Siamese Dream

life's a bummer; when you're a hummer

Did the Pumpkins invent nu metal? This is the missing link between Gen X grunge and Millennial alt rock.

This is one of those albums that immediately transports me back to a particular time and place whenever I hear it...one of the defining albums of the 90s.

I've heard the album before. There are a couple of great songs on the album. Otherwise, it's pretty good but not memorable / remarkable enough to be considered "great".

Probably the 2nd best known Pumpkins album. Whatever their faults, Billy Corgan writes a catchy hook.

There were a couple of absolute five-star songs, but besides those, I’m not sure I’d return to this album. But, absolutely top-of-the-class early 90s alt rock.

Surprised to love it so much. Amazing vibes

Classic modern rock album with punchy drums and heavy electric guitar riffs. If you like the style you will like the album. I just found Silverfuck extremly horrible for a song.

Great album, but the Pumpkins have yet to earn a five from me. 4.5

Smashing!

If I liked Smashing pumpkins more, I think this would be great, but I tire of Billy's voice sometimes and so it's just a run of the mill 3 for me. There are some timeless songs on here though

Good stuff. Very enjoyable all the way through - set me off listing to a grunge playlist all day

Still Smashing Pumpkins, still good. Mellon Collie is better imo, but there are some great songs here as well.

This album has aged particularly well- as well as any nineties riff-rock has. That's not a backhanded compliment. The quality of the recording and production is excellent on the 2011 remaster. This album has track ordering that serves to make each doing a unique expressive. It highlights the dynamic range of The Smashing Pumpkins. From headbanging breakdowns to Billy Corgan's enchanting and introspective performances on songs like Soma. I feel like this album has the ability to communicate the same experience today as it did in 1992. For me, that's represented by disillusionment with the idea of "purpose." But also dissatisfaction with the relationships answers and experiences life has provided this far. I am unsure why, but that's what I associate this music with.

I just gotta get this out of the way first, because ever since I noticed it, I haven’t been able to hear the song not think about it: The clean guitar intro to Cherub Rock, the riff that stars at 4 seconds in, then goes on and turns into distortion around the 25 second mark is nearly identical to the guitar line that Neu’s “Hallogallo” is centered around. It’s too similar to not be intentional, I think. Now that I’ve rewound that part a bunch of times, and A/B’d it with “Hallogallo”, a habit I’ve found myself engaging more than once over the years, I suppose I should start my review: Having grown up in early 90’s, I am predisposed to like the sound of fuzzed out guitars and there are an abundance of them on this record. Electro-Harmonix’s “Big Muff” fuzz pedal is the veritable backbone of this record and the guitar playing is easily the highlight for me. I could never take Billy Corgan’s voice (or personality, for that matter), but at least this record is an hour shorter than Mellon Collie, so it’s manageable, especially with the preponderance of fuzzy guitars to distract from his nasal whining and pretension. This is a great guitar record, I cannot deny that. It’s also undoubtedly the best record the Smashing Pumpkins would ever make. It could stand to be a little shorter, though. A lot of the songs here go on for too long, several stretching to the 7-8 minute mark and not enough fresh ideas in them to fully justify their length. Instead, they end up rehashing some of the same guitar tricks over and over and I’m left feeling burned out by about track 9.

Great fuzzed out alt-rock with sonic depth and honest lyrics. But Siamese Dream doesn’t light that spark in me to warrant a five.

More accessible than Melancholy, and a bit more consistent. Today is the obvious standout but the whole thing warrants a relisten. Good stuff.

Good hard rock. Some excellent guitar parts. Some of the album does sound a little harsh and muddy but still a good listen.

The beginning half of this album is really strong, but it started to lose me towards the end. Maybe it's just a tad too long. "Today" and "Cherub Rock" are both great examples of 90s rock though and I can see why this band was as big as it was during its prime.

Мне местами казалось похоже на Нирвану неожиданно

Love love love

Would rate it 4 1/2 stars if I could. Not quite in rare 5-star level desert island for me. The guitars sound immense and love the drum tone.

