Protection (Massive Attack album)

{{Unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}

Like most of Massive Attack's albums, the music often defies categorisation, ranging from R&B (title track and "Sly") to hip hop/rap ("Karmacoma" and "Eurochild") to reggae-tinged synth-pop ("Spying Glass") to classical-influenced electronica instrumentals ("Weather Storm" and "Heat Miser"). The album follows Blue Lines structurally, to the point that the font used on the cover of the album is the same, Helvetica Heavy Italic. The album cover also nods to Blue Lines, revealing a futuristic, impenetrable wall behind a mostly-burned version of this previous album's artwork—implying that the depicted "flammable gas" had been ignited.

Tricky again appeared on the album, rapping on the tracks "Karmacoma" (whose video was directed by Jonathan Glazer, and which featured a sample from The KLF's "Dream Time in Lake Jackson" at the 2:00-minute mark) and "Eurochild" (which featured samples from Startled Insects' "Cheetah" and Liquid Liquid's "Lock Groove (In)").

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/protection-mw0000119284 |title=Protection – Massive Attack |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=5 September 2014 |last=Bush |first=John}}

| rev2 = Christgau's Consumer Guide

| rev2score = A−{{cite book |chapter=Massive Attack: Protection |chapter-url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=2303 |access-date=10 December 2011 |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |title-link=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2000 |isbn=0-312-24560-2}}

| rev3 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Massive Attack |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}}

| rev4 = The Guardian

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|4}}{{cite news |title=CD of the week: Massive Attack |work=The Guardian |date=30 September 1994 |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline}}

| rev5 = Knoxville News Sentinel

| rev5score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}Campbell, Chuck (3 February 1995). "Stone Roses Might Need Some Pruning". Knoxville News Sentinel.

| rev6 = NME

| rev6score = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Support for All |magazine=NME |date=24 September 1994 |last=Kessler |first=Ted |page=49}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/massiveattack/albums/album/322083/review/6067499/protection |title=Massive Attack: Protection |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=6 April 1995 |access-date=5 September 2014 |last=Evans |first=Paul |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025021625/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/massiveattack/albums/album/322083/review/6067499/protection |archive-date=25 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}

| rev8 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev8score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Massive Attack |last=Kot |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Kot |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |location=New York |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/517 517–18]}}

| rev9 = Select

| rev9score = 5/5{{cite magazine |title=Dub Wiser |magazine=Select |issue=52 |date=October 1994 |last=Hall |first=Matt |page=103}}

| rev10 = Tom Hull – on the Web

| rev10Score = A−{{cite web |url=http://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=massive+attack |title=Grade List: Massive Attack |publisher=Tom Hull – on the Web |access-date=February 13, 2022 |last=Hull |first=Tom}}

| rev11 = Vox

| rev11score = 8/10{{cite magazine |title=Direct hit |magazine=Vox |issue=128 |date=October 1994 |last=Martin |first=Gavin}}

}}

Paul Evans of Rolling Stone wrote, "Cool, sexy stuff, it smoothly fuses dub, club and soul, grounding its grace in sampled hip-hop beats."

In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked Protection at number 51 on its list of the "100 Best Albums of the Nineties".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-best-albums-of-the-nineties-20110427/massive-attack-protection-20110511 |title=100 Best Albums of the '90s – Massive Attack, 'Protection' |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=27 April 2011 |access-date=12 January 2019}} The album is also listed in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition |title-link=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |editor1-last=Dimery |editor1-first=Robert |publisher=Universe Publishing |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

