Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
1993
Album Summary
Siamese Dream is the second studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993, on Virgin Records. The album has received widespread acclaim by audiences and critics alike, with the album's musical influences and lyrical material standing out compared to other alternative records released during its time. The album has since been considered "one of the finest alt-rock albums of all time".Despite recording sessions fraught with difficulties and tensions, Siamese Dream debuted at number ten on the Billboard charts, and eventually was certified 4× Platinum, with the album selling over six million copies worldwide, cementing the Smashing Pumpkins as an important group in alternative rock music. Four singles were released in support of Siamese Dream: "Cherub Rock", "Today", "Disarm", and "Rocket". In addition to receiving widespread critical acclaim upon its release, Siamese Dream has widely been regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 1990s, and one of the greatest albums of all time. Rolling Stone magazine has ranked it between numbers 341 - 362 on various versions of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.
WikipediaEpic album from the Pumpkins. Not only one of their best pieces of work, but I feel it's one of the greatest rock records in existence. Packed full of killer writing and musicianship, emotional Siamese Dreams blows my mind on so many levels from beginning to end. I am so grateful to have gotten to see them perform many of these songs live on 3 occasions. Zowie!
"Siamese Dream" is pretty tortured. I'm not tortured now, and don't think I was in the 90s (although most teens feel tortured to some extent?), certainly not like Corgan (with abuse during his childhood and recent relationship issues framing much of early Pumpkins), but damned if this album doesn't just do it for me anyway. I really like this album, maybe even more than I did in the 90s. It is intense and filled with agonized passion - it's raw and exposed and vulnerable and electric - both in subject matter and musical vibe. Like a lot of 90s alt-rock and grunge, the lyrics are poetic and often indecipherable, but it doesn't matter (to me). Breathy when it needs to be breathy, screaming earnestly at just the right peaks. James Iha's guitar (though apparently Corgan was super controlling in the studio and recorded everyone's parts himself) is alternatingly crunchy, soaring, soft - for some tracks they apparently layered and overdubbed the guitar parts dozens of times. Whatever that means, they get an amazing rich sound out of it. Pretty sure back in the day I put on my headphones and zoned out to this album like Mitch at the end of "Dazed and Confused." (This is not the album on this list that I would have expected to be the first to make me think of that top 5 of all-time movie, but I am sure it won't be the last.) The first half of the album is filled with gems, hitting a crescendo with "Disarm," brilliant and haunting with its orchestral build hinting at the softer direction for parts of "Mellon Collie." But they interweave hard-edged rage with soft emotional rawness seamlessly in numerous places, even better on "Siamese Dream" than on "Mellon Collie." Smashing Pumpkins stands out sonically from other early 90s alt-rock - it doesn't really fit with the Northwest grunge sound, doesn't fit with punk rock, doesn't fit with lo-fi shoegaze, Smashing Pumpkins really carved their own unique space.
This album makes me sad, there's some great, no amazing, melodies here and some really interesting ideas....but the execution is god-awful. I hate the lead singer's voice, I hate it with a passion. The man sounds like if Spongebob was doing a Kurt Cobain impersonation. It honestly hurts to listen to, it haunts my dreams, it's my waking nightmare. I don't know if I will ever find the words to properly describe my hatred of this man's singing. There's some beautiful songs here, but the fact that they're ruined so much makes this album even sadder to listen to. When I heard the opening lines of the first song my immediate freudean thought was "butt-rock" the singer sounds like he belongs in a shitty 3 doors down cover band. Overall I'm giving it 2 stars because the melodies are actually really good and the song progression and composition is interesting.
"Today" is one of the greatest songs ever written and the rest of the album holds up around it
This one held up really well. Just a great album. The composition, instrumentation, and lyrics are all on point. I know a lot of folks hate on Corgan's voice but it's never bothered me and it matches the lyrics and feel of these songs so well. Just really great.
Loved the guitar work - it seemed multi-layered and symphonic to some degree. Laidback and interesting music .
