The Smashing Pumpkins | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Though they emerged alongside grunge acts like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins were the group least influenced by traditional underground rock. Headed by principal songwriter and frontman Billy Corgan, they fashioned an amalgam of progressive rock, heavy metal, goth, psychedelia, and dream pop, creating a layered, powerful sound driven by swirling, distorted guitars that churned beneath Corgans angst-ridden lyrics. One of the most visible alternative rock bands of the early 90s, they achieved mainstream success over the decade with classic releases Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness before entering an uneven and often tumultuous chapter that carried them into the 2000s. After the success of 1993s Siamese Dream, their presence extended to the mainstream with radio and video hits from their double album, Mellon Collie. After a misunderstood foray into electronic rock on Adore, Corgan issued a final pair of efforts before putting the group to sleep for an extended early-2000s hiatus that ended with 2007s Zeitgeist. Along with an ever-changing lineup, he continued to churn out albums under the Pumpkins moniker before reuniting with most of the original lineup for a 2018 reunion. The son of a jazz guitarist, William Patrick Corgan grew up in a Chicago suburb, leaving home at the age of 19 to move to Florida with his fledgling goth metal band, the Marked. After the band failed down South, he returned to Chicago around 1988, where he began working at a used-record store. At the shop he met James Iha (guitar), a graphic arts student at Loyola University, and the two began collaborating, performing, and recording songs with a drum machine. Corgan met DArcy Wretzky at a club show; after arguing about the merits of the Dan Reed Network, the two became friends and she joined the group as a bassist. Soon, the bandmembers, who named themselves the Smashing Pumpkins, had gained a dedicated local following, which included the head of a local club who booked them to open for Janes Addiction. Before the pivotal concert, the band hired Jimmy Chamberlin, a former jazz musician, as their full-time drummer. In 1990, the Smashing Pumpkins released their debut single, "I Am One," on the local Chicago label Limited Potential. The single quickly sold out, and in December the band released "Tristessa" on Sub Pop. By this point, the Smashing Pumpkins had become the subject of a hot bidding war, and the group latched onto a clever way to move to a major label without losing indie credibility. They signed to Virgin Records, yet it was decided that the groups debut would be released on the Virgin subsidiary Caroline, and then the band would move to the majors. The strategy worked; Gish, a majestic mix of Black Sabbath and dream pop produced by Butch Vig, became a huge college and modern rock hit upon its spring 1991 release. The Pumpkins embarked on an extensive supporting tour for Gish, which lasted over a year and included opening slots for Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam. During the Gish tour, tensions between bandmembers began to escalate, as former couple Iha and Wretzky went through a messy breakup, Chamberlin became addicted to drugs and alcohol, and Corgan entered a heavy depression. These tensions werent resolved by the time the group entered the studio with Vig to record its second album. Toward the beginning of the sessions, the Pumpkins were given significant exposure through the inclusion of "Drown" on the Singles soundtrack in the summer of 1992. As the sessions progressed, Corgan relieved himself of his depression by working heavily -- not only did he write a surplus of songs, he played nearly all of the guitars and bass on each recording, which meant that its release was delayed several times. The resulting album, Siamese Dream, was an immaculate production and was embraced by critics upon its July 1993 release. Siamese Dream became their first blockbuster, debuting at number ten on the charts and establishing the Smashing Pumpkins as stars. "Cherub Rock," the first single, was a modern rock hit, yet it was "Today" and the acoustic "Disarm" that sent the album into the stratosphere. The Smashing Pumpkins became the headliners of Lollapalooza 1994, and following the tours completion, the band went back into the studio to record a new album that Corgan had already claimed would be a double-disc set. To tide fans over until then, the Pumpkins released the B-sides and rarities album Pisces Iscariot in October 1994. Working with producers Flood and Alan Moulder, the Smashing Pumpkins recorded as a full band for their third album, the double-disc set Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, which became an even bigger hit than Siamese Dream, debuting at number one on the charts. On the strength of the singles "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," "1979," "Zero," and "Tonight, Tonight," it sold over four million copies in the U.S., eventually being certified platinum over eight times. The Pumpkins had graduated to stadium shows for the Mellon Collie tour, and the band was at the peak of its popularity when things began to spiral. On July 12, prior to two shows at Madison Square Garden, the groups touring keyboardist, Jonathan Melvoin, died from a heroin overdose; he was with Chamberlin, who survived his overdose. In the wake of the tragedy, the remaining Pumpkins fired Chamberlin and spent two months on hiatus as they recovered and searched for a new drummer. Early in August, they announced that Filter member Matt Walker would be their touring drummer and Dennis Flemion, a member of the Frogs, would be their touring keyboardist for the remainder of the year. They returned to the stage at the end of August and spent the next