Massive Attack are a Bristol band who pioneered the trip-hop style of music; deep bass and drums and mostly gentle lyrics.  My daughter Laura bought me Protection, their second album and I bought a few others later.  Their first was 1991’s Blue Lines; an instant hit for them with big singles too.   They seem to have captured the zeitgeist of the Dance generation of the 90’s.  A pretty cool album with guest vocalists as became the norm for them.  Best tracks – ‘Safe From Harm’ and ‘Unfinished Sympathy’.  I have never really loved the record though; hard to say why as it is pretty good really.  The follow-up was, for me, THE record by this group – Protection. (1994).    But how much this is down to the superb vocals on 2 tracks by Tracey Thorne (see T) of Everything But The Girl (see E) I am not sure.  In my mind her two tracks are the highlights of the album, especially opener and title track ‘Protection’, but also ‘Better Things’; incidentally Tracey’s involvement coincided with EBTGs superb trip hop album Walking Wounded.  Other highlights include the dub heavy ‘Karmacoma’ and final track – a live ‘Light My Fire’ – the Doors (see D) classic from almost thirty years earlier.  Four years later (slow workers, these guys – the Beatles made 10 albums in 8 years, 2 for Massive) came their third and most successful and soulful record Mezzanine,  a much gentler sound especially on the vocals but great drum and base sounds throughout.  Some excellent tracks again – ‘Angel’, ‘Risingson’ and ‘Inertia Creeps’ and a very accomplished album – but which, for me at least, never really had the impact of Protection.  They have made 2 more albums in the 2010s – and then nothing, except, as seems the fashion remix albums by various DJs. Oh well.  I recently bought a soundtrack album they made to an underground film ‘Danny The Dog’ (2004).  Not sure what to make of this record; at times it seems little more than un-syncopated noise.  Maybe I just haven’t listened enough times but I find I don’t really like this record much at all.  I recently saw the band live at a very rare concert at the O2.  I barely recognised anything and the sound was very very loud, so not sure which direction they are veering off into – if at all.  Another fave 90s band of the same genre Portishead (see P) have been just as elusive and unproductive, barely making any records at all.  Maybe this is the new new; make a couple of huge albums then retire and luxuriate in your millions….hahaha.  I also have a greatest hits Collected (2006) which is great, but the few tracks not on the albums I already have are not that fantastic; in fact they seem quite mundane.  But…..my daughter also bought me a sort-of remix album of Protection – No Protection –Mad professor vs Massive Attack, where the originals are deconstructed and re-recorded.  This seems to be the done thing nowadays – endless re-mixes by this DJ or that DJ.  And the fans still buy them – oh well.  But the album itself is really okay….familiar but not quite, a bit zany in places, but I quite like it. 

George Martin – was, of course, the producer of The Beatles – and a huge part of their success.   Unashamedly trading on that he released an album of Beatles covers which he produced by various artists called In My life.  Actually it is not at all bad, though one or two choices are poor – best are Phil Collins playing and singing the segue from Abbey Road ‘Golden Slumbers’ and the last track – ‘In My Life’ spoken brilliantly by Sean Connery in that wonderful Scottish burr of a voice.

Alice Martineau – A French singer, singing in English.  Not sure where this came from.  It is okay in a way, quite pleasant really – but hardly a star piece in my collection. 