For me this album is their absolute high point - barely a step wrong in the entire album - brilliant stuff
Glad i finally got around to listening to the whole thing. Great stuff
OMG, this album used to mean so much to me. I've already played it to death, but here we go.
I dig it. Heavily distorted, but not at the expense of good riffs and melodies. It's a bit long, but not overlong, and I think its length reflects the hazy/grunge musical style. Of course, I'm all-too-familiar with the tracks "Cherub Rock" and "Today," thanks to Guitar Hero. They hold up, and there are a number of other great songs here, too. I'm not sure if I'd heard a Smashing Pumpkins album before today, but this one makes the appeal perfectly clear. Favorite tracks: Cherub Rock, Today, Sweet Sweet Album art: I like it. Looks like the original was just the photo of these two girls, and a reissue added the purple filter and orange background. Both look good to me, but I think I prefer the purple and orange. Filtering and reissuing an album cover like that seems to be a recognition of classic status. 4/5
12/28 Phenomenal album. This is the hard rock I'm looking for, smashing instrumentals across heavy lyrics, the artwork ties the knot. Standout Tracks: Cherub Rock, Hummer, Soma, Geek U.S.A., Silverfuck
I loved this band back in the day, and for some reason fell out with them until I went back a few years ago. I know a lot of people don't like Corgan, and there's good reason for that, but this album rocks. Best track: Today
Amazing album with so much great songs. Every song is about something that goes on in his mind , about struggles with his past and how because of these struggles he is still affected until today. this and some amazing work on the guitar makes this a classic 9.3/10
I already knew this album. Its great. Cherub rock, Today are classics. Some new ones I never listened to: Rocket, Disarm, Soma, Geek U.S.A.
Dearie me, mass regret on not listening to this whole album before now. What a cracker- perfect mix of all instruments and vocal
I'm excited for this one! I like what I know from Smashing Pumpkins and looking forward to hearing more. Cherub Rock is a great way to start an album. Loved this from start to finish.
Prachtig! Van A tot Z goed. Hier en daar een tikje pathetisch, maar ach, dat was ik in de tijd ook.
Ja, dit is een van mijn all time favorites en nu al een classic voor mij. Kan deze plaat moeiteloos van top tot teen luisteren. Geweldige rauwe sound en catchy nummers. En probs voor Billy die alles zelf inspeelde terwijl die andere bandleden hun neus aan het poederen waren
Classic album. The Pumpkins arrive as grunge/alt-rock lords. Sludgy guitars, huge riffs, feline vocals and gigantic drums. Great stuff. Best Tracks: Cherub Rock, Geek U.S.A., Mayonaise
For me this album is their absolute high point - barely a step wrong in the entire album - brilliant stuff
ES BUENÍSIMO se volvió uno de mis álbumes favoritos es un placer de escuchar
JFC, I just listened to Smashing Pumpkins yesterday! This album is about 100 times better than that one. Somehow Corgan's voice works way better with these songs. They are harder hitting and are genuinely inspired. Especially, Cherub Rock which I love. But seriously, what kind of idiot thinks TWO smashing pumpkins alums need to be on a list of 1001 albums. They should have only included this one.
Siamese Dream is a quintessential 90s album that stands the test of time.
Today - First riff I ever played on guitar. The fuzzy harmonies of Cherub Rock's guitar.
"Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins." "Homer Simpson, nodding politely." This is the best album that Smashing Pumpkins made and one of the most iconic albums in alternative rock history and a relic of the 90s.
Such a great album. Cherub rock is an incredible opener that sets the rest up perfectly
While, as others have pointed out, this album is less polished than melancholy, I find that to be a point in its favor. I like that’s it’s a little more raw, a little more rough around the edges. I love this album. I find Disarm to be hauntingly beautiful. All in all, this album is so quintessentially 90s and yet has so many levels it keeps me coming back.
Gish was about to takeoff and was eclipsed by Nevermind and then Siamese Dream was released. The Pumpkins really took off with Infinite Sadness which was their most polished and seemed to give everything to everyone. The relevance of the Pumpkins lies in Gish and Siamese Dream, even Pisces Iscariot to an extent (Landslide cover rivals the original). Soft and suspenseful song opens turn to raucous distortion and loose chaos. Similar to Infinite Sadness, there is range and it's not all gnarled mayhem and anarchy on SD. While Billy Corgan seems like a monster, Sweet Sweet is beautiful; the intro to Mayonaise; beautiful, Soma; lovely even Rocket's song open calms with a wonderful distorted repeater riff. Musically, every song is evocative despite the lyrics. From the first track... the slow peppy build to furious excitement is incredible. However, if there's one thing that I dislike about this album it's the song Disarm. What a blugh downer song. It sounds like Eeyore wrote it. And then there's the lyric... I always thought the lyric was "cut that little child, SODOMY is such a part of you" uhhhh BUZZKILL - you can't put that word and 'child' in a song!! WTF? (... though today the lyrics read "...cut that little child, INSIDE OF ME and such a part of you"). I dunno, Billy Corgan has always seemed to be a tortured artist with a bullhorn that's never big enough. Regardless, I've got a lot of great memories tied to this album. It was on repeat for months when I moved out and was living downtown Richmond. I may have evolved some (not much) but to me, this album will always be relevant.
A lot of TSP's songs sound very similar, so I typically don't realize just how many of them I really enjoy.
Disarm is the song that made me discover Smashing Pumpkins. Love the fuzzy guitars
The alt rock album of the 90s. The musicianship on this album is incredible. I’m particularly a big fan of the lead guitar lines and Jimmy Chamberlin’s drumming. Furthermore, Billy Corgan has a gift for melody that cuts through the albums heaviest moments
Great album - I knew the big hits, the ones with music videos, but the stuff deeper into the album is great as well. Geek USA got my 10 year old headbanging.
That feeling of nineties nostalgia. Brilliant album from start to finish.
I always choose for Gish and had not listened to this album fo many years. Never expected at the time that the Pumpkins would become so big. I thought they would reach a status like The Pixies or Sonic Youth but they went stadium-style starting with this album, without making any concessions to their music. OK, the production is more radio-friendly than Gish. But that's a big plus: this is one of the best-produced albums ever, the guitars on this album sounded great and they still do! And the songs are great too - unlike the OK Computer album from a few days ago, there is no single weak song on it. The lyrics are mwah but at least they are not annoying like on The Downward Spiral, so fine.
5+, great sound, great memories, great album. Still play it from time to time
Awesome album I have listened to it before but would listen to it over and over. This is my kind of music so it was a good start to this journey!
Absolute classic 90s alt album. Lyrically deep and musically dense. I love how layered it is. You can really hear the MBV influence.
This is an absolute monster of an album. “Today” is such a beautiful, tragic song. Peak Corgan sad boi brilliance. The whole thing is a solid listen all the way through, love it!
Great album, flows really well, numerous great songs, "Today" probably my favourite. I would definitely add to my physical music collection.
I had not heard the whole thing before, but I recognize a lot of the songs. I enjoyed it
This is just a great album through and through. The big hits (Today, Disarm) are great and the non-singles are just as good if not better. Mayonnaise is just amazing, but even better if you're in a brooding state of mind. Some of the songs might not quite be 5 star level, but the ones that are more than make up for it.
The first album I ever bought myself was not this one, but it was Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. This is a great flashback.
5 This album brings me a tone of dream to memories that became raw by the way sometimes our actions decay in something less ideal and more true, but it still invites me to try and rediscover the dream, the emotions, the simple actions, what lasts and that's always a glimpse of what it is. The album reminds me people I like, and how "Soma" felt lovely and surprised me when I first listened to the song on the radio long years ago, driving home in a silent tired sleepy peaceful night.