They got better. IMO.

Bailed midway through second track. The first track felt every second of its near-five minute runtime. The second made Vee feel like she will never understand what the grunge era was even for. Tig feels that while loud can be good, loud was not good in this case.

LITERALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME!! no skips at all and to end the album with luna just feels so perfect. for years i’ve wanted to include luna in my wedding. best smashing pumpkins album i think

Des riffs I N C R O Y A B L E Le chanteur est le point faible du groupe et je suis visiblement pas le seul à le penser Musique préférée : Beaucoup Musique que j'apprécie le moins : Disarm / Luna

There's a good song on here, but mostly it's the low, growling drone that's the Pumpkin usual. Just listenable....

Exactly what you expect from a smashing pumpkins album

This album starts really strong but by the end I'm a bit worn out and wishing it would end. There are attempts at breaking out of the mould created in the first half, but they don't achieve much and feel unnecessary.

Great album, start to finish. Great vibes for the fall.

This labor of love is possibly best in genre. Every song is so layered (except Disarm, that song is annoying)

Siamese Dream is a sprawling, explosive masterpiece that defined alt-rock in the ’90s. The Smashing Pumpkins mix fuzz-drenched guitars, soaring melodies, and emotional intensity into something both massive and deeply personal. It’s ambitious without being bloated — every track hits with purpose. “Cherub Rock” is a thunderous opener, full of tension and release. “Today” brings melody and melancholy together in perfect balance, while “Geek USA” is pure controlled chaos — fast, wild, and technically sharp. But “Silverfuck” is the real standout. It’s a rollercoaster of distortion, beauty, and fury, stretching past nine minutes and never wasting a second. It captures everything the Pumpkins do best: shifting dynamics, layered sounds, and raw emotion. From start to finish, Siamese Dream is powerful, melodic, and completely unforgettable. A true high point of '90s rock. Favorite song: Silverfuck

I liked this 90's noisy whine-rock more than I thought I would.

Discazo. Abajito del Mellon, que es un milagro de disco, pero aún así potentísimo.

Classic record.

When it comes to the music of the 90s, it is very hit-and-miss for me. There are many very popular bands from that decade that people rave over. For me, they are mostly....just meh. This album was a hit for me and got a lot of airtime back in the day. I have not listened to it in many years, but listening to it again brought back many memories. I'm glad that this list gave me a chance to pick this one up again. It seemed fresh and I remembered why I liked it so much back then.

Another great pumpkins record. Buzzy, diverse, catchy but I always find myself drawn to the mellower parts of this record. Not a great voice but Billy Corgan is a super talented dude. Love it.

There’s a soft spot in my heart for this one. I was 13 when it was released, and alt rock was my genre of choice. I hadn’t listened in years, but it still holds up. Great album.

LOVED favs: today, soma, mayonnaise, silverfuck

I like this album, but it makes me feel really nostalgic and sad, so it can only be a 3/5 Reviewed 27/08/2024

Banger

This 1001 thing has taught me I am a Smashing Pumpkins fan

4 all time songs and they may not even be the best 4 on this awesome album.

incredible

Billy corgan's vocals can get grating.

Haven't really explored the Smashing Pumpkins before, excited to hear more

I’ve listened before and it is a classic album. Don’t know that I’d give it a 5 but 4 feels appropriate

Enjoyable but what I liked most I already knew

Well we missed Cherub Rock in trivia so it shows how memorable I thought that album was after listening. Pretty unremarkable

I was surprised to see how highly regarded this album is because I found it fairly dull. Even the songs I recognized from Guitar Hero weren't doing it for me. A great example of grunge, but an indication that I don't like the genre so much as I like Nirvana. Makes sense since at its core, grunge is a fusion of punk rock and heavy metal, both genres I don't particularly enjoy as much. EDIT: shamefully missed “Cherub Rock” in the music trivia “songs from rock band” category the day I listened to this song twice. Kind of proves my disinterest.

