Massive Attack -- "Unfinished Sympathy" (1991)

You're the book that I have opened 

And now I've got to know much more 

Massive Attack, a duo from Bristol, England, is given credit by most for inventing the "trip hop" genre, which has been described as a fusion of hip hop and electronica.  This song is from its first CD, "Blue Lines," which was released in 1991.

I discovered Massive Attack only a few years ago.  I don't think I exactly fit the trip hop demographic, but what the hell -- the two Massive Attack CDs I have contain a number of compelling songs.  Most of those songs are at least five minutes long and feature repetitive musical figures that can be quite hypnotic.  Massive Attack's music is about as far away as you can get from the perfect little 3-minute AM radio songs I like so much.

The first Massive Attack CD, "Blue Lines"

This song has no historical connection to Joplin, but I thought it was time for a change of pace from all the late 1960's-early 1970's songs I've been blogging about.  And if I can learn new tricks when it comes to music, maybe some of you other old dogs can as well.  So give these songs a chance -- listen to them a couple of times -- just play them in the background as you do something else.  They will grow on you.

I picked "Unfinished Sympathy" because it popped up on my iPod while I was on my bike this weekend and the lines above seemed to fit the occasion.  I saw a number of old friends at the reunion, but I also made some new friends, which was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise.  But whether we're talking about old friends or new friends, I've just opened the book on who these people are now -- I want to know much more about them. 

Click here to view the music video for "Unfinished Sympathy."

Click here to listen to "Angel," my favorite Massive Attack song. 

And click on the link below to order the song on Amazon: