Classic Rock Album of the Day- Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream (1993) ***
Smashing Pumpkins's second effort, Siamese Dream thrust the band in the limelight, with a very strong effort of taking the Sabbath-ish fuzz distortion, and applying a Grunge/Indie/Alternative slant for meter and style. I first noticed the band on MTv in the day, and was pretty impressed with them in all aspects of this rock and roll debut (well almost debut). This band was very competent, good songwriting chops and used that Fuzz sound to create a unique sound in the era. Though Weezer was fuzzing similarly, The Pumpkins had a more morbid downer serious tone in their angle of the sound. Again an aura that almost made Weezer and this band the Ying and Yang of chest rattling and speaker buzzing contained distort.
The center of the creative universe and Front Man for SP is Billy Corgan. Other band mates pretty much accept the sidelight, but none of them are weak on their respective instruments. Production values are decent too, as the band is able to channel and juggle the fuzz and melodic aspects of their sound into some good period tunes. On a per song basis, this is probably their best effort. There might be a few more stronger tunes on "Infinite Sorrow", but then again that is a Double CD. This one also has less prenteniousness that Infinite Sorrow. By then SP, was one of the bigger rock bands in the era, and took that with liberties on subsequent works. Maybe just too much self absorption for their own good. They're obviously is a hungrier, more spirited effort here, and it pays off nicely on the vinyl (poly-carb plastic?)
SP's successful career for argument sake only lasted 6 drawn albums over a 20 year period. There were plenty of whispers that Corgan was a tyrant and extremely difficult to work with. Who knows, but it is certain, that this band should have made at least 5-10 more albums in that same timeframe. Still, it is hard for a fan of rock music not like a band that transverses as many as 6 or 7 musical genres, and sometimes in the same song. And in this particular album, it's all there, and is strong. What prevents these works from reaching lofty ratings, is that with the excellence in songwriting, there really aren't what I would call virtuoso moments. Lots of great rock and roll, but few if any individual performances that stand out.
Fun Fact: Band won 2 Grammys despite not being exact darlings to the critics.
Track No.
---------------
1. Cherub Rock- Fuzz effects and mayhem at the onsite. As discussed earlier, this band was a master of versatility in incorporated valid or not various genres into their catalog. Mind numbing, well hooked, and a good example of Corgan incorporated the fuzz at time even into a bizarre like melodic FX. Love the repeat "Let Me Out, almost chant, that has a near NIN like air of despair. This one makes my SP Top 5. 2
2. Quiet- Switching gears to more a standard metal like style. More fuzz numbing Repeat, Decent, But outside some of Corgan's best solo work on the CD, forgettable.. 8
3. Today- The hit, and the song that pretty much got everyone into SP. Rolling 3 part melodic style is excellent. From tinky guitar ditty, to blasting fuzz monster. Outstanding song, and easily one of three of the best they ever made. 1
4. Hummer- Heavy Indie Butthole Surfer feel that intertwines the ongoing Fuzz angle. Song does do a nice job of blending in ballad like moments in just another example of the band's penchant for versatility. 7
5. Rocket- Beautiful slow rolling guitar/bass, with near appregio laden work that gives the song an aura of mysticism. Outstanding, and innovative on the songwriting front. 3
6. Disarm- Talk about changing genre gears. Disarm is SP's most beautiful ballad like number. Complete with tubular chimes, strings, and other orchestraic gadgetry. They tried more variations of this on Infinite Sorrow, but with no where near this level of success. 4
7. Soma- More lighter fare, and I guess an Ode to the Painkillers and relationships. Seems Corgan and Reznor were actually more similar than different. Song overall is lower tier. 12
8. Geek, U.S.A.- Fuzz, with a tinge of speed metal. Best percussion on the LP, but not much else to write home about- 10
9. Mayonaise- More balladry, but with significantly less success. Not too much filler here, but this one makes that cut. 13
10. Spaceboy- Solid heavy rocker that has some absolute strange sexual verbal FX at start, which I have no idea why it fits in with this number around pain and despair. 6
11. Silverfuck- Despite the expletive, maybe the best use of band chaos of mix of instruments. 5
12. Sweet Sweet- Mostly an acoustic like ballad that seems what to be a 12-string song. Decent, but not upper eschilon in the work. 9
13. Luna- Albums brings to close some more pretty pointless ballad like fare. 11
Smashing Pumpkins's second effort, Siamese Dream thrust the band in the limelight, with a very strong effort of taking the Sabbath-ish fuzz distortion, and applying a Grunge/Indie/Alternative slant for meter and style. I first noticed the band on MTv in the day, and was pretty impressed with them in all aspects of this rock and roll debut (well almost debut). This band was very competent, good songwriting chops and used that Fuzz sound to create a unique sound in the era. Though Weezer was fuzzing similarly, The Pumpkins had a more morbid downer serious tone in their angle of the sound. Again an aura that almost made Weezer and this band the Ying and Yang of chest rattling and speaker buzzing contained distort.