Levyn tunnelma on hieno vaikka aavistuksen pitkä kokonaisuus. Vakuuttava esitys ja helppo 4*

Hyviä biisejä, mut hittielementit jäi uupumaan.

This album is full of very hype songs.

There is a reason this album is on so many lists. So many great things about this album; the songwriting, the music, the feel. Never gets old. A must for any music library.

Billy and the Boys were the darlings of the FM radio station of my youth. I never appreciated his whiny voice or their obnoxiously fuzzy guitar sound. Disarm and Today are ok but only out of familiarity. Aside from that: not for me.

Lush and heavy (some of the guitar work is ‘heavier’ in its way than the guitar on the recent Iron Maiden album, again showing the shifting landscape of style and also likely pointing out some of Corgans influences). I came to The Pumpkins with the next album, so this one has no emotional resonance for me. It’s good musically but not really my thing. But it did lead me back to Fugazi and some other “if you like this, then you’ll like this” bands that Henry then walked in on and we had a 90s awakening for him, so once again every melancholy cloud has a silver Offspring/Fugazi/ Everclear lining.

This album is impossible to listen to objectively. It's in my blood and makes up some of the base pairs of my DNA. It's an endless summer album. One of lazy sunshine joy, daily crushes, and utopian conversations under stars while lying on car hoods (back when car hoods were made of real steel and could hold our body weight without buckling). I hear it and it's a time machine. More accurately, it brings a fuzzjoy mood into my 2024 brain and a goofy grin stretches across my face. The pumpkins have been up and down, musically, but this--to me--is their apex.

This is one of my all-time favourite albums and the soundtrack to high school and university. When I was you young I would argue this was the best album of the 90s. I actually don’t even want to deconstruct why I like it- I just want to let it wash over me when I listen to it. Inthe proceeding years, Billy corgan has started to become more grating but this album is preserved in my memory as a time before all of that, a time when I could listen to this with my whole heart and feel so much joy

This album starts off so strong and some of the songs fade off towards the end. Still a fun album

Although I do feel like this album goes through many different moods that the artists do not transition well, I feel like that was what they were going for. It was a pretty sick rock album, with great ballads, unique production that sets it apart from any other artist that I have listened to, and excellent hooks that were pretty cool. Also, Hummer is an amazing track that is very underrated.

I’ve heard like half of this album by itself, but never listened to the whole thing before, so I was excited to hear. Way more shoegaze influence than I was expecting. My apologies Mr pumpkins, I was not aware of your game.

Oh I like this much better than "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness". Maybe it's because it's not a 2 hour long album? I know that was part of my problem with the other album. This felt tighter and more cohesive for sure. But overall I just think I liked the vibe a lot more too. I'll definitely enjoy relistens of this in the future.

A beautiful and complex album from start to finish.

This is true of most music of course, but I feel like Smashing Pumpkins need to be listened to LOUD! Crank this up and rock the fuck out

I'm not a big fan of the Pumpkins, but "Disarm" is a great song

The hits are pretty epic to be sure. The rest, I find rather forgettable.

Y'know, when it comes to Billy Corrgan and the Smashing Pumpkins, I'll for sure have more to say about them once my group gets to hit up MELLON COLLIE AND THE INFINITE SADNESS. **That's** the one I have some sort of attatchment to. Versus this album, which, until today, I'd only known for "Cherub Rock" and, especially, "Today". As a result, in comparison, I don't really feel like I have as much to say about this album—except for that I'd really hafta agree that it's one of the best and most unique alternate rock and grunge albums of the 90's. Goodness me, can Corrgan write a tune—and can this band **play them**. (Plus, I don't mind Corrgan's voice, so that's a hurdle I have no problem getting over.) It's an **easy** 5 from me. It's an easier 5 than MELLON COLLIE might get at least, that's for sure.

I can definitely see why some call this one of the best albums of the 90s, not just in alt rock, but in general. An hour never passed by so quick. Pretty easy 5 to give.

I’m at a 5. This is my first Smashing Pumpkins album, and while I always knew there was acclaim, for some reason, I just never really went for it – it could genuinely all be in the name. Either way, I’m a fucking moron; this is a great fucking album. Lots of diversity within the soundscape, great lyricism (if a bit broad at times), and Billy Corgan’s vocals are strong as hell, almost chameleon-esque with how he can shift from soft and introspective to a classic rockstar voice on a dime. I’m just really impressed with how honest this album seems to feel – Nirvana knew how to commercialize their style, and they did it remarkably successfully, even if it was kind of at Kurt Cobain’s detriment. Obviously, Nevermind is a fantastic album, but there’s something that feels just a little too clean about it after listening to this. I can’t explain how or why this feels more raw and honest, but it just does. Sometimes, that works against the album, and I think that honesty sort of collapses in on itself during “Silverfuck”. Silverfuck’s a great track, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t know that it works as one long 9 minute piece; it feels like an attempt to shove the soundscape of a mini rock opera into what would otherwise be a pretty normal song if you just look at the lyrics. I think the choice of the soundscape works well, and it’s a pretty quick 9 minutes, but in the back of my mind, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it would work better as 3 separate 3-minute tracks with their own titles to really give the song just a bit more structure and definition. It’s rather honest in what it tries to do, but I think it falls just a little short on its execution, especially with how self-serving the instrumental parts can feel the longer they go. Still a hell of a climax to the album, though, and really enjoyable. That track is basically the only nitpick I have, but it’s such a minor blip – this album, for me, is like a 9.75/10 at the bare minimum if we’re going by 10. It’s just a remarkably strong rock album, and I can finally see the hype. I know there’s at least one other Smashing Pumpkins album on the list, so that should be exciting when it rolls around. Either way, for my first experience, this was nothing short of spectacular. Very, very easy 5.

A really good album for a genre that can be pretty decisive for me. It's definitely intense and noisy but there are some great hits on this album. Just when I was thinking to myself I needed a break from the noise Soma came as a nice relief. Maybe a little front half heavy. 7/10 (3.5/5)

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Hands down one of my favorite albums from the 90s. The layered guitars + Chamberlains drumming style are perfection to me and the tone is much warmer than the albums that followed.

Always welcome to rock my world.

Billy Corgan and Sharon Osbourne. This will never cease to amuse me. (Has nothing to do with this. Liked it then in a low-key way, still like it now.) Ice-cream vans and paint captured my imagination in an odd way. Very surreal for Top of the Pops, I must say.

7,76

No idea what he's singing about half the time, but it SOUNDS deep.

I generally like it, but felt bored near the end. I think it deserves another listen though

Billy Corgan is one of those rock stars that I'm never going to love because he is a stupid dick that goes on InfoWars and seems to have nothing but contempt for the people around him. This album is hard to argue with, though. It takes the sonic intensity of shoegaze and tames it into a more stereotypical rock song structure. It really works. The sound is pretty consistent throughout, but doesn't get boring because the songs are well-crafted. Too bad Billy is such a stupid dick 4/5

STANDOUTS: Today Disarm OVERALL: 3/5; I wanted to like this more than I did. But those standouts were good/very 90s sad teenager.

Their second best

I've never been much of a Smashing Pumpkins fan and I just let this play in the background while doing stuff until Disarm came on, its just so thematically different than everything else but damn if I didnt love it. This album runs long and even though it didnt hit the sweet spot for me I can appreciate what it is.

So many great songs on here. Love Billy’s nasally baritone. A little long but hearing the blueprint for all alt rock to come was worth it

Dragged on a litttle at the end but overall really liked it

I've never been a huge fan of the vocals of the singer. This album was pretty uninspiring for me, and not memorable. A few things here and there were interesting to me but nothing worth coming back to for me. Maybe 3 but probably more like 2.5

This album is much more interesting than i expected. Billy Corrigan's voice has always bothered me, but he isn't leaning as heavily into the super-focused whine on this one. There are hints of it throughout, but it's not persistent. As long as I listen to the instruments, I find plenty to keep me interested. 3.5/5 stars for the band, -1 star for his voice, so 2.5 stars that i'll round up to 3.