five months on tour. In spring, the Smashing Pumpkins recorded two songs for the soundtracks for Batman & Robin (the Grammy-winning "The End Is the Beginning Is the End") and Lost Highway ("Eye"). The latter track hinted at the direction of their next album, which took a surprise turn into subdued electronics. Shrouded by the death of Corgans mother and a divorce, Adore followed a few months later. Despite topping international charts and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, the efforts sales and reviews were disappointing, with many critics confused by their new direction. The band embarked on a tour, contributing 100 percent of the earnings to charity, and returned to the studio. Prior to the release of their fifth album, Chamberlin returned to the group and Wretzky made her exit, replaced by Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur. Bringing the band back to its early rock roots, MACHINA: The Machines of God landed in early 2000. Peaking at number three, MACHINA included the singles "Stand Inside Your Love" and "The Everlasting Gaze." In the midst of album promotion, Corgan announced his intention to dissolve the band that year with a farewell tour. Fans received one last treat when Corgan and company finished tracks that were left over from the MACHINA sessions. Surprisingly, Virgin Records balked at the idea of releasing the 25-track set so close to the release of their previous album, so the band put the entire album (going by the official title of Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music) on the Internet for fans to download for free. On December 2, 2000, the Pumpkins played a mammoth show at Chicagos Metro (also the venue at which the group played its first show back in 1988). Booked as a final farewell, it would actually just be their first official hiatus, the start of an uneven period for Corgan when the Pumpkins would become known as much for lineup and status changes as the music itself. During the break, former members of the band didnt wait long before carrying on with other projects. Corgan spent the summer of 2001 playing guitar with New Order on select concert dates, and later in the year unveiled his new band, Zwan, including Chamberlin on drums (as well as former Chavez guitarist Matt Sweeney and bassist David "Skullfisher" Pajo). He also released a book of poetry. The other two former Pumpkins, Iha and Auf der Maur, began putting together an alt-rock supergroup dubbed the Virgins. Iha also began playing with A Perfect Circle. A pair of postmortem Pumpkins collections were also issued as a double-disc/DVD, both called Greatest Hits (aka Rotten Apples). Corgan released his first solo album, The Future Embrace, in 2005, and on the day it came out, he took out a full-page ad in The Chicago Tribune to announce that the Smashing Pumpkins were reuniting just five years after splitting. However, he hadnt informed any of his past bandmates, and only Chamberlin joined for the ride. The resulting album, Zeitgeist (Reprise Records), was issued in 2007. Although it peaked at number two, the effort continued the bands late-era decline in sales and critical acclaim. The new lineup -- which added guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Ginger Reyes, and keyboardist Lisa Harriton -- embarked on a successful international tour, despite lukewarm reception to Zeitgeist. Corgan and Chamberlin released an EP, American Gothic, at the start of 2008, before Corgan shook things up once again by announcing that the group would no longer record albums and would instead only issue singles. Chamberlin parted ways with the band once again in March 2009 and Corgan was joined by Schroeder, bassist Nicole Fiorentino, and drummer Mike Byrne. Once the dust settled, Corgan followed through on his promise to issue only short-form releases, putting out the track "A Song for a Son" in December of 2009. Scattered songs from the bands Teargarden by Kaleidyscope concept were released over the next two years as free downloads, with physical collections of the tracks released in 2010 by way of the EP box sets Songs for a Sailor and The Solstice Bare. In 2012, Corgan decided to take a break from the single-centric concept and released Oceania, the Smashing Pumpkins official eighth studio album. A live companion, Oceania: Live in NYC, was released the following year. In 2014, Corgan announced that he would be releasing two albums the following year under a new deal with BMG, which would tie up the Teargarden concept; these would be titled Monuments to an Elegy and Day for Night. By this point, Fiorentino and Byrne had left the band, and drums on Monuments to an Elegy were played by Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe. Monuments was released on December 9, 2014 and debuted in the Top 40 of the Billboard 200, making it their lowest-charting effort since their debut. Chamberlin returned to the band for a 2015 tour, although the promised Day for Night failed to materialize on schedule. In early 2016, Iha reunited with Corgan and Chamberlin for a performance in Los Angeles, their first together in almost two decades. Subsequent live shows followed, leading to an eventual reunion of the original lineup (sans Wretzky) for a 2018 tour. The Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour featured the three founding members and bassist Jack Bates (son of Peter Hook). To coincide with the summertime trek, the Pumpkins released "Solara," the first single from their reunion album Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1/LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. Produced by Rick Rubin, Shiny and Oh So Bright appeared in November 2018. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 14 Title: Gish Released: 1991-05-28 Tracks: 10 Duration: 46:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Am One (04:06) 2 Siva (04:23) 3 Rhinoceros (06:30) 4 Bury Me (04:48) 5 Crush (03:34) 6 Suffer (05:11) 7 Snail (05:11) 8 Tristessa (03:33) 9 Window Paine (05:51) 10 Daydream / I’m Going Crazy (03:07) |
