapes using beautiful vocals over sometimes trippy/ sometimes throbbing instrumentation. The addition of more guitars is most welcome and fills out the album quite well. Though I enjoy all the songs on the album, I highly recommend the first three tracks if you prefer the older Massive Attack and tracks four to seven for the new sound. My absolute favorite track is number 6 "Dissolved Girl", it has very light, almost angelic vocals overtop a heedy bassline with an surprisingly hard rockin' guitar/drum interlude, if you are a guitarist/or guitar buff you MUST hear this song, it'll surprise you. If you don't own this record already I highly suggest you buy this one and join the attack on it's quest to conquer the world.
  
  
• Dark, intriguing, and sublime at times... Strangely beautiful.
  By A2F9EZBI7JFBKU on 2005-08-21
  What can I say that hasn't been said before? Very little I suppose, but let me throw my two cents in.
  
  This is a trip-hop classic. It is slow electronic music over heavy hip-hop beats adorned by incredibly luscious sexy female vocals (and the occasional male vocals). The music is slow, dark, accompanied by heavy beats and perfectly well-timed scratchings. Some guitars on ocassion help to give the overall dark feel of the album.
  
  Truly a very unique album that trip-hop fans will enjoy, and a perfect introduction for newcomers to the genre. Fresh till this day. But beware, it is a very deep and complex album that may take a few listens before truly enjoying all its depth.
  
  Think of it as the soundtrack of a thriller movie in the order of a "silence of the lambs" or "kiss the girls". That might help you get an idea of the kind of music I'm talking about. It is sexy and classy, but it is also paranoid and schizophrenic.
  
  Three words for you: Excellent but Dark.
  
  
• Darkness will surround you...
  By A3A7BJDWEE7WS8 on 2001-05-22
  The first time I heard a song from this album I was at home winding down after a night out at a wherehouse party and was flipping thru channels, when a video caught my eye on mtv which before having m2, was rare. I left it on and it was the video for "Teardrop" and I was in a word, awestruck. Not only was it visually something different from the standard videos playing of the time, but the song was unlike that which mtv normally played. Up to that point I had heard some Massive Attack here and there but never a full album, and the next day I went out and bought this cd and have been a big fan ever since.

  Mezzanine is probably my favorite Massive Attack album, possibly because it is the first one I really listened to and it introduced me to their music. Featuring a wide range of vocalists, from male rappers like Tricky, to haunting female singers such as the guest vocalist on teardrop Liz Frazer of The Cocteau Twins, and others. The sound of the album is very full, with a lot of time very obviously spent on the production and layering of sounds on every track. Make no mistakes this is not an album of radio singles, this is an album made to create a mood and take the listener to a specific place, and it does it perfectly in my opinion.

  If you enjoy Portished, Lamb, Tricky, or any trip hop artists at all, I can only say that you need to get this album soon. If you're unfamiliar with the genre, but are a music fan and enjoy well produced music with good songwriting behind the production, and enjoy darker non radio friendly music, this is a great purchase. It's perfect background music for when a few friends come over, for a rainy day at home, or for a romantic night in. Whenever I play this album for someone unfamiliar with it the reaction is almost always the exact same. "Who is this? Wow, I dig it, I need to go buy a copy"
  
  

• Incredible.
  By on 1999-08-14
  This is the first time I have given a 5-star rating to anything here. I bought this CD because people were comparing Massive Attack to Portishead (another great band), and I was pleasantly surprised to find music in the same vein, but much richer and more interesting. Massive Attack have a lot of variety in their textures, beats, and vocals, something you can't always say about Portishead. In addition, not all the songs are about pathos, which makes them better for general listening (and surprisingly, driving music). The selective use of electric guitars definitely (not definately!) enhances the music. Every single track on this album is good; the only faults are possibly #'s 5 and 11, which are a little dull. Intermission/Outro music, perhaps? Anyway, if this truly is their *worst* album, as some of these reviews have stated, then I can't wait to hear the other two. Buy it if you're into electronic music/'trip-hop'.
  
  
• Unarguably the best Massive Attack Album.
  By A2SDC18ZNSY3VC on 2006-05-22
  This Cd was just so smooth, mellow, and sensual. I can't think of one track on it that I didn't like or hate. It was a masterpiece from start to finish. My favorite tracks on it had to be Dissolved girl, Man next door, Inertia Creeps, Risingson, and Mezzanine. If your into Portishead, You'll love this album.
  
  
• This is the opening theme to House
  By A2PBT640NC1SHU on 2006-03-31
  I was amazed with this group, originally I was looking for the opening theme music to the show House and tracked it down to Teardrops. Very sensual song if you really listen to the music.
  
