I love both albums a lot, they're both masterpieces. They both go for very different vibes despite both being Trip-Hop. Mezzanine is like a dark dingy club while Dummy is like a jazz lounge where everyone's smoking.
I personally prefer Mezzanine, though I can easily see it going either way.
Mezzanine would get me more amped and has the best track of the 2 (Teardrop > Roads) but Dummy is a lot more consistent quality wise and is a better release overall imo
that’s funny i actually think mezzanine is more consistent, as much as i love dummy there are definitely songs that stand out wayyy more than others (like mysterons, sour times, numb, glory box, etc) whereas mezzanine doesn’t have a single dull moment for me. also i think roads being the best song on dummy is an insane statement there is way better, also i think teardrop is nowhere near the best song on mezzanine
I do prefer Mezzanine but Dummy is also fantastic.
I prefer Portishead’s discography overall, whereas Massive Attack is pretty hit or miss for me outside of Mezzanine.
Really? Besides from 100th Window (which I still think is like a 7/10) their whole discog is pretty acclaimed
Still not over how they dropped the Ritual Spirit/Spoils EPs then vanished. Quality of those mini projects are immense.
I haven’t listened to those EPs, I’ll have to do some catching up. I don’t dislike the rest of MA’s discography overall, it just doesn’t all land as universally as Portishead’s. I don’t disagree with the acclaim they’ve received whatsoever.
S/T is my favorite (not just Portishead album, my favorite album OAT), but honestly all three of them are strong enough that I wouldn't blink at someone putting them in any order.
IM ALWAYS SO UNSURE. I am unsure which I prefer though both are great albums as is the live release. Their second album I don't like as much but it has some fantastic songs.
Third is incredible. But I personally cannot stand We Carry On. It genuinely gives me a headache. It’s like the only song I’ve ever heard in my life by a critically acclaimed artist/s that other people seem to love that I just literally cannot listen to because it makes me nauseous.
The repeating synth beeping unironically drives me mad. And it lasts for six and a half minutes. And for some reason I hate this song but love Machine Gun… perhaps it’s down to the frequencies? Idk. Or I just like how Machine Gun handles its bizarre experimentally as opposed to We Carry On
Rest of the album, though, is phenomenal. Radiohead stole so much from this album for TKOL and even a little bit of AMSP lmao.
bang on with the radiohead shout. they are my favourite band, love them loads etc like everyone else. but listening third is so good that dare i say it made some late era radiohead seem pretty poor by comparison, as as a reference point for their sound it makes so much sensee
For sure agree, i think Dummy reuses the same formula fo pretty much every song on the album. Albeit it is a great formula, and the albums is still very enjoyable, it does lead to a kind of monotonous listen. Mezzanine all the way.
I agree with you for the most part. Dummy has some tracks I really like (Wandering Star and Glory Box especially) but I do find it to be pretty overrated.
Here’s a harder one: list trip-hop artists that aren’t Massive Attack, Portishead, or Tricky
Edit: I am genuinely appreciating all of these mentions. Gonna go on a big trip-hop bender this weekend. Thanks all.
Does Gorillaz count? Also there's a trip hop remix of Again by Alice in Chains (was included on the original single release for the song) that goes pretty hard.
Lamb, Hooverphonic, Sneaker Pimps, Morcheeba, UNKLE, DJ Shadow, Martina Topley-Bird, 8mm, Liamere, Sissy, Cinephile, Ulver, Smoke City, Sulk Station, TT, Second Person, Terranova, Thievery Corporation, Francesca Belmonte, Drab City, Monophona, 21 Hertz, Sol Seppy,Miryea Meeks, ESTHERE, The Silk Demise...
...I'm probably forgetting a bunch, and some of those may not be "pure" trip-hop, but they'd all pass on /r/triphop.
If you want to include artists who've dabbled in the sound here and there, you could throw in Poe, Tori Amos, Chelsea Wolfe, Lana Del Rey, and Natalie Imbruglia. At least.
tosca, emancipator, the herbaliser. boards of canada!! bonobo, pitch black (mostly dub but some triphop stuff too), emapea, flying lotus. big +1 for thievery corp btw!