| Gish : Allmusic album Review : Arriving several months before Nirvanas Nevermind, the Smashing Pumpkins debut album, Gish, which was also produced by Butch Vig, was the first shot of the alternative revolution that transformed the rock & roll landscape of the 90s. While Nirvana was a punk band, the Smashing Pumpkins and guitarist/vocalist Billy Corgan are arena rockers, co-opting their metallic riffs and epic art rock song structures with self-absorbed lyrical confessions. Though Corgans lyrics fall apart upon close analysis, theres no denying his gift for arrangements. Like Brian May and Jimmy Page, he knows how to layer guitars for maximum effect, whether its on the pounding, sub-Sabbath rush of "I Am One" or the shimmering, psychedelic dream pop surfaces of "Rhinoceros." Such musical moments like these, as well as the rushing "Siva" and the folky "Daydream," which features DArcy on lead vocals, demonstrate the Smashing Pumpkins potential, but the rest of Gish falls prey to undistinguished songwriting and showy instrumentation. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 14 Title: Siamese Dream Released: 1993-07-26 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:02:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Cherub Rock (04:58) 2 Quiet (03:41) 3 Today (03:20) 4 Hummer (06:57) 5 Rocket (04:06) 6 Disarm (03:17) 7 Soma (06:39) 8 Geek U.S.A. (05:13) 9 Mayonaise (05:49) 10 Spaceboy (04:28) 11 Silverfuck (08:43) 12 Sweet Sweet (01:38) 13 Luna (03:20) |
| Siamese Dream : Allmusic album Review : While Gish had placed the Smashing Pumpkins on the "most promising artist" list for many, troubles were threatening to break the band apart. Singer/guitarist/leader Billy Corgan was battling a severe case of writers block and was in a deep state of depression brought on by a relationship in turmoil; drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was addicted to hard drugs; and bassist DArcy and guitarist James Iha severed their romantic relationship. The sessions for their sophomore effort, Siamese Dream, were wrought with friction -- Corgan eventually played almost all the instruments himself (except for percussion). Some say strife and tension produces the best music, and it certainly helped make Siamese Dream one of the finest alt-rock albums of all time. Instead of following Nirvanas punk rock route, Siamese Dream went in the opposite direction -- guitar solos galore, layered walls of sound courtesy of the albums producers (Butch Vig and Corgan), extended compositions that bordered on prog rock, plus often reflective and heartfelt lyrics. The four tracks that were selected as singles became alternative radio standards -- the anthems "Cherub Rock," "Today," and "Rocket," plus the symphonic ballad "Disarm" -- but as a whole, Siamese Dream proved to be an incredibly consistent album. Such compositions as the red-hot rockers "Quiet" and "Geek U.S.A." were standouts, as were the epics "Hummer," "Soma," and "Silverfuck," plus the soothing sounds of "Mayonaise," "Spaceboy," and "Luna." After the difficult recording sessions, Corgan stated publicly that if Siamese Dream didnt achieve breakthrough success, he would end the band. He didnt have to worry for long -- the album debuted in the Billboard Top Ten and sold more than four million copies in three years. Siamese Dream stands alongside Nevermind and Superunknown as one of the decades finest (and most influential) rock albums. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 14 Title: Pisces Iscariot Released: 1994-10-04 Tracks: 14 Duration: 57:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Soothe (demo) (02:35) 2 Frail and Bedazzled (03:17) 3 Plume (03:37) 4 Whir (04:10) 5 Blew Away (03:32) 6 Pissant (02:31) 7 Hello Kitty Kat (04:32) 8 Obscured (05:21) 9 Landslide (03:10) 10 Starla (11:01) 11 Blue (03:19) 12 Girl Named Sandoz (03:34) 13 La Dolly Vita (04:16) 14 Spaced (02:24) |
| Pisces Iscariot : Allmusic album Review : Although the Smashing Pumpkins had only released two studio albums by 1994 (1991s Gish and 1993s Siamese Dream), they had an overflow of songs that were either relegated to B-sides on European singles or remained unreleased. Billy Corgan proved to be one of rocks most prolific songwriters of the 1990s alt rock movement -- as the quality of these early leftovers were often just as strong as the songs that were officially released. Since nearly all of these songs were never issued domestically, the B-side/rarity collection Pisces Iscariot was issued alongside their first long-form home video, Vieuphoria. The collection proved to be a feast for fans -- its inexplicable why such exceptional rockers ("Plume," "Hello Kitty Kat," "Frail and Bedazzled," "Blue") and ballads ("Obscured," "La Dolly Vita") werent featured on albums. Also included is the long and winding, 11-minute epic jam fest "Starla," which proves that Corgan was one of the finest (and most underrated) rock guitarists of the 90s, as well as a pair of unlikely covers -- Fleetwood Macs gentle "Landslide" and the Animals psychedelic "Girl Named Sandoz." Also included are insightful liner notes (strewn with typos) from Corgan. While its not the definitive B-sides collection of pre-Mellon Collie Pumpkins (such tracks as "Bullet Train to Osaka," "Purr Snickety," "Apathys Last Kiss," "My Dahlia," "Jackie Blue," "Glynis," and others are nowhere to be found), Pisces Iscariot contains some of Corgan and companys finest moments. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 14 Title: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Released: 1995-10-23 Tracks: 28 Duration: 2:02:14 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (02:52) 2 Tonight, Tonight (04:15) 3 Jellybelly (03:01) 4 Zero (02:40) 5 Here Is No Why (03:45) 6 Bullet With Butterfly Wings (04:17) 7 To Forgive (04:16) 8 Fuck You (An Ode to No One) (04:50) 9 Love (04:21) 10 Cupid de Locke (02:50) 11 Galapogos (04:46) 12 Muzzle (03:44) 13 Porcelina of the Vast Oceans (09:21) 14 Take Me Down (02:52) 1 Where Boys Fear to Tread (04:24) 2 Bodies (04:14) 3 Thirty‐Three (04:12) 4 In the Arms of Sleep (04:14) 5 1979 (04:27) 6 Tales of a Scorched Earth (03:48) 7 Thru the Eyes of Ruby (07:40) 8 Stumbleine (02:54) 9 X.Y.U. (07:09) 10 We Only Come Out at Night (04:07) 11 Beautiful (04:20) 12 Lily (My One and Only) (03:33) 13 By Starlight (04:50) 14 Farewell and Goodnight (04:25) |
| Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness : Allmusic album Review : The Smashing Pumpkins didnt shy away from making the follow-up to the grand, intricate Siamese Dream. With Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the band turns in one of the most ambitious and indulgent albums in rock history. Lasting over two hours and featuring 28 songs, the album is certainly a challenging listen. To Billy Corgans credit, its a rewarding and compelling one as well. Although the artistic scope of the album is immense, the Smashing Pumpkins flourish in such an overblown setting. Corgans songwriting has never been limited by conventional notions of what a rock band can do, even if it is clear that he draws inspiration from scores of 70s heavy metal and art rock bands. Instead of copying the sounds of his favorite records, he expands on their ideas, making the gentle piano of the title track and the sighing "1979" sit comfortably against the volcanic rush of "Jellybelly" and "Zero." In between those two extremes lies an array of musical styles, drawing from rock, pop, folk, and classical. Some of the songs dont work as well as others, but Mellon Collie never seems to drag. Occasionally they fall flat on their face, but over the entire album, the Smashing Pumpkins prove that they are one of the more creative and consistent bands of the 90s. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 14 Title: The Aeroplane Flies High Released: 1996-11-26 Tracks: 33 Duration: 2:16:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Bullet With Butterfly Wings (04:17) 2 …Said Sadly (03:11) 3 Youre All Ive Got Tonight (03:10) 4 Clones (Were All) (02:45) 5 A Night Like This (03:39) 6 Destination Unknown (04:17) 7 Dreaming (05:11) 1 1979 (04:27) 2 Ugly (02:53) 3 The Boy (03:05) 4 Cherry (04:02) 5 Believe (03:17) 6 Set the Ray to Jerry (04:10) 1 Zero (02:40) 2 God (03:09) 3 Mouths of Babes (03:46) 4 Tribute to Johnny (02:35) 5 Marquis in Spades (03:12) 6 Pennies (02:29) 7 Pastichio Medley (23:00) 1 Tonight, Tonight (04:15) 2 Meladori Magpie (02:44) 3 Rotten Apples (03:04) 4 Jupiter’s Lament (02:32) 5 Medellia of the Gray Skies (03:11) 6 Blank (Sadlands demo) (02:55) 7 Tonite Reprise (02:41) 1 Thirty‐Three (04:12) 2 The Last Song (03:55) 3 The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right) (08:36) 4 Transformer (03:29) 5 The Bells (02:19) 6 My Blue Heaven (03:21) |
| The Aeroplane Flies High : Allmusic album Review : The Aeroplane Flies High contains all five singles -- "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "1979," "Zero," "Tonight, Tonight," "Thirty-Three" -- from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in a box set shaped like a 45 single carrying case from the 60s. Though the set contains all of the B-sides from the five singles, the running order isnt quite the same as the original releases; for example, in its original release, "Butterfly Wings" only had two B-sides, but it is augmented for covers of new wave artists like the Cars, Blondie, and Missing Persons. In total, the box set has more songs than Mellon Collie, and, by and large, the quality of the music is quite strong. Occasionally, Billy Corgans prolificacy gets the better of him; there are a number of songs where his reach exceeds his grasp, and he doesnt quite come up with an engaging melody to match his detailed production. At other times, his musical experimentations catch hold, such as when he delves into jazz or orchestrated pop. Still, all of these pleasures are ones that are only of interest to dedicated Smashing Pumpkins fans who already know Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness inside and out. A casual fan will have a hard time sorting out the wheat from the chafe on The Aeroplane Flies High, but that work will be a pleasure for the diehards. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 14 Title: Adore Released: 1998-05-29 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:12:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 To Sheila (04:47) 2 Ava Adore (04:27) 3 Perfect (03:20) 4 Daphne Descends (04:39) 5 Once Upon a Time (04:04) 6 Tear (05:51) 7 Crestfallen (03:53) 8 Appels + Oranjes (03:33) 9 Pug (04:48) 10 The Tale of Dusty and Pistol Pete (04:35) 11 Annie-Dog (03:43) 12 Shame (06:38) 1 Behold! The Night Mare (05:14) 2 For Martha (08:17) 3 Blank Page (04:50) |
| Adore : Allmusic album Review : Left without a drummer after Jimmy Chamberlins dismissal, the Smashing Pumpkins took the opportunity to revamp their sound slightly -- which is what Billy Corgan claimed they were going to do on their fourth album anyway. Adore, however, isnt a drastic departure. Using dream pop ballads and the synthetic pulse of "1979" as starting point, the Pumpkins have created a hushed, elegiac album that sounds curiously out of time -- its certainly an outgrowth of their previous work, but the differences arent entirely modern. Whenever synthesizers are added to the mix, the results make the band sound like a contemporary of the Cure or Depeche Mode, not Aphex Twin. Thats not necessarily a problem, since Adore creates its own world with layered keyboards, acoustic guitars, and a rotating selection of drummers and machines. Theres none of the distorted bluster that cluttered Mellon Collie and none of the grand sonic technicolor of Siamese Dream. Adore recasts the calmer moments of those albums in a sepia tone, in an attempt to be modest and intimate. Only Billy Corgan would consider a 74-minute, 16-track album a modest effort, but compared to its widescreen predecessors, it does feel a bit scaled down. Still, Corgans ambitions reign supreme. This is no mere acoustic album, nor is it electronica -- it is quiet contemporary art rock, playing like a concept album without any real concept. Its very length and portentousness tend to obscure some lovely songs, since all the muted production tends to blend all the songs together. But even with its flaws, Adore is an admirable record that illustrates the depth of the Pumpkins sound, even if it ultimately isnt a brave step forward. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 14 Title: MACHINA/the machines of God Released: 1999-11 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:13:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Everlasting Gaze (04:02) 2 Raindrops + Sunshowers (04:39) 3 Stand Inside Your Love (04:13) 4 I of the Mourning (04:37) 5 The Sacred and Profane (04:22) 6 Try, Try, Try (05:09) 7 Heavy Metal Machine (05:52) 8 This Time (04:44) 9 The Imploding Voice (04:24) 10 Glass and the Ghost Children (09:56) 11 Wound (03:58) 12 The Crying Tree of Mercury (03:44) 13 With Every Light (03:56) 14 Blue Skies Bring Tears (05:45) 15 Age of Innocence (03:53) |
| MACHINA/the machines of God : Allmusic album Review : Any record called MACHINA/The Machines of God couldnt be a pure rock album. The title suggests this is a concept album, which are at least a little progressive. As it happens, MACHINA is a lot progressive. Though its damn near impossible to figure out the story line, the album plays like a concept album, with each track floating into the next, winding up with an album artier than Adore. Thats not a liability, since the Smashing Pumpkins were always arty, yet Billy Corgan was very clever in camouflaging his artiness. "The Everlasting Gaze" rocks more overtly than anything on Adore, and the storybook-styled artwork deliberately evokes memories of Mellon Collie. Enthusiasts will find moments to admire throughout MACHINA, but ultimately, they might be disappointed with a record that crosses Mellon Collie with Adore without relying on the strengths of either. MACHINA appears to be ornately straightforward, yet as it progresses, it becomes increasingly insular. By the time it gets to "Heavy Metal Machine," designed as the records crushing centerpiece, its weaknesses become apparent. "Heavy Metal Machine" should be a brutal, bruising experience, yet its toothless, processed within an inch of its life. It becomes clear that the chief strength of the album is production. Not once does MACHINA ever feel like the work of a band; it feels as if it was painstakingly assembled by Corgan and Flood. The Smashing Pumpkins have always been Corgans band, but theyve never sounded like a solo vehicle the way that they do here. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 14 Title: Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music Released: 2000-09-05 Tracks: 14 Duration: 49:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Glass (01:48) 2 Cash Car Star (03:16) 3 Dross (03:26) 4 Real Love (04:10) 5 Go (03:45) 6 Let Me Give the World to You (04:05) 7 Innosense (02:30) 8 Home (04:28) 1 Blue Skies/version electrique (03:15) 2 White Spyder (03:36) 3 In My Body (06:47) 4 If There Is a God (02:08) 5 Le Deux Machina (01:51) 6 Here’s to the Atom Bomb (03:50) |
| Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music : Allmusic album Review : Having decided that the earlier Friends and Enemies effort at getting rare songs out to the Pumpkins fan base surreptitiously was successful, Billy Corgan organized a more formal effort with Machina II, borrowing the original tape title while revamping the contents. Twenty-five copies were made on three 10" and two 12" vinyl discs. Instructions were given to distribute the material on the Web; artwork was also made available online, making this possibly the first full release of an album strictly as a free Web effort. The first 10" disc includes the heavy-yet-dreamy "Slow Down" and a "spacy" version of "Glass Theme"; the second features one of the Pumpkins most surprising covers, James Browns "Soul Power," which turns out to be a great Pumpkins bash-and-thrash fest. It also includes the Adore outtake "Cash Car Star," a fantastic hyper-thrash assault with some insane guitar work, and a fantastic version of the "Stand Inside Your Love" B-side "Speed Kills." The final 10" contains a piano/vocals version of "If There Is a God," and a lighter take on "Try, Try, Try." The two 12" disc releases -- the "official" Friends and Enemies release -- features alternate takes of the original cassettes tracks, including "Dross," and a heavy rip through "Blue Skies Bring Tears," while "Le Deux Machina" and the loud, sparkling soar of "Real Love" remain unchanged. New songs include a fine James Iha number, "Go," the haunting "Innosense," and the official release of "Let Me Give the World to You," here given a triumphant total-band take. As a high-class artifact and a gift to a loyal fan base, Machina II is a winner. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 14 Title: Greatest Hits: Rotten Apples Released: 2001-11-16 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:16:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Siva (04:23) 2 Rhinoceros (05:54) 3 Drown (edit) (04:30) 4 Cherub Rock (04:58) 5 Today (03:20) 6 Disarm (03:17) 7 Bullet With Butterfly Wings (04:17) 8 1979 (04:27) 9 Zero (02:40) 10 Tonight, Tonight (04:15) 11 Eye (04:54) 12 Ava Adore (04:21) 13 Perfect (03:24) 14 The Everlasting Gaze (04:02) 15 Stand Inside Your Love (04:13) 16 Try, Try, Try (05:09) 17 Real Love (04:10) 18 Untitled (03:53) |