The first album I've already heard!!! And I already know it's a 5/5 for me!!! Excited to relisten though!!! I adore the changes in pace and energy, the floaty instrumentals in the quieter bits are so dreamy and gorgeous, and the guitars in the louder bits are SO BLOODY GOOD!! Heck I forgot Silverfuck is almost 9min long, it just flies by (for me anyway) because it is so COOL I may be biased because this is an album I've been coming back to regularly since I was...15? There's a reason for that though
I love this album. So many good songs & sounds. Smashing Pumpkins sound like no one else. Rocket has always been my favorite pumpkins song, beginning of Hummer is amazing.
Ok, I'll squeeze this up to five. This is probably a nostalgia thing because I discovered them after this record, but for as much as I am a fan of the Pumpkins, especially Mellon Collie, followed behind by Adore, this album never latched on with me. It should have though. Every time I listen, I like it more, and wonder why I don't play it more frequently. There is some truly great rock here. Amazing guitars, dynamics, songwriting. Many things that stand out in later Pumpkins songs feel like they really started here.
The guitar sounds on this record are incredible. The way Corgan uses fuzz is so well done and adds so much to their sound that it makes everything he did sound thinner by comparison. Beyond that, the songwriting is perfect. 10/10
Drumming is next level. Screams 90's, but screams it so well. That baroque style terraced dynamics marks this as an early-ish grunge winner. Disarm is such a great tune and Today with that cool riff makes this album a classic.
Oh, pero qué decir de este disco. Llegué a los esmáchin con el Mellon Collie y me costó varios años entender este disco. Era menos sofisticado, menos ecléctico como el posterior disco doble, pero por allá en 1999 finalmente caí y se me abrieron esas joyas como Rocket, Soma, Mayonaise. Es un clásico de los 90 que alcancé a descubrir al final de esa década, cuando el desgano de los grunge ya se había disuelto.
If it weren’t for Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness, I’d say this is the best Smashing Pumpkins album. Still, it’s one of the best guitar and drum albums of all time.
I was instantly transported back to the 90s when the intro to Cherub Rock kicked in. This is a classic and still sounds amazing.
Just played the 'weaker' second half of the album and it's fantastic, every track a potential hit. Nirvana have the cool, the zeitgeist, the amazing live events, and the aura of tragic glamour - and the songs that defined a generation. But they never made an album as strong as this.
Woh! Smashing Pumkins are legendary. Billy Corgan is an absolute MONSTER singer. You can pick his voice out from anywhere. Not the best album they have but still has some huge songs on this album and they never forget their true rock feel with heavy guitar and drums.
are the pumpkins smashing as in the verb “to smash” or smashing as in the british adjective
5.0 + My musical ground zero - the band and the record that ushered me full-force into rock music as a teen. I listened to this album more than any other, and can sing it all the way through. So many amazing moments here - from the guitar solo in "Cherub Rock", to the contemplative end of "Hummer", to the drumming on "Geek USA", to the trippy middle of "Silverfuck", to the gorgeous homage to shoegazer rock with "Mayonaise"...Confronting past demons head-on, believing in a better tomorrow and swirling with psychedelic color.
Approached with some trepidation given my ambivalence for Melon Collie… I was surprisingly bowled over by Siamese Dreams. Tight, controlled, impactful and bold, this is as perfect an alt rock 90s album as you could wish for. Corgan brings his A game, the production is excellent and the album is an emotional experience without seeming histrionic and all the more powerful for that. 4.5 stars? But I’m in a generous mood so 5 it is.
Al final de su carrera les cogí tirria y hoy en día me parece que su líder está más por dar la nota que por hacer algo decente. En cualquier caso, este disco es una obra maestra de su tiempo. Grunge fuera de Seattle con rock potente y canciones lentas más cerca del folk o los cantautores en una combinación que antes era más del heavy y sus baladas con punteos. Canciones buenas tiene casi todas: "Cherub Rock", "Quiet", "Today", "Rocket", "Disarm", "Soma", "Geek U.S.A.", "Mayonaise", "Spaceboy", "Silverfuck", "Sweet Sweet" y "Luna". Espectacular disco.
What an amazing record. I wish I had this on vinyl but I’m not that rich lol
A 90’s alt rock masterpiece, get the vocals are not everyone’s taste. But personally I’m a fan and believe this is smashing pumpkins best album.