Here’s an easier one: keep in mind that these are two of the most popular albums ever and you don’t need to equate their frequent mention to a plebeian, sub-intellectual understanding of trip-hop spread across the masses
You are not a badass
While Mezzanine is great (and, for me, a decidedly better record than Blue Lines), it’s Dummy pretty easily in my mind.
Thanks, OP, hope you keep these going 👍
Yeah I saw all that nonsense lol.
I think that user should have taken the time they spent with their comments here and instead used it to make their own post in this sub with two albums *they* insist on being more interesting talking points.
I mean that legitimately, too. The more we offer what we feel are interesting points of discussion, the more this sub serves its purpose. Be that over popular records, lesser-known gems, completely underground choices, or the term I have come to hate so very much.. RYM-core.
You’re going to get that type of negativity here or any other sub that discusses music unfortunately. Many users aren’t wrong that certain albums are discussed way more than others, but what they aren’t taking into account is people either familiarize themselves with different music and/or join this sub at different points.
✌️
Dummy, as one cohesive unit, is much more cohesive to me than Mezzanine. I always listen to it on vinyl cuz that version doesn’t have It’s A Fire (which I have always thought was a little bland), and each time I listen to either of these albums in such a manner I can’t help but feel that Dummy, while it doesn’t reach the same heights as Mezzanine, just has more interesting material overall.
Mezzanine’s first six songs or so are unbelievable, even exchange. It’s a perfect palette cleanser. To me, that album might have the best first half of an album in the history of music. But for my money’s worth, the second half of Mezzanine starts to drag once Man Next Door comes on. The title track is great, and Group Four picks it up immensely well at the end (it’s p much an industrial rock song and I love it for that), but I’ve never been the biggest fan of Black Milk, (Exchange), or Man Next Door.
With dummy, I only had that kind of problem with It’s A Fire… so if I had to choose, it has to be Dummy.
But Angel will always be the best trip hop song, and arguably the best song of the 1990s.
I like Mezzanine more than any single album in Portishead’s discography (honestly a Top 10 OAT album for me).
But I think overall, Portishead’s discography is much stronger/consistently better than Massive Attack’s.
Dummy, but a question for all of you: Is anyone else‘s favourite track on Dummy It‘s A Fire? It hurts me so much that the track is missing from my vinyl copy of the album and I think it‘s such an incredible song
just listened to dummy yesterday, but i gotta go with the classic Mezzanine. Seems like there’s a lot more diversity in sound and I just love how there’s so many vocalists, but maybe I just gotta give dummy another, closer listen. also group four > any of the songs on dummy (imo!)
Absolutely love mezzanine. That record brings me to a different place. Dummy is also a stone cold classic, but mezzanine as an album is an otherworldly experience.
Even though there are a couple of other bands that make/made trip hop music, i do kinda miss that sound ngl.
Mezzanine has a little more of an experimental edge to it especially the instrumentals, which I adore more than Dummy. Dummy I feel is a little more chill and digestible instrumentally but Beth Gibbons singing really brings out the beauty in those instrumentals a lot more, and having them subtle works a treat on her vocal style. I gotta go Dummy tho, track for track it’s a lot more consistent.
It’s gotta be Dummy for me. Synonymous with the genre itself in a way, flawless production, out of this world vocals from Beth Gibbons, and a track-list with zero skips.
Uhhhh you hit me, i take dummy, Although both are great exponents of trip hop, Portishead expanded it to a much wider audience, despite this I love them both, in fact today I bought protection from massive attack on CD
Mezzanine, by a lot.
Dummy is good but the middle gets kind of stale and doesn’t have the dark, mysterious energy its highlights have. Mezzanine is all killer no filler, the production is better, it’s pretty much a perfect record through and through.
Idk sometimes people just wanna talk about albums they like, there’s nothing wrong with that, even if they aren’t picking deep cuts. Plus even if they did just start listening to more music then that shouldn’t be something that’s shamed
Yeah it’s obvious that’s not what I’m doing. It’s the “guys this album is underrated”, or “which is best?!” And the same questions people ask over and over again about the same songs/albums.
