Tricky : "Fall to Pieces"

Off all the 90s sub genre trip hop has not made a comeback ike say shoe gazre. Next to Massive Attack , Tricky was the most important figure in that genre. "Pre Milenium Tension" is always going to be the album I weigh his work against, which is not that high of a bar as he has proven himself capabe of bringing sounds that go far beyond what he did there on many albums since., singer Marta invokes a simiar feeling that singer  his original singer Martine Topley-Bird had. I was much clearer on how I felt about the opener "Thinking Of" and " which "Close Now" was sandwhiched between. It grew on me by the second listen. The more upbeat "I'm In the Doorway" does show case singer Marta's voice in the clearest sense, but Tricky is not about writing conventional pop songs and the mix on the song sound a little optimistic. This album was supposed to be inspired by the death of his daughter so I am hoping for something really dark. It is no where as near as dark as " Post Millenium Tension".  That darkness does not come until " Hate this Pain" . His voice utters the lyrics with more of that pain I want to hear from him. He might be british but this song sounds like it was born in New Orleans.

"Chills Me to the Bone" runs off a reliable groove that drives the song in the right direction. Their is more of a house bounce to "Fall Please". without the kind of groove he is known for the song doesn't feel as focused. When he goes into the kind of melodic and organic drone of " Take Me Shopping" it works more to his advantage. The song itself reminds me a little of  Lucious Jackson. They go into more of a down tempo pulse with "Like a Stone". The meody is more understated with this one. The vocals here feel more like what we have heard Matrine Topley Bird do in the past so this new girl from Poland is filing her shoes nicely. "Throws Me Around" goes for a similar vibe but it is lost in it's own atmosphere.

There is a gloomier vinbe to "Vietnam" which closes the album. It however never finds it's groove and just drones on with the drudgery. The albums gets murky and runs out of gas in the final moments , but does succeed as a whole and stands up[ reasonaby well against the bulk of his work. The production is a litte brighter than I might have preferred these sound to be presented, but the songs themselves are solid , not sure how much play time this will get , but I wil give it a 9, as I think that is where is would fall with fans who still carry his torch.



10