Have you ever felt like you didn’t deserve to be as happy as you are; elated, excited and always looking forward to the next day? Have you felt it was unfair that you were enjoying life while others were so miserable? Well, pop in Massive Attack’s 100th Window and depress yourself to the point that you will want to slash your wrists and end your pathetic existence.
Oh man, did I want to shoot myself after listening to what was supposed to be a groundbreaking group. Yeah, this band is experimental, obscure, industrial and strange, but they are also psychotic, moody and depressingly depressing that if you want to enjoy life, you will never listen to this CD again.
Let me first say that the music is very good on this CD. Great beats, pulsing guitars and even violins and harps really bring a unique electronic-style acid rock. Sinead O’Connor even appears on the CD for a few songs and her voice is as magnificent as it ever was, but this CD is so wrong on so many other levels.
First of all, the songs are way too long. There are tracks that go beyond seven minutes. This may seem like artistic to some fans, but to me, it is about three minutes too long for each song. While I think mainstream notions suck, the one notion that things should be to the point and not drawn out is a sound one. When a song is too long, the message is lost by the longing for the next song to start. Even the bonus track goes on and on with the same beat over and over again with no vocals in sight. I don’t care if it was a bonus track, it felt like I was being punished for just listening to this CD.
From the first note it is clear that 100th Window is very political, which is obvious from the inclusion of O’Connor, who always has to spew some sort of angst ridden message about the state of the world today. In Prayer for England, she sings, Let not another child be slain/Let not another search be made in vain. I was wishing throughout the song that she would just rip up a picture of Tony Blair or something. Then we have this depressing song that is supposed to be uplifting, called What Your Soul Sings. Your mind can never change/Unless you ask it to/Lovingly rearrange/The thoughts that make you blue/The things that bring you down/Will mean no harm to you/And so make your choice joy/The joy belongs to you. It was sung so grimly that the message was not delivered.
I must say though that when Sinead O’Connor is not singing, the CD really suffers, if that is any consolation. I do admire her. Like Prince, she sticks to her principles; her style of music, although her ideals are not my cup of tea. And neither is this group. I am afraid to pop it into my CD player again and if you try please, I implore you, make sure you are far away from sharp objects, windows, and ledges. Massive Attack – Suicide; coincidence? I think not!
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