Massive Attack: Live At Royal Albert Hall 1998 Vinyl 2LP

The Massive Attack live concert experience is something to behold if you ever get the chance. They flash all sorts of lasers and ominous, anarchic phrases up on the screens behind them and wear full black outfits with sunglasses like they just stepped out of The Matrix, and bring out a revolving cast of heavy hitters that have appeared on their records over the years: Horace Andy, Elizabeth Fraser, Tracy Thorn, Martina Topley-Bird, Hope Sandoval, et al. Over the course of their first three albums they morphed from a bona-fide “UK hip-hop” troupe to being the world’s premier purveyors of dark, paranoid hacker electronica (don’t call it tr*p-h*p), and it’s as if their brooding, cavernous music was made specifically for this experience (as well as big budget film soundtracks). The show documented on this release is probably the best you could ask for, recorded just three months after the release of Mezzanine (it’s unclear whether or not Andrew “Mushroom” Vowles had quit the band yet, but I think that’s him on the cover). Naturally, it’s heavy on tracks from their third (and arguably best) album, with Liz Fraser in a very rare appearance reprising her role on “Teardrop,” and Horace Andy performing selected tracks from each of their albums to date. 3D and Daddy G hold down Protection standouts “Karmacoma” and “Eurochild” without Tricky, who by this point had fucked off and was already like 5 albums deep into his solo career. “Heat Miser,” “Risingson,” “Spying Glass” and a sprawling 13-min version of “Group Four” are other major standouts. 13 tracks in total, spread out over four sides of vinyl, housed in deluxe gatefold jacket.

• double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve
• music label: Let Them Eat Vinyl 2016

reviewed by dissolved girl 06/2018