porkchop

So first thing is first, since I like talking out my ass so much, I have decided that once a month I'll take a genre I have never listened to and listen to a core album in that genre and review it.
Chances are all of these will come out terrible since most of the time I will know close to nothing about what I am listening to. but I think that is more so the point. So people and artists that make or like the genre of music of any album I review can see what it sounds like to an outsider listening in.


Last night I wanted to try another new genre out. Under my radar, Trip Hop. Since the only artist I had ever heard of that was considered Trip Hop was Portishead, I listened to two of their albums, Dummy and self-titled. Under recommendation I was told I should check out Massive Attack's Mezzanine.

Trip Hop was a lot more calmer than I expected. It is somewhat relaxed, which pleased me to an extent. It is certainly one of the more chill genres I have heard under the general electronic area of music. The sounds that Massive Attack and Portishead actually managed to weave surprised me greatly. I came in listening with a some what closed mind, since electronic music isn't usually my thing.

My favorite track on Mezzanine had to be Group Four, I don't usually like long songs in general, but Group Four managed to grab my attention and keep it for all eight minutes and some odd seconds. I thought the opening to the album however was weak, Angel just didn't jump out at me like an opening track should. I don't know if it was just too relaxed for me or what, but it hurt my head to listen to it. I felt like it should have been swapped with Inertia Creeps. I truly feel that would have been a stronger opening. The last two songs were by far the best closing they could have chosen Group Four having already been addressed. (Exchange) being the last song on the album. It was very mellow, and I especially enjoyed the ambient sound to it.

All in all as a first time explorer of this small little speck of the Trip Hop genre, I give Mezzanine a 6.5/10. I would listen to it again if I was in the mood for relaxed electronic music, but I don't quite think it would be something I would reach for in a record collection.

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Ignore everything I say, I'm always talking out of my ass
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