This is the first of what will (hopefully) be great listenings; as this is coming from the guy who thought that 90s alternative was full of butt-rock, cheesy pop-punk, pretentiousness, and Nirvana. Fortunately, this, AIC, Primus, and RATM to an extent have shown me the light. I really enjoyed this album, which was higher than expected. I think that all tracks were strong, although I preferred the heavier tracks as a metalhead. I have noticed a common topic of Corgan (Frontman) singing about depression and dealing with it. Such lyrics include: \"I shall be free from the voices in my head\", and \"I'll betray myself\". Overall, I was really impressed by how all of this was pulled of despite increased conflict within the band, as each track had something unique about it. 9.5/10
This album is excellent. There is not a dull moment on it. It is meticulously crafted, every song sets up the next one perfectly. Every sound is perfectly realised. Billy Corgan pretty much claims the fuzz pedal for himself with this album. The sound he creates with it is thick, gritty but smooth, dense, and immersive but it is never overwhelming and is frequently punctured by beautiful, glassy clean strat-through-valve-amp tones. I first listened to this Album by renting it out from a library and ripping it onto my PC. I played it a lot in my youth. I bought a fuzz pedal pretty much because of this album. One of my favorite guitar pleasures is to play "Cherub Rock" through a cranked fuzz pedal, the feeling of power is immense and uplifting.
Superb. Didn't realise how many of the Smashing Pumpkins tracks I knew are from this album
They were far away from the excellence of "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," but I'll rate it with five stars just because it's still a collection of memorable songs, and I made a mistake of giving just four stars to "Mellon Collie" when I received it on this list.
J’avais lu que siamese dream etait le meilleur des pumpkins et cela se confirme des les premieres chansons. C,est un super album rock qui me fait comprendre le buzz auour de ce band sans les annees 90. 5
Happy this is the first album I was familiar with brought me back to six flags if you're reading this a long time from now I hope you remember tonight tonight
I mean... Its definitely a top 100 album of all time. Idk what to say. I'm dreamed out of my siamese mind rn. 9.9/10
Such a great album. Contains some of my favorite pumpkins songs. Corgan is a wizard. 5/5
Another one of those bands I'd heard of but never really listened to. This is great, grungy and shoegazey but still a bit upbeat. A solid 4.5, rounding up
I really REALLY liked this album. Wish I would’ve discovered this earlier in life. Can’t describe it, but it’s so good!
Great revisit of some 90s grungy rock, and a nice trip down memory lane.
One of the soundtracks to my school years and must be one of my most-listened to albums ever. And it still sounds phenomenal. Not a single weak track. Highlights: Soma, Mayonaise, Geek USA, and every single thing that Jimmy Chamberlin does.
Van heel kalme nummers tot nummers die naar metal neigen, met allen duidelijk de handtekening van SP. Zalig album
I already listen to these guys a fair bit, but still made some discoveries here. This is essential listening for rock fans, just a steady and consistent rock record that doesn't feel like it's nearly 30 years old. Also a great album to listen to on a late-night drive out of town with your best friends who, thankfully have the same taste in music as you do. Standard tracks are Cherub Rock, Hummer, Mayonaise, and Spaceboy.
The best thing the Pumpkins ever did and one of the best coming-of-age/teenage angst-fueled albums. After the soft opening chords of 'Cherub Rock' the next 60+ minutes are just a glorious smash in the face, full of sonic dynamics and depth.
Fruit Bats Eric D Johnson covered this in its entirety. One of the great albums of all time I think. Didn't really like anything they did after this.
Quintessential Smashing Pumpkins, Cherub Rock, Today, Disarm and Rocket remain some of Pumpkins' best songs both musically and lyrically
Damn, after 20 years there still isn't really anything that sounds like Smashing Pumpkins. Great album front to back and one I need to add to my vinyl collection.
Cherub Rock, Today, Disarm, Soma, Mayonaise, Silverfuck, Luna. Yes I just basically named the whole album, it's that good.