  Over all a nice surprise.
  
  
• One of the best all around cds... ever!
  By A2SJXOV5UTYBJU on 2005-11-04
  Just be warned, this is not for everyone. But if you have an open mind and some patience, I think you'll agree with the 5 star review. Keep this in mind, Thom Yorke of Radiohead said it best, "You don't have to be loud to be angry."
  
  There is so much more going on in this music than the casual and first time listener realizes. The trip-hop, tribal and house beats and full of obscure and sometimes downright confusing lyrics. People can classify this as gothic or techno or house or trip-hop or whatever. I hate classifying musical artists because inevitably, that can deter people from giving it a chance. Truth is, I don't know how to classify this. It's something truely different than any ofther cd I've owned.
  
  It has synthesized beats, haunting vocals by both men and women, and a very eerie and innocent but sinister vibe. There shouldn't be anything offensive to anyone on this cd, but the actual soundscape might make people think it's a little evil, but it's so not.
  
  My favorite song is either track #8 "Black Milk" with it's angelic vocals with a tense beat or track #10 "Group Four" with it's rollercoaster effect and very intelligent sound engineering. The first time you listen to this cd, you might think that the songs are all over the place. But after further listens, it's more of a conceptual cd. It feels like a story. It's an absolute treasure for anyone wanting a relaxing and extremely inventive album to listen all the way through.
  
  
• Music you can't take out of your CD player!
  By AM29FF4K9EKVN on 2002-08-26
  I put the Cd in my car and couldn't even go home - I had to drive around and take a road trip to hear it all. I have had the CD in my car for a week (one of 6, but this one gets played the most) and I can't stop listening to it.
  All songs peek your interest, all songs are different, but all seem to maintain a flow. If you've heard songs from other albums by this band, don't think that this one will be the same. They made a huge change just like FSOL did with their new album. This is not one of those CDs you end up liking one or two songs on it. This is a CD you put in when you don't want to use your remote or just want to drive and think in peace. It's the best I've heard in years.
  
  
• Dont Listen---Just Buy
  By on 2001-05-19
  This is no ordinary CD. It is a disease. After listening to Mezzanine, I listen to other CD's but become disappointed because they do not come close to the perfection of Mezzanine.

  If you are tired of boring and redundant rock, hip-hop, and rap-rock that are on the radio these days, check out Mezzanine. Mezzanine breaks many musical boundaries by blending various forms of music. I will warn you though, once you hear Mezzanine, you may reject the boring radio music. Nuff said, read the other 180+ reviews for details.
  
  

• A dark, brooding classic masterpiece
  By on 1999-09-30
  The song "Group Four" is alone worth the price of this album. I've never heard a more haunting, eerie melody than the one sung by Liz Fraser on this one. The song can be seen as in two parts. The first part has one of MA's regular's (Del Naja?) alternating vocals with the beautiful voice of Liz Fraser. The second part has the best music on the album as Liz's vocals meld with the driving, malevolent guitars for 3 exquisite minutes. Stunning and frightening. All the other songs are strong as well, especially "Black Milk", and "Angel", the opening track which sets the tone of the album wonderfully. This is my favorite MA album. As the century ends, "Mezzanine" is the only album out there that sounds like music from the next century. Who knows? The Massive Attack trio are probably time travelers and have brought us this gift. Don't wait - listen to it now.
  
  
• If you buy only one MA album, this is it.
  By AAV3HU72C3R3G on 2005-08-24
  You've heard their music in commercials and movies and may not have realized it. I didn't until I picked this album up within the past six months. Of it, Blue Lines, and 100th Window (only ones I have), it's the best, and that is clearly in consensus with other MA fans. This is a very good album...just really interesting and exceptional musically.
  
  If you're at all interested in this kind of music, you cannot go wrong with Mezzanine.
  
  EDIT: I've actually been listening to this album more over the last 24 hours and am now of the opinion that it's more masterful than I originally thought. It's easily listenable from start to finish. There are no weak songs. If you think you've found a weak song, you've just not listened to it enough yet. This album will be especially enjoyable for somebody with a good sound setup (be it high quality earphones or, preferably, a nice car stereo) because some of its bass lines are truly praiseworthy.
  
  As others have alluded to, or stated, this is the kind of CD that holds a constant spot near the top of one's music collection. I knew it was good, but only now do I fully understand that fact. Isn't it a breath of fresh air when a single album is full of such greatness and not just one or two songs, as with 99% of the music out there?
  
  

• 100th Window
• Blue Lines
• Protection
• Dummy
• Collected