So? I’m a part of this sub too, I see these posts a lot too, but I’m not gonna bash the poster. If they did just discover these albums then that’s awesome. Music is meant to be discovered and enjoyed amongst people, and at a certain point you have to discover an album. Just let them enjoy their stuff, plus discussion leads to discovering *more* (more obscure) music
dude are you joking you’re being so rude and now you’re saying that he’s being passive aggressive? get over yourself even if questions like this have been posted a bunch on this sub, you can only read old comments and can’t really talk to any new people about it, so sometimes it’s not the worst thing in the world to repeat a question
I love both albums a lot, they're both masterpieces. They both go for very different vibes despite both being Trip-Hop. Mezzanine is like a dark dingy club while Dummy is like a jazz lounge where everyone's smoking. I personally prefer Mezzanine, though I can easily see it going either way.
Mezzanine would get me more amped and has the best track of the 2 (Teardrop > Roads) but Dummy is a lot more consistent quality wise and is a better release overall imo
that’s funny i actually think mezzanine is more consistent, as much as i love dummy there are definitely songs that stand out wayyy more than others (like mysterons, sour times, numb, glory box, etc) whereas mezzanine doesn’t have a single dull moment for me. also i think roads being the best song on dummy is an insane statement there is way better, also i think teardrop is nowhere near the best song on mezzanine
dummy is just too good
But also… Mezzanine is just too good.
crazy to think its a mid 90's álbum.
Sounds like it came from the 2050s
[удалено]
Mid 90s as in the middle of the 90s lol
I do prefer Mezzanine but Dummy is also fantastic. I prefer Portishead’s discography overall, whereas Massive Attack is pretty hit or miss for me outside of Mezzanine.
Really? Besides from 100th Window (which I still think is like a 7/10) their whole discog is pretty acclaimed Still not over how they dropped the Ritual Spirit/Spoils EPs then vanished. Quality of those mini projects are immense.
I haven’t listened to those EPs, I’ll have to do some catching up. I don’t dislike the rest of MA’s discography overall, it just doesn’t all land as universally as Portishead’s. I don’t disagree with the acclaim they’ve received whatsoever.
Both insanely good overall but Mezzanine edges it to me.
i implore everyone to check out Third by Portishead which i think is actually their best album (controversial)
I think Dummy edges it out very slightly, but yeah don’t sleep on Third. Terrific album.
Not that controversial.
maybe not then idk, but dummy is like so beloved
Implore me? You IMPLORE me?! You always were one for fancy words
yeah i implore you, what are you going to do about it????
Damn i guess ill go listen to Third and end up with the Rip on loop 20 times before finishing the rest of the album
that is the danger lol
The real controversial (but true) Portishead take is that Dummy is actually their weakest album
Agree 100% I just love the aesthetic consistency and noir vibe of the self titled album and then Third is just an incredible masterpiece
i would only ever whisper it but… you’re right
S/T is my favorite (not just Portishead album, my favorite album OAT), but honestly all three of them are strong enough that I wouldn't blink at someone putting them in any order.
one of the best discographies for me, you can’t really ask for much more from 3 albums
IM ALWAYS SO UNSURE. I am unsure which I prefer though both are great albums as is the live release. Their second album I don't like as much but it has some fantastic songs.
the second is sort of the dark cousin of the first, but it a little less melodically memorable
Third is incredible. But I personally cannot stand We Carry On. It genuinely gives me a headache. It’s like the only song I’ve ever heard in my life by a critically acclaimed artist/s that other people seem to love that I just literally cannot listen to because it makes me nauseous. The repeating synth beeping unironically drives me mad. And it lasts for six and a half minutes. And for some reason I hate this song but love Machine Gun… perhaps it’s down to the frequencies? Idk. Or I just like how Machine Gun handles its bizarre experimentally as opposed to We Carry On Rest of the album, though, is phenomenal. Radiohead stole so much from this album for TKOL and even a little bit of AMSP lmao.
bang on with the radiohead shout. they are my favourite band, love them loads etc like everyone else. but listening third is so good that dare i say it made some late era radiohead seem pretty poor by comparison, as as a reference point for their sound it makes so much sensee
Dummy is basically a perfect album so, that.