This album it's a combination of alt rock, some grunge, acoustic and acoustic rock. It starts with a lot of energy like an alt rock album should be, then some punk starts to play and as the album goes on, the music is like a roller coaster, a lot of relaxing acoustic comes and then a hit of alt rock abusing in a good sense of the electric instruments.
Soma takes you on such a journey. Billy's voice always sounds creepy when he songs slowly, which is why that little break in the middle of Geek U.S.A. is so brilliant. The rest of the song is such a great thrash. Mayonnaise is surely the song that Courtney played before forming Hole. Silverfuck is just a monster. I'm going searching for live videos now.
I oscillate back and forth between which SP album I prefer - this or 'Mellon Collie'. For all of the latter's grandiosity, I consistently find myself concluding that 'Siamese Dream' is the more accomplished record. From the bone crunching opening chords of 'Cherub Rock', this album delivers again and again on every. single. track. The band moves seamlessly between the melodically tempered and the face-melting heavy, often on the same track (Soma and Silverfuck, I'm looking at you two). While Corgan is obviously the driving force on this album musically and lyrically (not to mention that quintessential whine of his that gave the SP such a unique sound), I'm never not blown away by Jimmy Chamberlin's work on the drums. In the spirit of the greats like Bonham or Moon, his percussion flows beautifully with the music itself. On an album that is so profoundly guitar-focused, it's a testament to Chamberlin's musicianship that his drumming stands out so. One of the great albums of the 90's. While the Smashing Pumpkins would go on to release many more albums, they could never quite top the artistic zenith they achieved on 'Siamese Dream' and its successor.
For some reason, I was thinking the double album with the album with more "hits" but I knew I liked this. It's kind of crazy to hear how fresh this still sounds 30 years later compared to how tired everything they've made in the past 20 years sounds...
Just a glorious album; one of the first I ever owned although I didn't truly appreciate it until I was older. I was recently listening to Hum and a friend chastised me for not thinking they were shoegaze given their wall of sound motif. He then reminded me that the Pumpkins were also an offshoot of that shoe gaze wall of sound, and it's very noticeable re-listening to this album. Grunge meets shoegaze, but amazing. I love how they moved away from pure distortion into more melodic pulsing (not just fuzzy) guitar sounds. The opening 6 song sequence is awesome; their 4 singles show that energetic, up-tempo and melodic wall of alternative rock sound (Cherub Rock and Rocket) as well as depth in muscianship and lyrics (Today and Disarm). Quiet and Hummer are right up there with those 4. Things start to detour when you hit Soma, though it and others (Spaceboy, Luna, Silverfuck) continue to show their depth of sound and lyrical emotion and/or some prog rock complexity and skill. Still, Geek USA and Mayonaise (Silverfuck too) provide more pulsing and energetic rock if you want more of that (and why wouldn't you? It rocks). Again, just a glorious, classic album.
Stile tipico del gruppo, senza essere troppo esasperato. Molto bella 'Hummer', un po' tutto l'album, non me lo aspettavo!
This is one of my favourite albums of all time. The guitar tone on this especially Mayonaise is just pure heaven. Love it. I don’t think there’s any bad track on it. Pure 90s perfection. 5/5
no em fa falta escolar-lo per dir q és un dels millors discs del món però vaya sort q m'hagi tocat. Totes són la polla així que vaig a puntuar-les: cherub rock: un puto 10 de 10 quiet: 7/10 today:10/10 hummer: 8,5/10 rocket: 8/10 disarm:9,5/10 perq la tinc molt escoltada i és molt trista soma: el millor plot twist de la història de la música 10/10 geek USA: 10/10 Mayonaise: molt xula 10/10 Spaceboy: vibes de nirvana 7/10 Silverfuck: 9/10 Sweet sweet: 9,5/10 molt maca Luna: 10/10 no sabria dir si és el millor dics de smashing perquè Mellon Collie té zero i és otro nivel, però ahí stan
In a dream we are connected. If reincarnation was possible and time was all wobbly, I'd live my life in such a way that I could come back as the guitar sound on this album. Seeing Billy, wearing a Superman t-shirt, asking for hands in the air at an early 90s Big Day Out and seeing a magnificent wave of love is one of the highlights of my music life. That Corgan Big Muff overdriven rhythm, that Iha twiddling, does it get any beefier or any better? I'm not sure that is actually possible. I come back to this album often, sometimes after many moons, and it always gets better. This is 5 stars at its finest. Even without mentioning any songs actually on this brilliant record.