| Greatest Hits: Rotten Apples : Allmusic album Review : Like many alt-rock bands, the Smashing Pumpkins sound better than expected as a singles band -- probably because their high points were singles, no matter how carefully created their albums were. The Smashing Pumpkins fit this bill particularly well for two reasons. For one, they rose up through the ranks in indie rock circles, where limited-edition singles on Sub Pop meant as much as a full-lengths on Caroline. Then, after they made it through the indie jungle, they had to fight their way onto MTV airwaves with songs and videos that sold their intricate albums. This was a good, even prosperous, situation when the Pumpkins (OK, when their leader, Billy Corgan) could balance their knack for great singles with their desire to make sweeping neo-concept albums like Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. They did for a few years, conquering the alt-rock pack after Nirvana imploded, but the group itself eventually turned in on itself -- either because of Corgans own hubris or the groups complacency. They had more than enough great material for a good compilation, and Greatest Hits almost fits the bill. Its main problem is that, like most even-handed compilations, it gives too much credence to the music made after the groups peak, at the expense of some of the groups better material. Essentially, anything that most listeners will want to hear wraps up 11 tracks into the 18-track album, when the collection dives into material from Adore and MACHINA -- two albums that arent embarrassments, but really only of interest to the hardcore, particularly in how they desperately attempt to embrace the fleeting electronica fad of the 90s (something almost all alt-rock bands did, almost always to no avail). So, this collection bogs down more than it should, and because its final eight tracks are taken from the Pumpkins past their peak; consequently, its hard to recommend this to anyone who just wants an album with all the hits. Yes, it does have many of the cuts that theyll want on one disc, including the non-LP "Drown" and "Landslide," but the desire to justify two albums nobody bought -- especially at the expense of "I Am One," "Rocket," "Geek USA," and "Here Is No Why," among others -- hurts a collection that should have showcased the Pumpkins at their peak. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 14 Title: Rarities and B-Sides Released: 2005-04-05 Tracks: 114 Duration: 8:08:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rhinoceros (05:54) 2 Blue (03:19) 3 Slunk (02:49) 4 Bye June (02:09) 5 Siva (04:51) 6 A Girl Named Sandoz (Peel Sessions) (03:35) 7 Smiley (03:31) 8 I Am One (04:06) 9 Plume (03:37) 10 Starla (11:01) 11 Bullet Train to Osaka (04:16) 12 Terrapin (02:54) 13 Disarm (03:17) 14 Soothe (demo) (02:35) 15 Blew Away (03:32) 16 Siamese Dream (02:35) 17 Landslide (03:10) 18 Dancing in the Moonlight (04:14) 19 Today (03:20) 20 Hello Kitty Kat (04:32) 21 Obscured (05:21) 22 Cherub Rock (04:58) 23 Pissant (02:31) 24 French Movie Theme (03:49) 25 Purr Snickety (02:51) 26 Not Worth Asking (04:01) 27 Honeyspider (alternate) (02:29) 28 Infinite Sadness (03:48) 29 1979 (vocal mix) (05:11) 30 1979 (instrumental mix) (05:20) 31 Bullet With Butterfly Wings (04:18) 32 …Said Sadly (03:11) 33 Youre All Ive Got Tonight (03:10) 34 Clones (Were All) (02:45) 35 A Night Like This (03:39) 36 Destination Unknown (04:17) 37 Dreaming (05:11) 38 1979 (04:26) 39 Ugly (02:53) 40 The Boy (03:05) 41 Cherry (04:02) 42 Set the Ray to Jerry (04:10) 43 Zero (02:40) 44 God (03:09) 45 Mouths of Babes (03:46) 46 Tribute to Johnny (02:35) 47 Marquis in Spades (03:12) 48 Pennies (02:29) 49 Pastichio Medley (23:00) 50 Tonight, Tonight (04:15) 51 Meladori Magpie (02:44) 52 Rotten Apples (03:04) 53 Medellia of the Gray Skies (03:11) 54 Jupiter’s Lament (02:32) 55 Blank (Sadlands demo) (02:55) 56 Tonite Reprise (02:41) 57 Thirty‐Three (04:12) 58 The Last Song (03:55) 59 The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right) (08:36) 60 Transformer (03:29) 61 The Bells (02:19) 62 My Blue Heaven (03:21) 63 Speed Kills (05:16) 64 Hope (03:38) 65 Blissed and Gone (04:46) 66 Apathy’s Last Kiss (02:43) 67 Mayonaise (acoustic) (04:30) 68 Eye (04:54) 69 Lucky 13 (03:09) 70 The Aeroplane Flies High (07:53) 71 Because You Are (03:46) 72 Slow Dawn (03:12) 73 Believe (03:17) 74 My Mistake (04:00) 75 Here’s to the Atom Bomb (04:26) 76 Sparrow (02:56) 77 Waiting (03:48) 78 Saturnine (03:49) 79 Rock On (06:06) 80 Winterlong (04:59) 81 Soot and Stars (06:39) 82 Ava Adore (04:22) 83 Czarina (04:43) 84 Once in a While (03:33) 85 Perfect (03:23) 86 Summer (03:14) 87 Perfect (Nellee Hooper mix) (04:14) 88 Perfect (Nellee Hooper instrumental) (04:14) 89 Perfect (Perfecto mix) (07:02) 90 Perfect (Perfecto dub) (07:01) 91 Perfect (Electro Breakbeat mix) (06:04) 92 Daphne Descends (Kerry B. Mix) (03:53) 93 Christmastime (03:16) 94 Drown (edit) (04:30) 95 Glynis (04:53) 96 Sad Peter Pan (05:08) 97 The End Is the Beginning Is the End (05:08) 98 The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning (05:02) 99 The Ethers Tragic (02:47) 100 The Guns of Love Disastrous (04:11) 101 Sinfony (00:57) 102 Quiet (Live in Atlanta, 1993) (03:42) 103 Disarm (Live on English TV, 1993) (02:56) 104 Cherub Rock (Acoustic) (Live on MTV Europe, 1993) (04:22) 105 Today (Live in Chicago, 1993) (03:36) 106 Bugg Superstar (01:31) 107 I Am One (Live in Barcelona, 1993) (07:55) 108 Pulseczar (02:29) 109 Soma (Live in London, 1994) (06:31) 110 Slunk (Live on Japanese TV, 1992) (02:38) 111 Geek U.S.A. (Live on German TV, 1993) (04:49) 112 Mayonaise (acoustic) (Live Everywhere, 1988-1994) (04:19) 113 Why Am I So Tired (15:13) 114 Never Let Me Down Again (04:00) |