John Martyn – guitarist extraordinaire who took mostly acoustic playing to places nobody had approached before or since.  Not a bad voice either.  He came out of folk and took the genre towards rock and even inspired a much later generation of trip-hoppers with his sublime melodies.  Like many great artists he started in the sixties leaving his native Scotland for London – and his first album was called London Conversation (1967) – not a very inspiring start really, a run-of-the-mill sort of a record; the songs are okay but not brilliant; voice and guitar are pleasant but nothing more and the attempt at Sitar is quite embarrassing.  Best songs – ‘Cocaine’ and Dylan’s ‘Don’t Think Twice’.  Next up is a collaboration with his then wife Beverley Martyn – Stormbringer (1970).  Beverley has a clear high voice, typical of folk-singers from the 60’s.  The album is quite pleasant, the songs are better and John’s voice and guitar exemplary.  Best are the title track, ‘Tomorrow Time’ and ‘Would you believe Me’.   The couple apparently divorced soon after this and John continued on his own.   Which brings me to John’s breakthrough album Bless The Weather (1971).  This was my first purchase and I worked back from there.  This is a classic album of the early Seventies and has long been a real favourite of mine.  The whole thing has such a relaxed feel, the songs drifting into each other with John’s lazy, almost slurred vocals, and great guitar playing just carrying each song.  Hard to pick favourites, but of course the title track is simply wonderful, there is also the instrumental ‘Glistening Glyndbourne’ which is scintillating and shimmering.  There is also ‘Go Easy’ and the rocking ‘Sugar Lump’ but best for me is the quite sad but gorgeous ‘Just Now’.   And like so many other artists, John struggled to make as good a record again, though some came pretty close.  In fact, the follow-up Solid Air the following year was a bigger seller mainly because of the fabulous title track, is almost as good as Bless The Weather.  The song has become an icon for a new generation of blissed out trip hop fans and was years ahead of its time.  It seems to drift in and out and somehow never quite comes to a climax, simply weaving a magic spell around John’s ethereal guitar and gentle voice; a superb track.  The actual album is more varied, with a few faster tracks.  I also love ‘Go Down Easy’ and ‘May You Never’.  Another excellent album.  John was a complicated man, who hovered on the edge of real fame, but never quite achieved it.  He struggled with relationships and his addictions to drugs and alcohol. In fact, his hard drinking resulted in illness, a leg amputation and, eventually, a quite early death.  He continued making excellent albums though.  I don’t have many – I suppose I was too busy with other great artists.  The Seventies were an incredible time with so many wonderful artists that John simply slipped through my net.  My next album is Grace and Danger (1980).  This was actually a break-up album, similar in a way to Dylan’s Blood On The tracks (see D) and Phil Collins’ Face Values (see C) and in fact Phil played drums on this record.  Exposing your heart is a dangerous thing, especially on record, but it can also be therapeutic and part of the healing process.   But somehow, I am not that fond of this record, nice songs mostly but seems a bit meandering really.  Best are ‘Some People Are Crazy’, ‘Johnny Too Bad’ and ‘Hurt In Your Heart’.   My only other studio album is 1986’s Sapphire, which again I can’t really get into.   I really like ‘Fisherman’s Dream’ but not much else…oh well.  I have a live double Live At Leeds (1975) which has some much longer versions of songs – best are ‘Inside Out’, ‘Solid Air’ and ‘Bless The Weather’ – songs I already know so well.  Then a compilation of sorts Solid Air, Classics Revisited – a lot of demos and alternate or live performances -best are ‘Angeline’ and ‘Rock Salt and Nails’.  Then I have Late Night John –  best of…nothing really new.  I suppose I will always revere Bless The Weather and Solid Air.  John died a few years ago, I saw an interview with him, and despite the amputation he seemed happy enough.

George Martin – was, of course, the producer of The Beatles – and a huge part of their success.   Unashamedly trading on that he released an album of Beatles covers which he produced by various artists called In My life.  Actually it is not at all bad, though one or two choices are poor – best are Phil Collins playing and singing the segue from Abbey Road ‘Golden Slumbers’ and the last track – ‘In My Life’ spoken brilliantly by Sean Connery in that wonderful Scottish burr of a voice.

Alice Martineau – A French singer, singing in English.  Not sure where this came from.  It is okay in a way, quite pleasant really – but hardly a star piece in my collection. 

John Martyn – guitarist extraordinaire who took mostly acoustic playing to places nobody had approached before or since.  Not a bad voice either.  He came out of folk and took the genre towards rock and even inspired a much later generation of trip-hoppers with his sublime melodies.  Like many great artists he started in the sixties leaving his native Scotland for London – and his first album was called London Conversation (1967) – not a very inspiring start really, a run-of-the-mill sort of a record; the songs are okay but not brilliant; voice and guitar are pleasant but nothing more and the attempt at Sitar is quite embarrassing.  Best songs – ‘Cocaine’ and Dylan’s ‘Don’t Think Twice’.  Next up is a collaboration with his then wife Beverley Martyn – Stormbringer (1970).  Beverley has a clear high voice, typical of folk-singers from the 60’s.  The album is quite pleasant, the songs are better and John’s voice and guitar exemplary.  Best are the title track, ‘Tomorrow Time’ and ‘Would you believe Me’.   The couple apparently divorced soon after this and John continued on his own.   Which brings me to John’s breakthrough album Bless The Weather (1971).  This was my first purchase and I worked back from there.  This is a classic album of the early Seventies and has long been a real favourite of mine.  The whole thing has such a relaxed feel, the songs drifting into each other with John’s lazy, almost slurred vocals, and great guitar playing just carrying each song.  Hard to pick favourites, but of course the title track is simply wonderful, there is also the instrumental ‘Glistening Glyndbourne’ which is scintillating and shimmering.  There is also ‘Go Easy’ and the rocking ‘Sugar Lump’ but best for me is the quite sad but gorgeous ‘Just Now’.   And like so many other artists, John struggled to make as good a record again, though some came pretty close.  In fact, the follow-up Solid Air the following year was a bigger seller mainly because of the fabulous title track, is almost as good as Bless The Weather.  The song has become an icon for a new generation of blissed out trip hop fans and was years ahead of its time.  It seems to drift in and out and somehow never quite comes to a climax, simply weaving a magic spell around John’s ethereal guitar and gentle voice; a superb track.  The actual album is more varied, with a few faster tracks.  I also love ‘Go Down Easy’ and ‘May You Never’.  Another excellent album.  John was a complicated man, who hovered on the edge of real fame, but never quite achieved it.  He struggled with relationships and his addictions to drugs and alcohol. In fact, his hard drinking resulted in illness, a leg amputation and, eventually, a quite early death.  He continued making excellent albums though.  I don’t have many – I suppose I was too busy with other great artists.  The Seventies were an incredible time with so many wonderful artists that John simply slipped through my net.  My next album is Grace and Danger (1980).  This was actually a break-up album, similar in a way to Dylan’s Blood On The tracks (see D) and Phil Collins’ Face Values (see C) and in fact Phil played drums on this record.  Exposing your heart is a dangerous thing, especially on record, but it can also be therapeutic and part of the healing process.   But somehow, I am not that fond of this record, nice songs mostly but seems a bit meandering really.  Best are ‘Some People Are Crazy’, ‘Johnny Too Bad’ and ‘Hurt In Your Heart’.   My only other studio album is 1986’s Sapphire, which again I can’t really get into.   I really like ‘Fisherman’s Dream’ but not much else…oh well.  I have a live double Live At Leeds (1975) which has some much longer versions of songs – best are ‘Inside Out’, ‘Solid Air’ and ‘Bless The Weather’ – songs I already know so well.  Then a compilation of sorts Solid Air, Classics Revisited – a lot of demos and alternate or live performances -best are ‘Angeline’ and ‘Rock Salt and Nails’.  Then I have Late Night John –  best of…nothing really new.  I suppose I will always revere Bless The Weather and Solid Air.  John died a few years ago, I saw an interview with him, and despite the amputation he seemed happy enough.