Ever since rock band 3 and hearing cherub rock, I’ve been all in on this album. Warm distorted guitar throughout and always thought the smashing pumpkins had a unique effect on the vocals

I’m lukewarm on this band and this album. I feel like it scratches an itch that I don’t have. They’re fine, but even the hits don’t really excite me.

Solid rocking album. I know several of these tunes but never heard the whole album. They have a good sound using the string backing (probably synth). I've never been that high on the sound of the vocals though. 3.6

Might be nostalgia, might not, but can listen to this all the way through still.

This was a fun throwback. In those early 90's years I was far more into other bands (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Alice in Chains) than into Smashing Pumpkins. Now, years later, I'm getting into it more. I specifically liked two of the popular tracks (Cherub Rock and Rockit), but I enjoyed the entire album.

Great album! I might appreciate this even more now -with its propulsive drums and wall-of-fuzz guitars- than I did as a teen.

A few songs feel like filler, but the hits (Cherub Rock, Today) *really* hit. This might be more like a 3.5, but nostalgia might be pushing it up a bit.

Great record. Will listen again

Good

Idk how I feel about this band and grunge in general. I didn’t want to listen to this a million times like I did with arcade fire. Vocals are suspect at times. High 3.

I had one song from this album liked before listening to this. I think I like the smashing pumpkins. It's always fun to get albums I think I'll enjoy but haven't listened to yet. I didn't listen to the deluxe version thats like 3 hours but maybe I should at some point. I kinda love the balance they strike between a few chill/mellow moments and mostly upbeat vibe because I think I enjoy depressing music a lot but then ill be a week into my sufjan/elliot/adrienne eras and just a bit more weepy than id like to be so like I need to incorporate more of this energy into my life bc I really liked this. TLDR; fire.

4/10 - It is about the same as the other smashing pumpkins album. I felt the same feelings of he cannot sing and the album is screamy. I sort of liked the beginning of mayonnaise but once he started singing it went downhill greatly,

Did not know how hard this went

Siamese Dream came out when I was about 6 years old and a weird kid that was only allowed to listen to Christian music. I heard 1979 later in life and it became one of my favorite songs ever, and I’ve heard many of the top songs from Siamese Dream here and there, played Cherub Rock on Rock Band, so on and so forth. As an album though I have never let myself spend enough time with this. I’ve listened to …Infinite Sadness many times, and always assumed I like it more than Siamese Dream because it has 1979 on it. This is another listening experience while participating in this project that’s just been sublime: this is such a tremendous album when you really give it a close listen. It’s a masterpiece and a journey well worth taking over and over. All the songs are great even though the album eclipses an hour long. Billy Corgan kills it on guitar, his lyrics are great, and his voice is unmistakable and unique. It sounds sort of grungy, sort of shoegazey, sort of metal, and very rock and roll throughout. The drumming is fierce and in your face on many tracks. A brilliant album that I’ll revisit more often, one of the best of the 90’s.

Se siente como romper la habitación donde sucede la nostalgia.

Really strong stand out riffs, could have been better vocal mixing

Some good songs on here ("Today", "Disarm", "Cherub Rock") but nothing good enough for more than a three, imo.

I was really vibing with this today!

Not a bad song on this album. Solid from cover to cover and as much as I prefer melloncolie, this one soars. I know some people don’t like corgans voice but I love it.

Incredible album. Smashing Pumpkins still sound innovative and fresh after all this time.