One of those bands I always liked what I heard, but never owned any of their stuff. There was a time, you know, when you had to pay 15.99 for a CD! And this is peak grunge - all the rock, a wall of sound, themes a bit deeper than gettin' drunk and gettin' laid.
I find it weird that so many people classify this as grunge or even part of the grunge movement. I think what the Pumpkins were doing here was so much more interesting and varied than a lot of their contemporaries in that space. Sonically, it's so good. You have deep, fat, layered guitars that smack you around the face (notably on tracks like Hummer and Mayonaise). The ridiculous amount of tracks mixed in give it such a robust, unique sound, with layers and layers and layers of guitars and noise. Jimmy Chamberlain is pummelling his drums like he hates them, and Billy is laying down some mad, squealing guitar solos on top. When this rocks, it really rocks hard, with a real depth and force to it. But then you have some beautiful and tender ballads thrown in, utilising violins, bells and all sorts, and some truly iconic songs sitting in there like Disarm. Lyrically there's so much to love here too. There's a lot of raw feeling, vulnerability and honesty. Billy really chucked himself out there, and the songs benefit from it. I get that a lot of people don't get on with his voice, but personally I love weird, interesting singers and it really works for me. There's so many different levels and riffs and interesting details running through this whole album. I just don't think other bands of the era had anywhere near this level of range. This is an absolutely superb, iconic album.
Nostalgia isn't the only thing carrying this record through, disarm, mayonaise and other great tracks, excellent
Honestly, I loved this. It wasn't a perfect 5 stars, but the sound and Billy Corgan's vocals are still excellent and I'd definitely listen again. Solid 4.
Cool guitar sound. producción tipo grunge. Ya había escuchado Today. Fluye bien. Mucho menos pulido que 1979
i like it altough mellon collie is to me a more interesting album because of its different facets while this one is good but more of the same
Really don’t enjoy Billy’s vocals, but that’s just me, I know. Still, great album.
This album is a classic. Pretty much any latter-day GenX kid had it, or had a friend with it. Listening back, I can find seven or eight songs that have been on mixtapes of mine, and at least three that have been on recent playlists (within the past few years). Definitely a whole album worth listening to.
Possibly my favourite SP album, and considering some of the songs on Mellon Collie, that's pretty decent praise. Today and Cherub Rock are classics, Rocket still sounds great, and possibly the one song of the four singles I don't tire of, and Silverfuck is incredible. 4 stars as it does lose a little bit of momentum somewhere in the middle, but even that's a harsh critical comment.
A real blast from the past. Instantly transported to the summer of 1994 as a 15 year old hanging out with my mates, not a worry in the world and no idea what the future would hold. No need, it's so far away right‽
An absolute rock classic. This is the band's rawest LP by far, but the production makes every Muff-slathered guitar lead shine through. Tight riffs and tonal shifts make for a thrilling and varied album that remains fresh to this day.
Solid album, very 90's rock and easy to listen to. 2-discs so long but never hated any songs or wanted any to go quicker. Apparently I know a lot of Smashing Pumpkins songs?
Been a long time since I listened to this. This was so big at the time, really set the bar of what “alternative” could be. Harder rock or softer elegant pieces. The guitar pedals effects and drums mix/level just scream early mid 90s 4.5 stars, rounded to 5
It definitely holds up... some exceptional songs and a surprisingly heavy sound. I think about Today as representative for Siamese Dream, but there are so many more aggressive songs.