The center of the creative universe and Front Man for SP is Billy Corgan. Other band mates pretty much accept the sidelight, but none of them are weak on their respective instruments. Production values are decent too, as the band is able to channel and juggle the fuzz and melodic aspects of their sound into some good period tunes. On a per song basis, this is probably their best effort. There might be a few more stronger tunes on "Infinite Sorrow", but then again that is a Double CD. This one also has less prenteniousness that Infinite Sorrow. By then SP, was one of the bigger rock bands in the era, and took that with liberties on subsequent works. Maybe just too much self absorption for their own good. They're obviously is a hungrier, more spirited effort here, and it pays off nicely on the vinyl (poly-carb plastic?)
SP's successful career for argument sake only lasted 6 drawn albums over a 20 year period. There were plenty of whispers that Corgan was a tyrant and extremely difficult to work with. Who knows, but it is certain, that this band should have made at least 5-10 more albums in that same timeframe. Still, it is hard for a fan of rock music not like a band that transverses as many as 6 or 7 musical genres, and sometimes in the same song. And in this particular album, it's all there, and is strong. What prevents these works from reaching lofty ratings, is that with the excellence in songwriting, there really aren't what I would call virtuoso moments. Lots of great rock and roll, but few if any individual performances that stand out.
Fun Fact: Band won 2 Grammys despite not being exact darlings to the critics.
Track No.
---------------
1. Cherub Rock- Fuzz effects and mayhem at the onsite. As discussed earlier, this band was a master of versatility in incorporated valid or not various genres into their catalog. Mind numbing, well hooked, and a good example of Corgan incorporated the fuzz at time even into a bizarre like melodic FX. Love the repeat "Let Me Out, almost chant, that has a near NIN like air of despair. This one makes my SP Top 5. 2
2. Quiet- Switching gears to more a standard metal like style. More fuzz numbing Repeat, Decent, But outside some of Corgan's best solo work on the CD, forgettable.. 8
3. Today- The hit, and the song that pretty much got everyone into SP. Rolling 3 part melodic style is excellent. From tinky guitar ditty, to blasting fuzz monster. Outstanding song, and easily one of three of the best they ever made. 1
4. Hummer- Heavy Indie Butthole Surfer feel that intertwines the ongoing Fuzz angle. Song does do a nice job of blending in ballad like moments in just another example of the band's penchant for versatility. 7
5. Rocket- Beautiful slow rolling guitar/bass, with near appregio laden work that gives the song an aura of mysticism. Outstanding, and innovative on the songwriting front. 3
6. Disarm- Talk about changing genre gears. Disarm is SP's most beautiful ballad like number. Complete with tubular chimes, strings, and other orchestraic gadgetry. They tried more variations of this on Infinite Sorrow, but with no where near this level of success. 4
7. Soma- More lighter fare, and I guess an Ode to the Painkillers and relationships. Seems Corgan and Reznor were actually more similar than different. Song overall is lower tier. 12
8. Geek, U.S.A.- Fuzz, with a tinge of speed metal. Best percussion on the LP, but not much else to write home about- 10
9. Mayonaise- More balladry, but with significantly less success. Not too much filler here, but this one makes that cut. 13
10. Spaceboy- Solid heavy rocker that has some absolute strange sexual verbal FX at start, which I have no idea why it fits in with this number around pain and despair. 6
11. Silverfuck- Despite the expletive, maybe the best use of band chaos of mix of instruments. 5
12. Sweet Sweet- Mostly an acoustic like ballad that seems what to be a 12-string song. Decent, but not upper eschilon in the work. 9
13. Luna- Albums brings to close some more pretty pointless ballad like fare. 11
