Review Summary: A haunting trip-hop masterpiece that gets better with every listen and ultimately every second invested in its clandestine brilliance.
Before I had heard about Massive Attack, when I thought about trip hop, I always thought about hallucinogenic drugs. I thought of descriptions I have heard from friends who have had experience with drugs like LSD and PCP and for some reason, Trip Hop seemed like some kind of foreign drug, one that I didn't understand in the slightest. Until I first listened to Massive Attack's "Mezzanine". I was swept off of my feet by some of the darkest, most mesmerizing and ultimately enthralling music I had ever listened to.
"Angel" Is the first track, and the first song by Massive Attack that I had ever heard, and I was blown away by every aspect of it. Horace Andy's astounding vocal performances on "Angel" "Man Next Door" and "Exchange" are very emotionally genuine sounding. On "Man Next Door" it sounds as if he is very disturbed and irritated by the man next door, who "gets him down". However, Andy is only one of the guest singers on this trip through the darkest reaches of human emotion and relationship. Elizabeth Fraser's vocal's are so sweet and innocent sounding in "Teardrop" that one wouldn't believe the darkness that hides behind the lyrics of "Black Milk". Her vocals are a major standout among the haunting beats and chiming notes that give this album a truly haunting atmosphere.
Another key feature of this album's bleak brilliance is in the lyrics. The album's masterful lyrics are subtly sexualized, especially on tracks like "Risingson" and the brilliant Title Track. The title track is one of my personal favorites, as it masterfully refers to a half-relationship, or a "Mezzanine" where the female spends all week with her friends, giving the man "evenings to weekends". Also lyrics like those in "Black Milk" are cryptic and require a great deal of deciphering to discover their true meaning.
"You're not my eater
I'm not your food
Love you for God
Love you for the Mother"
These lyrics from "Black Milk" partly describe the nature of this album, cryptic and deep. The other key part consists of some of the darkest, most haunting and beautiful music that will ever grace your ears. If you don't have this album, it is absolutely essential for any music lover looking for a emotionally deep and satisfyingly dark experience. "Mezzanine" is a haunting trip-hop masterpiece that gets better with every listen and every second invested in its clandestine brilliance.