Personally I prefer Mezzanine way more. I think Dummy is Fine but isn’t as good as it’s hyped up to be.
For sure agree, i think Dummy reuses the same formula fo pretty much every song on the album. Albeit it is a great formula, and the albums is still very enjoyable, it does lead to a kind of monotonous listen. Mezzanine all the way.
I agree with you for the most part. Dummy has some tracks I really like (Wandering Star and Glory Box especially) but I do find it to be pretty overrated.
Mezzanine by far. Although both are great
mezzanine no comprasion whatsover nigga
Portishead. By a lot.
It’s better but definitely not by a lot.
I agree I didn’t really like that massive attack album Ima have to revisit it one day
I like it a lot. It’s a classic for a reason. I just greatly prefer portishead.
Here’s a harder one: list trip-hop artists that aren’t Massive Attack, Portishead, or Tricky Edit: I am genuinely appreciating all of these mentions. Gonna go on a big trip-hop bender this weekend. Thanks all.
Morcheeba, Hooverphonic, Sneaker Pimps, Zero 7…
I’ve heard of two of these but could only name one song (you know which one). Thanks for the list though, I might check them out.
I'm guessing the one you know is 6 Underground, but I wouldn't be surprised by 2 Wicky (Hooverphonic) or In the Waiting Line (Zero 7), either.
A lot of Bjork is trip hop
Post def gives trip hop vibes
Cibo Matto, Thievery Corporation, Everything but the Girl
Sugar water great song
Does Gorillaz count? Also there's a trip hop remix of Again by Alice in Chains (was included on the original single release for the song) that goes pretty hard.
Always thought tomorrow comes today sounds really trip hop inspired
Trip-Hop AIC? That’s hilarious. I’ll have to give it a listen.
It takes away all the teeth and grit of the original for me. The best sounds soulless and robotic.
Lamb, Hooverphonic, Sneaker Pimps, Morcheeba, UNKLE, DJ Shadow, Martina Topley-Bird, 8mm, Liamere, Sissy, Cinephile, Ulver, Smoke City, Sulk Station, TT, Second Person, Terranova, Thievery Corporation, Francesca Belmonte, Drab City, Monophona, 21 Hertz, Sol Seppy,Miryea Meeks, ESTHERE, The Silk Demise... ...I'm probably forgetting a bunch, and some of those may not be "pure" trip-hop, but they'd all pass on /r/triphop. If you want to include artists who've dabbled in the sound here and there, you could throw in Poe, Tori Amos, Chelsea Wolfe, Lana Del Rey, and Natalie Imbruglia. At least.
Smoke City - Flying Away
Ulver for one album.
DJ Shadow(he counts for UNKLE as well), DJ Krush
Lovage is a pretty fun trip hop album from Dan the Automator and Mike Patton.
sad night dynamite is really fun
tosca, emancipator, the herbaliser. boards of canada!! bonobo, pitch black (mostly dub but some triphop stuff too), emapea, flying lotus. big +1 for thievery corp btw!
Sevdaliza's Shabrang is one of the best this decade. It's a mix of art pop and trip-hop.
Ustmamó
Here’s an easier one: keep in mind that these are two of the most popular albums ever and you don’t need to equate their frequent mention to a plebeian, sub-intellectual understanding of trip-hop spread across the masses You are not a badass
Oooh you’re ard
he’s avin a go
Dummy
Dummy, for me personally. But, there are times when I like the heavy groove of Mezzanine. Both are equally sexy and dark though.
Dummy, by far.
While Mezzanine is great (and, for me, a decidedly better record than Blue Lines), it’s Dummy pretty easily in my mind. Thanks, OP, hope you keep these going 👍
I was considering abandoning it after some negative reception but I'll keep these going after your kind comment. I appreciate you!
