Massive Attack - 'Collected' (Virgin) Released 27/03/06

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'Collected' brings things up to date for Massive Attack, featuring original versions of the cream of the crop from the 4 albums to date, bridging the time gap between the album scheduled for next year, and remaining in the mass consciousness with tour dates and festivals in line for the summer and autumn '06. We've already been given the chunky box-set of 11 singles a few years ago for the collectors, but this is more mainstream and affordable, 14 largely familiar tunes that resonate with time and era, genre-bending and sonically accomplished - despite the non-chronological sequencing, it's the tracks from 'Mezzanine' which truly show how fabulous Massive Attack can be. There's a little diamond in store on the final track - more later. For collectors, there's a limited release with a bonus cd of re-worked and rare stuff, plus a dvd of all videos to date.

There's little on 'Collected' that's not already on ipods across the lands, but on offer is the opener 'Safe From Harm', the soundtrack to a generation, Shara Nelson's sonorous voice - "What happened to the niceities of my childhood days...", followed by the contrasting skank-hop of 'Karmacoma'. Horace Andy delivers honey-sweet vocals on the throb-bass 'Angel', demanding greater amplification on all systems. Then it's the delicato vocals of Elisabeth Fraser on 'Teardrop', and Del Naja's creepy vocals and lyrics amidst seething pressure cooker sonics of 'Inertia Creeps'. More familiarity with calm and comfort of Tracey Thorn's singing on 'Protection', giving way to the nocturnal shadowy-world of 'Butterfly Caught' - experimental and with chilling use of cello. Shara Nelson takes us by the hand again for their finest moment, impossible to leave out - ''Unfinished Symphony' still possesses the lightness and magic to whisk you away, taking a ride on the thermals. More tracks follow from arguably their weakest album - '100th Window', fun brought to bear in the rap play-off on 'Five Man Army' - Del Naja bringing mention of the beautiful game - 'Subbuteo'.

The closing track is a single scheduled for release on 13th March, and shows a return to form. 'Live With Me' is sung by Terry Callier and is a well-penned love-song with emphatic strings, textured and layered beats 'n' bass, Mr Callier - "I've been thinking 'bout you baby/ want you to live with me...", a breather from the dark and broody offerings of '100th Window', and perhaps indications of a circle turned in the studio for their next release. 'Collected' is a tidy package for those who only have 1/2 of M.A.'s albums, and the limited release sounds a choice number, but with only one unheard track - do we need this? Over to Joe Punter.