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The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot

After only two albums, The Smashing Pumpkins release an album of U.K. B-sides and outtakes. Sounds rather fitting for a band that established their larger than life ambitions early on. From the garage band beginnings of Gish to the mature melancholic rocker that was Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins were very clearly a band destined for a greatness that equaled, if not rivaled that of their peers and influences. And so, with Pisces Iscariot, the band reveals the music that didn’t quite make the cut; but don’t let that fool you, these songs are as poignant and as heavy as any hit single to be featured on TRL.

Everything begins with the “Disarm” B-side, “Soothe.” Like its corresponding A-side, it’s a downbeat acoustic number that quite frankly may not have been the best choice of song to open the album. Not that it’s a bad song by any means, just that it makes the listener unprepared for the rock-steady onslaught of the next two tracks, “Frail and Bedazzled” and “Plume.” Wrought with the flanged riffs and solos that became one of the band’s trademarks, these songs are nothing new or special compared those found on Gish or Siamese Dream, but with The Smashing Pumpkins it was a formula they were still developing (which would reach its ultimate conclusion on Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness). Nonetheless, they do rock; between Jimmy Chamberlain’s powerful drumming, and Billy’s raw vocals, they have everything good we’ve come to expect from the band up to this point. “Whir” is another example of the band’s unique ability to do shoegazer music without losing their rock and roll edge. With a jazzy guitar tone underlying the whole song, its sweet melody makes it a song worthy of repeated listening. “Blew Away,” the other B-side to “Disarm,” pulls no surprises, sounding very much like a ‘60’s love song. We get rocking again with the “Cherub Rock” B-side “Pissant.” The doubled-up vocals give this song a different flavor from what might otherwise be construed as typical Pumpkins. It’s a great headbanger though, perfect for some teenage mosh pit shenanigans. “Hello Kitty Kat” is another rocker, but is noteworthy because of Jimmy’s drumming; it just stands out more than any other aspect of the song. Good job Jimmy. Just when you thought every song in The Smashing Pumpkins repertoire was in common 4/4 time, we have “Obscured,” a pleasant shoegazer waltz that is otherwise nothing to write home about, even if it is relaxing. The cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” became a hit for the band, though I must say Corgan’s voice does show signs of weakness as he struggles to reach some of those high notes. Still the song is paid justice and I’m sure Stevie Nicks is pleased with it. “Starla” brings us back to the psychedelic ‘60’s with the high-pitched vocals and backwards guitar effects before turning up the volume for a while…and then the song goes quiet again, with a little stoned bongo action, before an extended ultrasonic wah solo comes into turn things up again…for about 5 minutes. The song ends with some sonic wanking and feedback before abruptly ending with a subtle shuffle beat. If one didn’t know better, one might say “Starla” was the result of a stoned jam session in which the band lit up their bongs and proceeded to relive Woodstock. D’arcy comes in with a pulsating bass on “Blue” that beckons the question whether or not the band ever listened to Faith No More. The song shifts modes from groovy rocker to slow dreamer almost out of nowhere…nice change up. “A Girl Named Santoz” comes from a Peel session, but is otherwise not particularly interesting. It’s a rocker, and it seems like the band had fun, but there’s nothing to separate it from other better songs. “La Dolly Vita” seems to be a new song, yet again showing the band’s love for ‘60’s slow rock. Ending the album is “Spaced,” and it is just that…not so much music as it is just aimless ambience to space out to. Take that final toke off the bong and go to bed.

All in all, this CD is purely for fans of the band. There isn’t much here that could hope to make any new fans, but that’s hardly a detriment as it does showcase some moments of interest in the band’s music. If one ever needed proof that the influence of the ‘60’s reached a newer generation, one need look no further than Pisces Iscariot. The rocking moments are typical Pumpkins, while the slower more experimental moments help the band distinguish itself from the rest of the grunge scene, which seemed devoid of any such randomness. Pisces Iscariot is not the best album The Smashing Pumpkins ever released, but it is a good collection of some of the band’s more haphazard style. Good stuff.


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		The Smashing Pumpkins: Gish More than a full decade after its original release, The Smashing Pumpkins’ debut Gish stands the test of time as one of the first definitive grunge albums. While they weren’t from Seattle, their music was certainly akin to the dirty rock sound slowly becoming associated with the Pacific Northwest. Over their twelve-year-long existence, the Pumpkins’ singer/guitarist front man Billy Corgan developed into an excellent songwriter. The early traces of his talent can be seen here; from the combination of emotional lyrics and vocals to subtly complex arrangements and heavy guitars, Gish yields the promise of greatness. There are essentially two types of songs on Gish: straight up rockers and slowdown dreamers. The first two tracks, “I Am One” and “Siva,” kick things off into high gear. Introducing the band is Jimmy Chamberlain on drums, shuffling the beat along before D’arcy comes in with a thumping bass line that may not be the most complicated, but just might be the most catchy. Corgan and James Iha come in with the guitars, rocking out in full-on garage band fashion. Other songs like “Bury Me” and “Tristessa” follow suit, while “Rhinoceros” and “Snail” (oddly enough, the two songs named after animals) begin slowly before breaking down into slow rock melodrama. “Crush,” “Suffer,” and “Window Paine” make up the dreamer songs, possessing enough psychedelic guitar effects that might even classify the band as the missing link between shoegazer and grunge; while not as ethereal as My Bloody Valentine, these songs showcase the gentler side of the band. The album closes with the acoustic vignette “Daydream,” sung by D’arcy, as well as a hidden track that poses the question: can more be said in one minute than in a whole album’s worth? I think it an excellent closer to the album. The music on Gish is not original or groundbreaking. But make no mistake; the music is not bad at all. Quite the opposite, this album shows the early stages of a band poising itself to take the world by storm with an intense combination of hooks and poetry. Besides their Chicago roots, what immediately separated The Smashing Pumpkins from the rest of the grunge scene was the ability to break out of the mold. It’s rock music, but it also has moments of peace and tranquility. It’s emotional music, but not needlessly dramatic. The lyrics are meaningful, the solos are intense, the rhythms heavy, all the essentials of a good rock album. Not the best by any stretch, but definitely a great way to start. Gish might be one of the best debuts any band has ever put out.