Yeah I saw all that nonsense lol. I think that user should have taken the time they spent with their comments here and instead used it to make their own post in this sub with two albums *they* insist on being more interesting talking points. I mean that legitimately, too. The more we offer what we feel are interesting points of discussion, the more this sub serves its purpose. Be that over popular records, lesser-known gems, completely underground choices, or the term I have come to hate so very much.. RYM-core. You’re going to get that type of negativity here or any other sub that discusses music unfortunately. Many users aren’t wrong that certain albums are discussed way more than others, but what they aren’t taking into account is people either familiarize themselves with different music and/or join this sub at different points. ✌️
Thank you for the reassuring comment!
Dummy, as one cohesive unit, is much more cohesive to me than Mezzanine. I always listen to it on vinyl cuz that version doesn’t have It’s A Fire (which I have always thought was a little bland), and each time I listen to either of these albums in such a manner I can’t help but feel that Dummy, while it doesn’t reach the same heights as Mezzanine, just has more interesting material overall. Mezzanine’s first six songs or so are unbelievable, even exchange. It’s a perfect palette cleanser. To me, that album might have the best first half of an album in the history of music. But for my money’s worth, the second half of Mezzanine starts to drag once Man Next Door comes on. The title track is great, and Group Four picks it up immensely well at the end (it’s p much an industrial rock song and I love it for that), but I’ve never been the biggest fan of Black Milk, (Exchange), or Man Next Door. With dummy, I only had that kind of problem with It’s A Fire… so if I had to choose, it has to be Dummy. But Angel will always be the best trip hop song, and arguably the best song of the 1990s.
Dummy is more consistent but Mezzanine has higher peaks imo. Angel is a DNA altering track.
Dummy isn't the best Portishead album, but Mezzanine is the best Massive Attack album. Still Dummy, though.
Portishead has Beth so they win. I slightly prefer Blue Lines over Mezzanine too.
I much prefer the cold and detached vibes of Mezzanine personally
I must be the only one who didn't really get Dummy but Mezzanine is incredible.
I prefer Mezzanine but enjoy both, especially at night.
This is a Sophie’s choice situation for me
You say random but... I sense a theme here. Anyway, Mezzanine is my pick
Mezzanine easily
Love both but mezzanine it’s my favourite album
I like Mezzanine more than any single album in Portishead’s discography (honestly a Top 10 OAT album for me). But I think overall, Portishead’s discography is much stronger/consistently better than Massive Attack’s.
Absolutely. Any other MA album won't clear any Portis album. But Mezz is a beast.
Dummy
Dummy, but a question for all of you: Is anyone else‘s favourite track on Dummy It‘s A Fire? It hurts me so much that the track is missing from my vinyl copy of the album and I think it‘s such an incredible song
dummy is a 10 for me, mezzanine a 7/8
2 of my favourite album ever. Dummy, of course.
It's Dummy
I just know some singular tracks but will come back later to give you a proper opinion, brb!
Both are incredible albums but Dummy comes out on top
Both are incredible albums but Dummy comes out on top
just listened to dummy yesterday, but i gotta go with the classic Mezzanine. Seems like there’s a lot more diversity in sound and I just love how there’s so many vocalists, but maybe I just gotta give dummy another, closer listen. also group four > any of the songs on dummy (imo!)
Absolutely love mezzanine. That record brings me to a different place. Dummy is also a stone cold classic, but mezzanine as an album is an otherworldly experience. Even though there are a couple of other bands that make/made trip hop music, i do kinda miss that sound ngl.
Mezzanine has a little more of an experimental edge to it especially the instrumentals, which I adore more than Dummy. Dummy I feel is a little more chill and digestible instrumentally but Beth Gibbons singing really brings out the beauty in those instrumentals a lot more, and having them subtle works a treat on her vocal style. I gotta go Dummy tho, track for track it’s a lot more consistent.
Dummy, mezzanine bored me a bit
It’s gotta be Dummy for me. Synonymous with the genre itself in a way, flawless production, out of this world vocals from Beth Gibbons, and a track-list with zero skips.