Formative album for me. Listened to it many times in my teenage years. I think the Melon Collie and the Infinite sadness album is better overall, but this one has a raw angst that can’t be denied. Billy Corgan’s high screeching voice sounds like his guitar riffs at times (Bee Gees-esque)
Great album - I was a lot more familiar with it than I thought. Picking a fave track is hard. "Today" was popular at karaoke while I lived in Japan, so I've probably heard it more than all the other tracks and have a lot of affection for it. "Cherub Rock" is a fantastic album opener. Might opt for the wildly OTT melodrama of "Disarm" though!
This was on point with my Friday feelings. I particualrly enjoyed disarm. Belter.
Can an album simultaneously be the best and worst thing to ever happen to a band? Maybe it was inevitable that Billy Corgan would turn into a bit of a douche commode or maybe he already was, but this record is where I’ve always drawn the line as a fan. It’s so good and I liked it soooo much. Still do. (Those guitar sounds! The first three tracks!) But man, I didn’t touch a thing they did after this. Still have never listened to that double album, which I know is supposed to be good but… I was just tired of all things Pumpkins by that point. They flew too close to the sun, man. It’s too bad.
the Wiki for this album is very interesting, I didn't realize that it was spawned from so much conflict, chaos, drug addition and talk of suicide. I also like Rolling Stone's description that its closer to progressive rock than punk or grunge
Absolutely great CD... I've seen them twice. Once at Lupo's in Providence and once at St Andrews theater in Detroit. At the end of the Detroit show, Billy Corgan went on at least a 20 minute guitar experimental solo. I say "at least" because most people left at some point because it was more noise than art at that point.
It was nice Monday driving music. I hadn’t heard all of the songs but I liked almost all of them.
Me ha gustado mucho, he descubierto dos temazos, tristes en ocasiones, pero muy buenos cuando dan caña
Bevor ich's vergesse: kurz realisiert welch starkes Faible ich für Bassistinnen habe. Tina Weymouth, Debbie Googe, D'Arcy Wretzky (und die Liste könnte noch deutlich länger sein): steh ich total drauf. Jedenfalls: für mich im Vergleich besser als die Mellon Collie. Top Hits drauf (Today; Disarm), verspukte Alternative-Rock-Mini-Opern (Soma, Sweet Sweet) und auch noch der von der Gish gelernte "klassische" Ansatz, 80er-Hardrock mit Mitteln des 90er-Sounds aufzuführen (Bratzgitarren, Streicher), außerdem mit Corgans schon ziemlich speziellen Gesang und Schwelge-Arrangements. Klingt heute bisschen verstaubter als ich gedacht hätte, aber für die Jugend natürlich: 4.0 (enthält einen Zehntelpunkt extra für den starken Zug, einen Song "Mayonaise" zu nennen. Muss man sich in Amerika erstmal trauen!)
Ich mag es, war es doch mein Einstieg zum Reich der Pumpkins - selbstredend sind „Today“ & „Disarm“ die einladend weit geöffnete Doppeltür dorthin gewesen. Für viele wohl das wahre Meisterwerk. Mir wirkt es jedoch manchmal zu bieder-brav, was vielleicht etwas mit der Zeit zu tun hat, die ich mit dem Album verbracht hab. Sound proper fett und super gealtert. Es fehlt noch die Schippe Raffinesse, obwohl das Konzept auf muskulösen Beinen steht. Songwriting bereits toll, selbstsicher aber ein wenig „von der Stange“-haft. Dann aber gibt es so herrliche wow-Effekte beim erneuten Hören („Hummer“); wie so oft, wenn vertraute Speisen dieses eine, bisher verborgen gebliebene Aroma offenbaren. Hier wäre die Zehnerskala hilfreich. Slightly overrated 3.5
The sound is very similar to Nirvana's. My initial thought was that the sound is a more user friendly mix of In Utero. (Both released the same year) To be sure, it's heavy and nobody would accuse it of being happy, but it was able to appeal to those not clinically depressed as well as those who own shirts that aren't plaid. One of the top LPs of the Alt Rock era.
actually liked this! the beginning of the album felt a lot more slow and repetitive, but as it went on i started liking it a lot more