 | Album: 11 of 14 Title: Zeitgeist Released: 2007-07-06 Tracks: 12 Duration: 52:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Doomsday Clock (03:44) 2 7 Shades of Black (03:17) 3 Bleeding the Orchid (04:03) 4 That’s the Way (My Love Is) (03:48) 5 Tarantula (03:51) 6 Starz (03:43) 7 United States (09:52) 8 Neverlost (04:20) 9 Bring the Light (03:40) 10 (Come On) Let’s Go! (03:19) 11 For God and Country (04:24) 12 Pomp and Circumstances (04:20) |
| Zeitgeist : Allmusic album Review : Way back before the Smashing Pumpkins were superstars, right around the release of Siamese Dream, it was already an open secret that they were not a democracy; they were a dictatorship, ruled under the iron fist of singer/songwriter/guitarist/conceptualist Billy Corgan. He came up with their sound, equal parts metal and dream pop, he wrote the songs, and, according to most reports, he recorded almost all the guitars and bass on their albums, masterminding their sound down to the littlest details. Anybody that meticulous was also sharp enough to know the value of image too, so Corgan knew it was better to present the Smashing Pumpkins as a full-fledged band, not a solo project, and he came up with a diverse lineup ideally matched for the alt-rock 90s: he was the skinny misfit leader, surrounded by female bassist DArcy, Japanese-American guitarist James Iha, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who came across like an old metalhead on the prowl for freaky chicks. They didnt look like a band; they looked like the idea of a band, which was appealing in its own right, but for as photogenic as they were, the reason the Pumpkins turned into stadium-conquering monsters was Corgans outsized music, which was nothing if not deliberately, self-consciously dramatic. His commitment to grand gestures was cemented when he disbanded the Smashing Pumpkins at the turn of the millennium, about a year after former Hole bassist Melissa auf der Maur replaced DArcy and just as Iha was beginning to bolt. The group was beginning to fracture, but the retirement of the bands name seemed like confirmation that the Pumpkins were a concrete idea for Corgan, that they were a band that served a particular moment in time, and once that moment in time had passed, so had the band. The very fact that he pretty much was the Pumpkins lent this move integrity, since it was clear that Billy could keep the ball rolling, ushering new musicians in and out under the same moniker with nobody but the hardcore being any wiser, but instead of taking that easy road, he decided to make a clean break and pursue other projects. As it turns out, the Smashing Pumpkins era did mark a phase in Corgans career: the time that people paid attention to him. Without that name, Corgan started playing to an ever-more selective audience, first as the leader in the deceptively sunny Zwan and then on an icy, alienating 2005 solo album, The Future Embrace, where Corgan channeled his inner Martin Gore. Neither was a radical musical departure from the Pumpkins -- even The Future Embrace had its roots in Adore -- but that didnt matter, since taken together they had the cumulative effect of marginalizing Corgan, and if there was ever a place Billy didnt want to be it was on the margin. From the very beginning, he wanted to lead the biggest, most important band in the land, eventually getting his wish as he used the indie rock underground as a catapult to mainstream stardom, but once his star began to wane he panicked and played the one card he had left in his deck: getting the band back together. On the day The Future Embrace was released, he took out a full-page ad in his hometown paper the Chicago Tribune announcing that the Smashing Pumpkins were reuniting. The only hitch was, he didnt tell any of the other members of the impending reunion, but as it turns out, only Chamberlin -- who was already drumming with Corgan -- was interested in signing up, leaving the Smashing Pumpkins as a band in name only, a Billy Corgan project at its core. This was precisely the very thing he seemed to avoid when he retired the band at the turn of the millennium, and returning to his marquee name gave this reunion a sense of desperation, as if he had nowhere else to go, and the ensuing 2007 album Zeitgeist does nothing to erase the suspicion that Corgan is anxious to regain his status as rock & roll god. To this end, he makes Zeitgeist the hardest, heaviest Pumpkins album ever, layering the record with endless guitar overdubs that wind up feeling like overcompensation, not just for the synth-driven Future Embrace but as a blustering retort to any skeptic who questions the validity of this reunion. Of course, bombast has always been par for the course for Corgan and the Pumpkins, but at their peak they truly did achieve sense of majesty, either in their dreamy, softer psychedelic side or their towering torrents of metallic guitar. Here Corgan has blunted his attack, removing much of the sense of beauty both in the ballads (which invariably are icy here, stilted synth sculptures, not the quivering, gentle pop of "1979" or the strings and acoustic guitars of "Disarm") and the rockers, which was a key to the Pumpkins appeal. What made "Cherub Rock" or "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" work is how the sighing melody acted as a counterpoint to the ferocious guitars, but on Zeitgeist he buries his threadbare melodies beneath squeals of overly processed guitars. More than anything, its this digitally dulled sound that saps Zeitgeist from any great impact it may have, but its also true that theres import to the title: for the first time, Corgan is trying to address the wrongs of society, which is a big change for a writer who has spent his career turning the intimate into the operatic. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 14 Title: Oceania Released: 2012-06-18 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:00:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Quasar (04:56) 2 Panopticon (03:52) 3 The Celestials (03:57) 4 Violet Rays (04:19) 5 My Love Is Winter (03:32) 6 One Diamond, One Heart (03:49) 7 Pinwheels (05:44) 8 Oceania (09:06) 9 Pale Horse (04:37) 10 The Chimera (04:16) 11 Glissandra (04:06) 12 Inkless (03:08) 13 Wildflower (04:44) |