Bob Marley – was part of the soundtrack to the Seventies, a permanent presence.  I have the one album – Legend, a Greatest Hits and all the best songs are here. My personal favourites are ‘I shot the Sheriff’ ‘No Woman No Cry’ and ‘Redemption Song’.  A sad loss that he died so young.

Laura Marling – is an English singer songwriter of very recent times.  Remarkably mature from her very first album, she echoes hints of Joni to my ears; her words seem simple but are subtle and wise and her guitar playing is simple and effective, sounding so much like the seventies artists I first fell in love with.  Her albums keep getting better and better and she may end up as one of very favourite female singers.  There are also, dare I say it, echoes of Leonard Cohen in there somewhere too.  Her debut album – Alas I Cannot Swim (2008) – is pretty good, especially for a debut by a pretty young woman.  Her guitar playing is gentle and warm and never intrudes on her voice; in fact what I love about her is that the melody seems to follow the words, not the other way round, and she has the occasional lines that don’t fit and yet somehow it all flows along.  She sings of love affairs – mostly gone or going wrong, of how it feels to be a woman in the modern world; unsure and hesitant and yet willing to love and be loved.  Best songs are ‘You’re No God’, ‘Crawled Out Of the Sea’ and closer ‘Your Only Doll (Dora)’.  One possibly silly feature was that her first few album’s titles consisted of 6 syllables.  Her second was titled I Speak Because I Can (2010).   This seems a much more mature, at times despairing and angry, set of songs.  It seems autobiographical, but who knows where songs come from – mostly, they are about the unbalanced relationship between men and women, of course from the viewpoint of a woman – but somehow not really blaming men.  Anyway, in some ways a better record, though in some ways there seem not such distinctive songs, although the production is more varied.  Best are – ‘Goodbye England (covered in snow)’,the title track and ‘Darkness Descends’.   Her third album A Creature I Don’t Know (2010) has a quite nasty drawing of a naked couple, either dancing or in sexual congress, one in outline and one in black – which gives some indication of the songs.  One aspect of her records is their apparent timelessness; they could easily have fitted into any of the previous 4 or 5 decades – and yet they sound modern at the same time.  She seems to have absorbed Joni and Cohen into her writing and yet her own voice comes through clear and strong.  Another great album, a bit more aggressive at times as if confronting a past love affair – the words are sometimes personal sometimes almost abstract, so hard to pin her down.  Best songs are ‘All My Rage’, ‘Beast’ and the very Cohen-ish ‘Night After Night’.  Her fourth was Once I Was An Eagle’ – an obscure title until she sings that ‘when we made love I was an eagle and you were a dove’.   A much longer album, sixteen songs instead of the usual ten and maybe a touch too long – but mostly strong compositions with some quite ferocious strumming and insistent tom-tom drumming, the first two tracks especially are moving and angry – ‘Take The Night Off’ and ‘I Was An Eagle’ – I also like ‘Devil’s Resting Place’ and ‘When Were You Happy’.   She is one of those artists you just find yourself hooked upon; she is truly unique.  Her fifth suddenly ditched the six syllable titles and was simply titled Short Movie – not that here was any real change in direction, though she did record this in L.A. I believe, home of the movies.  If anything Laura just keeps getting better; this album very much an attacking strummed acoustic guitar and drums tap taping in rhythm.  Some of the songs seem to drift into each other – and she uses the F word a few times, seems quite angry at times.  Best songs are ‘Strange’, ‘Gurdjieff’s Daughter’ and ‘Short Movie’.   Her next album I somehow missed but have ordered it now…but her latest album is Song For Our Daughter (2020) and it I think her best yet; every song is a winner.  There is more variety both in the songs and the arrangements, quite a bit gentler orchestration which does not impede on her gorgeous voice.  Very hard to pick favourites but stand-out songs are ‘Alexandra Leaving’, the title track and closer ‘For You’, and my favourite ‘Blow By Blow’.  What a brilliant artist, I am beginning to think she might just be approaching the league that contains Dylan and Joni and Leonard – but only time will tell.