As of February 2010, the album had sold 292,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/959308/massive-attack-prove-new-album-was-worth-the-wait |title=Massive Attack Prove New Album Was Worth The Wait |magazine=Billboard |date=19 February 2010 |access-date=7 December 2018 |last=Sexton |first=Paul |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180918020732/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/959308/massive-attack-prove-new-album-was-worth-the-wait |archive-date=18 September 2018 |url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| title1 = Protection

| writer1 = {{hlist|Andrew Vowles|Robert Del Naja|Grantley Marshall|Tracey Thorn}}

| length1 = 7:51

| title2 = Karmacoma

| writer2 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Tricky|Tim Norfolk|Bob Locke}}

| length2 = 5:16

| title3 = Three

| writer3 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Nellee Hooper|Nicolette Suwoton}}

| length3 = 3:49

| title4 = Weather Storm

| writer4 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Hooper|Craig Armstrong|Curtis Harmon|Cedric Napoleon|James Lloyd|Cameron Murray}}

| length4 = 4:59

| title5 = Spying Glass

| writer5 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Hooper|Horace Andy}}

| length5 = 5:20

| title6 = Better Things

| writer6 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Thorn|Ben Watt|James Brown}}

| length6 = 4:13

| title7 = Eurochild

| writer7 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Tricky|Norfolk|Locke}}

| length7 = 5:11

| title8 = Sly

| writer8 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Hooper|Suwoton|Vivien Goldman}}

| length8 = 5:24

| title9 = Heat Miser

| writer9 = {{hlist|Vowles|Del Naja|Marshall|Hooper|Marius de Vries}}

| length9 = 3:39

| title10 = Light My Fire

| note10 = live

| writer10 = The Doors

| length10 = 3:15

| total_length = 48:57

}}

• "Weather Storm" contains samples from "It's Time for Love" by Pieces of a Dream.
• "Better Things" contains samples from "Never Can Say Goodbye" by James Brown.
• "Light My Fire" (live) contains samples from "Light My Fire" by Young-Holt Unlimited.

• Massive Attack, Marius de Vries, Andy Wright, The Insects, Nick Warren – programming
• Tracey Thorn – vocals {{small|(tracks 1, 6)}}
• 3D – vocals {{small|(tracks 2, 7)}}
• Tricky – vocals {{small|(tracks 2, 7)}}
• Nicolette – vocals {{small|(tracks 3, 8)}}
• Craig Armstrong – piano {{small|(tracks 4, 9)}}; arrangement, conducting {{small|(track 8)}}
• Horace Andy – vocals {{small|(tracks 5, 10)}}
• Chester Kamen – guitar {{small|(track 6)}}
• Rob Merril – drums {{small|(track 9)}}
• Daddy G – vocals {{small|(track 10)}}

• Nellee Hooper – production, mixing {{small|(all tracks)}}; mix engineering {{small|(track 10)}}
• Massive Attack – production, mixing
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mix engineering {{small|(tracks 1–8)}}
• Jim Abbiss – mix engineering {{small|(track 9)}}
• Jeremy "Jim Bob" Wheatley – additional engineering
• Al Stone – additional engineering
• Mike Marsh – mastering

• Massive Attack, Michael-Nash Assoc. – artwork
• Matthew Donaldson, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, Eddie Monsoon – photography

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Protection}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1994|certyear=1998|date=29 June 1998}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1994|certyear=2000|access-date=22 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection|award=Gold|type=album|id=1995-07-28|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1994}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1994|certyear=2000|access-date=22 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection/No Protection|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=1991|certyear=2013|id=9216-2279-2|date=22 July 2013|salesamount=653,864|salesref={{cite web|url=https://www.musicweek.com/publishing/read/round-hill-music-acquires-catalogue-of-two-founding-members-of-massive-attack/082533|publisher=Music Week|first=George|last=Garner|title=Round Hill Music acquires catalogue of two founding members of Massive Attack|date=4 February 2021|accessdate=28 December 2022}}}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Europe|artist=Massive Attack|title=Protection|award=Platinum|type=album|certyear=2004|access-date=22 October 2012}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|32634|Protection|type=album}}
• {{MusicBrainz release group|name=Protection|id=ded46e46-788d-3c1f-b21b-9f5e9c37b1bc}}

{{Massive Attack}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Protection (Album)}}

Category:1994 albums

Category:Albums produced by Nellee Hooper

Category:Massive Attack albums