Massive Attack Trades Beats for Sleep

MASSIVE ATTACK
Heligoland
[Virgin-2010]

After 2003’s 100th Window [Virgin] was derided by many critics as an exercise in treading water, suggesting Massive Attack should shift gears and distance themselves from their trademark gloomy trip-hop, it looks like the Bristol ensemble took notice.

Be careful what you wish for.

Although they each have their moments, the band's first two albums—Blue Lines [Virgin-1991], Protection [Virgin-1994]—never impressed us much. They were competent but, ultimately, forgettable representative artifacts of their time that would’ve left the band as mere ‘90s nu-soul footnotes had they not released the groundbreaking, and highly influential trip-hop masterpiece Mezzanine [Virgin-1998].

Five years later, amidst continued personnel upheavals, 100th Window was lukewarmly received despite bearing such gems as the Sinead O’Connor-sung “What Your Soul Sings,” a triumph for both the Irish vocalist and the band. "Stop repeating yourself", detractors said.
And it seems like they listened. Unfortunately.

We're not advocates of artists making the same record again and again, but we certainly don't favor changing course for the hell of it, without some sort of artistic impetus as the catalyst. In any event, it's hard to tell whether Massive Attack succumbed to outside pressure, were influenced by their recent soundtrack work, finally felt it was time for a change, or all of the above.

Regardless, there’s not much of their most recognizable latter-day sonic traits on Heligoland, except for the gloominess that has permeated their best music. Unfortunately, the depth their dark trip-hop gave that bleak sound is for the most part unaccounted for here. And the likes of mainstay vocalist Horace Andy, along with TV on the Radio's Tunde Adibempe, Damon Albarn, Guy Garvey (Elbow), and Hope Sandoval, try their damndest to make up for what is essentially serviceable contemporary soundtrack music; in effect, an updated version of their skilled but not terribly interesting early work.

Highlights: “Babel”, “Paradise Circus”, “Rush Minute”, “Saturday Come Slow”.

Sade is No.1

It's been a almost a decade since the sultry Nigerian-born British songbird released an album, but this week Sade's latest, Soldier of Love [Epic] debuted at the top spot on Billboard's main album chart, with sales of half a million copies off the bat, making it an immediate gold record. Very cool.

The rest of the Top Ten includes albums by Lady Antebellum, Jaheim, Li'l Wayne, Josh Turner, Toby Mac, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, Susan Boyle, and Taylor Swift.

Senator Mellencamp?

AP:

An online effort to draft Hoosier rocker John Mellencamp to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Indiana's Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh is building up steam.

Twitter is abuzz with the rumor and three separate Facebook groups have been set up, with the largest boasting about 2,000 members.

Mellencamp is no stranger to politics. In 2008, he recorded a radio commercial supporting Barack Obama's presidential campaign and requested that Republican candidate John McCain stop playing his songs, including "Our Country" and "Pink Houses," at his rallies.

Mellencamp's songs often have political or social themes. He is a co-founder of Farm Aid.

On Thursday, Mellencamp spokesman Bob Merlis said the musician "has no statement to offer."

Happy Birthday

The Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell monster riffmeister himself, Mr. Tony Iommi (62); on Feb.19th.

Here he is on this gem from Sabbath's 1981 album, Mob Rules: "Voodoo"

Abbey Road Up For Sale

The world famous Abbey Road Studios, where most notably the bulk of The Beatles' albums were recorded (including its namesake, right) as well as Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon; Radiohead's The Bends and OK Computer; and the final albums by both Elliott Smith (Figure 8) and Oasis (Dig Out Your Soul), respectively, has been put up for sale by the cash-strapped EMI label--owner of the legendary facilities--in an attempt to avoid defaulting on a major loan.

Here's a suggestion to someone who might be able to help:

Sir Paul, instead of just bitching about it and remaining on the sidelines like you did when you let Michael Jackson buy your catalog and subsequently place "Revolution" in a Nike ad, buy the damn thing! 16 million dollars for a place that holds a big chunk of your legacy is not that bad a deal, right?

Jay-Z Advises British Music Biz to Streamline

Spinner:

"People have to be smarter about how they A&R, and what they put out," he told the BBC. "Record companies need to catch up to that, someone needs to send them the memo."

Speaking of his time as label boss at Def Jam, he continued:
"I remember the first year I was at Def Jam we put out 56 artists. There's not 56 great artists in the world, and this is one company. One company operating for like, 80 artists in a year. That's just too many."

Now, we don't necessarily disagree with Jay-Z, but since the UK and European music industry seem to be doing much better that its American counterpart--they still have chain stores like FNAC, HMV, Virgin, and even a couple of Tower Records stores in Ireland, for example--they should take the rapper's advice with a grain of salt.

What advice does he have the crumbling US music biz?
That's something we'd genuinely be interested in hearing about.

What We're Listening To

BLACK SABBATH Mob Rules [Warner Bros]
EARTH WIND & FIRE Greatest Hits [Columbia]
GUIDED BY VOICES Half Smiles of the Decomposed [Matador]
ME'SHELL NDEGÉOCELLO Plantation Lullabies [Warner Bros]
JOHNNY PACHECO El Maestro [Fania]

What are YOU listening to?

Kevin Eubanks to Leave Leno's Tonight Show redux

Bandleader/sidekick Kevin Eubanks will be on board when Jay Leno returns to The Tonight Show on March 1st, but won't be sticking around much longer afterwards. (The noted jazz guitarist is said to be interested in touring behind his own projects.) So, who will replace him? Rolling Stone offered up a couple of choices, so we thought we'd come up with five of our own, in alphabetical order:

- Bootsy Collins
Brings humor, soul, and large group experience to the table. Could be a cool counterpart to Jimmy Fallon having The Roots as his house band. Oh, and yeah: he's a legend.

- Danny Elfman
Could be the wackiest dude to ever hold the job, hands down. Though, probably not much going on in the sidekick department. Plus, he's got that insanely lucrative day job.

- Trevor Rabin
The film composer and former Yes guitarist is safe choice but would probably be the last one on this list to be up for consideration.

- Andy Summers
The ex-Policeman has done it before (on The Dennis Miller Show, during the early '90s), is knowledgeable about all kinds of music, has a sense of humor, lives in California, and is not doing much these days. Then again, he is 67 years old, so...

- Dweezil Zappa
Why not? Zappa is a SoCal native familiar w/show business who has experience leading large musical ensembles and a healthy sense of humor. Perfect, right?

Any suggestions?

New Releases

Here are some of the albums that have recently debuted:

LUCIEN DUBUIS TRIO & MARC RIBOT Ultime Cosmos [Enja]
ANGELIQUE KIDJO Oyo [Razor and Tie]
MASSIVE ATTACK Heligoland [Virgin]
ALLISON MOORER Crows [Rykodisc]
SADE Soldier of Love [Epic]

Q: Daddy, what is a Lady GaGa?

A: Bad Eurythmics made by a Madonna / Marilyn Manson wannabe, honey.