		myname@myaddress.com The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot After only two albums, The Smashing Pumpkins release an album of U.K. B-sides and outtakes. Sounds rather fitting for a band that established their larger than life ambitions early on. From the garage band beginnings of Gish to the mature melancholic rocker that was Siamese Dream, The Smashing Pumpkins were very clearly a band destined for a greatness that equaled, if not rivaled that of their peers and influences. And so, with Pisces Iscariot, the band reveals the music that didn’t quite make the cut; but don’t let that fool you, these songs are as poignant and as heavy as any hit single to be featured on TRL. Everything begins with the “Disarm” B-side, “Soothe.” Like its corresponding A-side, it’s a downbeat acoustic number that quite frankly may not have been the best choice of song to open the album. Not that it’s a bad song by any means, just that it makes the listener unprepared for the rock-steady onslaught of the next two tracks, “Frail and Bedazzled” and “Plume.” Wrought with the flanged riffs and solos that became one of the band’s trademarks, these songs are nothing new or special compared those found on Gish or Siamese Dream, but with The Smashing Pumpkins it was a formula they were still developing (which would reach its ultimate conclusion on Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness). Nonetheless, they do rock; between Jimmy Chamberlain’s powerful drumming, and Billy’s raw vocals, they have everything good we’ve come to expect from the band up to this point. “Whir” is another example of the band’s unique ability to do shoegazer music without losing their rock and roll edge. With a jazzy guitar tone underlying the whole song, its sweet melody makes it a song worthy of repeated listening. “Blew Away,” the other B-side to “Disarm,” pulls no surprises, sounding very much like a ‘60’s love song. We get rocking again with the “Cherub Rock” B-side “Pissant.” The doubled-up vocals give this song a different flavor from what might otherwise be construed as typical Pumpkins. It’s a great headbanger though, perfect for some teenage mosh pit shenanigans. “Hello Kitty Kat” is another rocker, but is noteworthy because of Jimmy’s drumming; it just stands out more than any other aspect of the song. Good job Jimmy. Just when you thought every song in The Smashing Pumpkins repertoire was in common 4/4 time, we have “Obscured,” a pleasant shoegazer waltz that is otherwise nothing to write home about, even if it is relaxing. The cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” became a hit for the band, though I must say Corgan’s voice does show signs of weakness as he struggles to reach some of those high notes. Still the song is paid justice and I’m sure Stevie Nicks is pleased with it. “Starla” brings us back to the psychedelic ‘60’s with the high-pitched vocals and backwards guitar effects before turning up the volume for a while…and then the song goes quiet again, with a little stoned bongo action, before an extended ultrasonic wah solo comes into turn things up again…for about 5 minutes. The song ends with some sonic wanking and feedback before abruptly ending with a subtle shuffle beat. If one didn’t know better, one might say “Starla” was the result of a stoned jam session in which the band lit up their bongs and proceeded to relive Woodstock. D’arcy comes in with a pulsating bass on “Blue” that beckons the question whether or not the band ever listened to Faith No More. The song shifts modes from groovy rocker to slow dreamer almost out of nowhere…nice change up. “A Girl Named Santoz” comes from a Peel session, but is otherwise not particularly interesting. It’s a rocker, and it seems like the band had fun, but there’s nothing to separate it from other better songs. “La Dolly Vita” seems to be a new song, yet again showing the band’s love for ‘60’s slow rock. Ending the album is “Spaced,” and it is just that…not so much music as it is just aimless ambience to space out to. Take that final toke off the bong and go to bed. All in all, this CD is purely for fans of the band. There isn’t much here that could hope to make any new fans, but that’s hardly a detriment as it does showcase some moments of interest in the band’s music. If one ever needed proof that the influence of the ‘60’s reached a newer generation, one need look no further than Pisces Iscariot. The rocking moments are typical Pumpkins, while the slower more experimental moments help the band distinguish itself from the rest of the grunge scene, which seemed devoid of any such randomness. Pisces Iscariot is not the best album The Smashing Pumpkins ever released, but it is a good collection of some of the band’s more haphazard style. Good stuff.