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 SMASHING PUMPKINS- Siamese Dream
Siamese Dream is the number one album by my second favorite band, Smashing Pumpkins. It is likely that if the Smashing Pumpkins hadn’t messed up by making Mellon Collie a double album, I would be writing about it as my favorite record. Yet Siamese Dream is a formidable album in itself. With Butch Vig (of Nevermind fame) producing, the Pumpkins managed to create an incredibly cohesive record that is sound virtually from top to bottom. The thick, layered, guitars give them a very distinct sound that, no matter how often imitated, will never be recreated by lesser bands. This is one of the few records that I prefer to listen to top to bottom.
From the memorable opening to "Cherub Rock", you know that you are listening to a memorable record. The Pumpkins’ famous loud/soft contrast is very prevalent. The three top tier songs from Siamese Dream are indeed the loud "Cherub Rock" (#19 overall), the softer "Mayonaise "(#79 overall), and the bipolar "Soma". "Cherub Rock" is a top 10 hit that features the Pumpkins usual bombastic, layered guitar approach along with Jimmy Chamberlain’s virtuoso drumming and Billy Corgan’s airy, angsty whine. The drums and guitars are what really make this one. "Mayonaise", intentionally misspelled, is a melancholy song about the rotten nature of life. It is made by soft, catchy guitars and Billy’s underrated vocals. The biggest grower on the album, "Soma" has had a deliberate accent into the zenith of SP songs. My only complaint about this alternately dreamy and bombastic epic is one of false advertising. Although the name suggests that it would make a great nightime listen, this is certainly not the case (Can't remember how many times I was lulled to sleep by the first half, only to be rudely awakened midway in).
What is unusual about the album, and really lifts it to its lofty perch on my all time list, are the incredible middle tier songs of the album. While there are only three incredible songs on the record, the middle tier is occupied by 6 great songs. Five of the albums songs are located in my top 500 songs. These songs include "Today," "Quiet," "Rocket," "Disarm," "Geek U.S.A.," and "Silverfuck." Particularly noteworthy is "Today." In my opinion it best exemplifies the general sound, meaning, and feel of the record. "Quiet" and "Rocket" are two other very good songs. While "Quiet" totally defies its name with its heavy guitars, "Rocket" definitely lives up to its loud title. Rounding out the middle tier songs is the somewhat overrated "Disarm", the pummeling "Geek U.S.A," and another quiet to loud song, "Silverfuck".
While "Hummer" and "Spaceboy" are two of the lesser tracks on the album, they are not without their distant charm. "Hummer" reminds me a lot of Gish favorite "Rhinoceros" while "Spaceboy" is one of the bastions of the mellow second half of the album. "Luna" takes some time to warm too, but is mediocre at best. "Sweet Sweet" marks the only song on the album that I genuinely dislike, and certainly should have been left out. Another gripe is that Billy Corgan actually wrote "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" for this album. Had that song been put on the record instead of "Sweet Sweet" and/or "Luna", this may have pushed Siamese Dream into 2nd or even 1st place on my all time albums list. Lastly, the record is just a tad long, and could have been cropped by one or two songs.
1. Cherub Rock- 9.7
2. Quiet- 8.2
3. Today- 9.0
4. Hummer- 6.4
5. Rocket- 8.2
6. Disarm- 7.9
7. Soma- 9.2
8. Geek U.S.A- 7.7
9. Mayonaise- 9.2
10. Spaceboy- 6.2
11. Silverfuck- 7.0
12. Sweet Sweet- 3.6
13. Luna- 5.4
Overall Score- 9.6- A very cohesive, unique, influential and diverse album.
Updated: 06/25/08
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