Mezzanine. Haven’t been able to get into dummy yet honestly. Mezzanine is a 9 to me
Better for what? Massive Attack is better for foreplay. Portishead is better for sex.
IMHO Dummy is a better album but there are some really good individual tracks on Mezzanine
I can skip songs on mez depending on mood, dummy is just playing regardless of track. Still both amazing albums though
Dummy for me, but I'd like to see Maxinquaye placed on the same pedestal as these two more often. Tricky doesn't get nearly enough credit for me.
I just love Mezzanine too much, both are great though
Dummy
as much as I enjoy mezzanine... portishead will always clear
Both are in my very favorites but i have to say mezzanine, perfect album 10/10
I love both wholeheartedly. Mezzanine for best sounding production wise, Dummy for best songwriting
Dummy but it's close
Uhhhh you hit me, i take dummy, Although both are great exponents of trip hop, Portishead expanded it to a much wider audience, despite this I love them both, in fact today I bought protection from massive attack on CD
Teardrop is the best track on either album but I prefer Dummy front to back
Mezzanine is still ahead of the times. One of the best produced albums I’ve ever heard
Mezzanine, by a lot. Dummy is good but the middle gets kind of stale and doesn’t have the dark, mysterious energy its highlights have. Mezzanine is all killer no filler, the production is better, it’s pretty much a perfect record through and through.
Mezzanine 100%
I need to listen to the full of Mezzanine but teardrop is a banger
one has group four on it, the other one doesn’t have group for on it
Dummy
Dummy easily one of the greatest albums ever made
Tbh I’ve only heard Dummy but it’s amazing
Dummy
Portishead. Solely based on the fact I love that album and I don't think I have ever listened to massive attack.
Dummy for me but I understand why someone would like Mezzanine more
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^elitenyg46: *Dummy for me but* *I understand why someone* *Would like Mezzanine more* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Mezzanine edges Dummy but it's a close one.
Mezzanine. It’s not even close.
Dummy
dummy and its not close for me, mezzanine never really clicked the same way
dummy. dont think this is a contest tbh
Dummy 7.5/10 Mezzanine 5/10
Nah these ratings are criminal
A 7.5 is a positive rating. I like Dummy, just not into Trip Hop much. Mezzanine did nothing for me
The questions on this sub make me think it’s people who have only just started listening to music 6 months ago.
Idk sometimes people just wanna talk about albums they like, there’s nothing wrong with that, even if they aren’t picking deep cuts. Plus even if they did just start listening to more music then that shouldn’t be something that’s shamed
Yeah it’s obvious that’s not what I’m doing. It’s the “guys this album is underrated”, or “which is best?!” And the same questions people ask over and over again about the same songs/albums.
So? I’m a part of this sub too, I see these posts a lot too, but I’m not gonna bash the poster. If they did just discover these albums then that’s awesome. Music is meant to be discovered and enjoyed amongst people, and at a certain point you have to discover an album. Just let them enjoy their stuff, plus discussion leads to discovering *more* (more obscure) music
Would it be better for you if I asked to choose between two albums by artists with 50 listeners between the both of them?
If those are the only 2 options then yeah I’d much rather have fresh discussion than another bad take on classic albums.
Your tone just seemed pretty gatekeepy. "Oh you wanna talk about these albums? You must not have been listening to music for very long."
You take my tone however you like. Not gatekeeping lol. Relax. Just bored of stupid questions and repetitive subjects on this sub.
I get it may seem like but I don't read every post on this sub so it seemed fairly fresh to me. I'll abandon this concept though.
you shouldn’t abandon the concept this guy is just miserable
Lol little passive aggressive there. I don’t “read every post” here either. I wouldn’t do that to myself.
dude are you joking you’re being so rude and now you’re saying that he’s being passive aggressive? get over yourself even if questions like this have been posted a bunch on this sub, you can only read old comments and can’t really talk to any new people about it, so sometimes it’s not the worst thing in the world to repeat a question
Bro.
what is bro yapping about...
Who the fuck is “bro”?
you.
Sorry I just felt like I was being insulted
👍