| Oceania : Allmusic album Review : Following up on, and in many ways amending, much of the bombastic overcompensation of 2007s Zeitgeist, Smashing Pumpkins 2012 release Oceania is an exuberant, gloriously melodic, fluid return to form for Billy Corgan. While Zeitgeist certainly contained many of the elements that make for a classic Smashing Pumpkins release -- including slabs of distorted guitars, passionate vocals, and poetic lyrics, not to mention drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, who was the sole remaining original member besides Corgan and who subsequently left the band -- there was something cold and perhaps a bit too calculated about the production. Ultimately, Zeitgeist didnt do much to dissuade audiences that Corgan, undeniably the mastermind behind the best Pumpkins work, was now overvaluing his abilities in an attempt to recapture fans disillusioned by his various side projects. Thankfully, none of these concerns are applicable to Oceania. Ostensibly an "album within an album" of the greater 44-track Teargarden by Kaleidyscope concept project, Oceania works as a stand-alone album. Conceptual conceits aside, these are some of the most memorable and rousing songs Corgan has delivered since 1993s Siamese Dream, the album that Oceania most closely mirrors in tone and aesthetic. Which isnt to say that Corgan is treading old ground; on the contrary, there is something fresh and inspired about the songs on Oceania. Admittedly, kicking the album off with the heavy psychedelic acid rock groove of "Quasar" -- in which Corgan croons several EST-era-style affirmations including, "God right on! Krishna right on! Mark right on!" -- is a move that almost begs comparisons to Smashing Pumpkins euphoria-inducing 1991 single "Siva." A similar sentiment comes to mind with the latter album rocker "The Chimera," a classic rock-sounding groover that sparkles with crisscross laser-beam guitar lines recalling the jewel-toned guitar heroics of Queens Brian May. But these are welcome comparisons, born out of Corgan finally delivering a gorgeous and cohesive set of songs that balance some his more arch, cerebral inclinations with his generously romantic and sweepingly cinematic gift for revelatory guitar rock. Elsewhere, we get the soaring "Panopticon" and the minor-key, prog rock-inflected drama of "Violet Rays." However, Oceania is perhaps best represented by the euphoric mid-album ballad "Pinwheels." Starting with a repeated keyboard line and building to swells of acoustic and electric guitar before settling into one of the most swoon-worthy melodic anthems Corgan has ever written, "Pinwheels," much like the rest of Oceania, is a masterpiece of pop songcraft and rock production. As Corgan croons on the songs chorus, "Sister soul, lovers of the tune, sing!/I got you/I got you." On Oceania, the Smashing Pumpkins definitely have us. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 14 Title: Monuments to an Elegy Released: 2014-12-05 Tracks: 9 Duration: 32:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tiberius (03:03) 2 Being Beige (03:40) 3 Anaise! (03:34) 4 One and All (03:45) 5 Run 2 Me (04:09) 6 Drum + Fife (03:54) 7 Monuments (03:31) 8 Dorian (03:46) 9 Anti-Hero (03:20) |
| Monuments to an Elegy : Allmusic album Review : As he set to work on Monuments to an Elegy, the second "album within an album" within the larger Teargarden by Kaleidyscope project, Billy Corgan slowly whittled down Smashing Pumpkins to himself and guitarist Jeff Schroeder. This narrowing of the group -- the duo is supported by the hired hand of Mötley Crües drummer Tommy Lee -- ultimately doesnt matter much because ever since the Pumpkins 2007 comeback, the secret of Corgans complete control of the group was out in the open. More than either Zeitgeist or Oceania, both of which traded in the surging six-strings of Siamese Dream, Monuments to an Elegy feels like a Corgan solo project and not just because this percolates with analog synthesizers straight out of The Future Embrace. Monuments stitches together all of Corgans obsessions -- thick sheets of guitars, 4AD space rock, delicate acoustica, Commodore 64 synthesizers, a fondness for both noise and beauty -- but there is an ease to the album that not only feels self-reflective but also rather mature. Usually, when Corgan covers this much ground it was with the express intent to dazzle, but here his attitude is almost casual as he slides from the volcanic "One and All" to the exquisitely sculpted new wave of "Dorian," stopping for a respite of disco on "Anaise!" The breadth impresses and it resonates stronger because hes funneled all these sounds and textures into a tight nine-song album that lasts barely over a half-hour. For an artist who has fervently believed more is indeed more, this restraint is thoroughly appealing and helps showcase his craft in surprising -- and, yes, sometimes dazzling -- ways. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 14 Title: SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN. Released: 2018-11-16 Tracks: 8 Duration: 31:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Knights of Malta (04:37) 2 Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) (03:30) 3 Travels (05:23) 4 Solara (04:21) 5 Alienation (05:01) 6 Marchin’ On (02:39) 7 With Sympathy (03:30) 8 Seek and You Shall Destroy (02:45) |