I didn't like it when it was brand new back in the day, and I thought I still didn't. Until I realized that I was singing along with damn near every song on the album. This one's solid.

de início, achei que seria um album bem angst juvenil, o que por mim seria bom. mas o álbum é bem mais do que isso. aos poucos foi revelando o conceito da capa e do título em som e letra. tem nostalgia infantil, sim, mas é um álbum extremamente agridoce: mais dark do que hopeful. um trabalho de sombras; infância e dor e sonhos perdidos - e o cacareco do jovem adulto, tentando fazer sentido disso tudo. mas também algo da infância, de novo, como certo norte para um futuro im/possível: um futuro realista, down-to-earth, imensamente triste. it is what is its. algumas tracks com violão? (não fui conferir; só pela intuição dos meus ouvidos jshssk) e depois uma com violoncelo?? o quê? acho que o trabalho, pra 93, foi excepcional. o vocalista tem entrega e cansaço e vontade e tristeza na voz. gostei que bateria, baixo e guitarra não se sobressaem --- acho que pela primeira vez eu reparei tanto na bateria quanto no trabalho da guitarra em músicas de rock? amei a harmonia. amei as transições tbm -- tem muito disso nas músicas: de um oposto para o outro; trazendo uma suavidade melancólica e nostálgica da infância ou de uma esperança [perdida?] para as faixas, aqui e ali, o que amarra o conceito do álbum. a capa é memorável; nome do álbum também. 10/10. "cherub rock" e "quiet"? amei. "hummer" me deixou espiritualmente acordada com a transição ao final, me fez pensar em algo como a "grandeza da insignificância humana". mas "desarm"??? realmente me desarmou e a partir daí eu estava ESCUTANDO!! "soma" foi como soprar uma ferida aberta. "sweet sweet" e "luna"? mais dedos nessa ferida. ô dor boa de álbum.

Lidt kedeligt.. ikke lige mig

Ein solides Indie Rock Album. Schöne Kompositionen , gefällt mir von den Smashing Pumpkins Alben am Besten.

Powerful album that absolutely shreds, can pull at your heartstrings, and is produced perfectly. The guitars and the drums sound amazing here. Can even make it sound like Billy Corgan can sing at times!

Love luna

Interesting for a couple of tracks, but it was too one-dimensional, and that sludge guitar permeated everything.

This is another album that I got a physical copy of and thus am familiar with. However, before I dissect right away into this, I checked the background of how Siamese Dream was made in order to help build context. This album was created out of pressure. Members of the Smashing Pumpkins were already dealing with their own problems after putting out their debut - depression, broken relationships, substance abuse, etc. Then they got moved to a major label and the public starts setting expectations for their next album after how well Nirvana did with their second album Nevermind. I can’t fathom how badly everyone must have felt during the writing and recording for this given these factors. In spite of the obstacles, they were able to craft a successful album out of it. Yet, it should be noted that despite expectations, this is not quite the same sound as Nevermind. If anything, Siamese Dream sounds closer to a mix of shoegaze and alternative rock, with hints of heavy metal in between. Sure, Billy Corgan worked alongside Bitch Vig to produce this album after the latter worked on Nevermind. But after the two cleaned up the sound and engineer Alan Moulder - who previously worked on My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless - did the mix, the resulting textures are much warmer. The instrumentation does punch when it needs to on songs like the opener “Cherub Rock” and “Quiet”, but more often than not groove back into this pleasant dreamy atmosphere such as on the closer “Luna”, “Disarm” and passages of “Silverfuck”. All of that accentuated by Billy Corgan’s whispy vocals that I know aren’t gonna please everyone, but to me toe the line on effortless yet forceful. As for the lyrics, after a bout with writer’s block, Billy penned songs that were cathartic for what he was going through. This mostly included songs about the brief breakup he went through with his girlfriend and future ex-wife Chris Fabian, though there were big exceptions to that theme. “Spaceboy” was written as a tribute to his half-brother Jesse, albeit with more abstract language that paints the anguish Billy was going through and looking to connect with family in that moment for a sense of comfort. “Today” is a rather bright song about depression and suicidal thoughts, which again he was going through at the time so in that spur of the moment it could be felt that maybe today is the greatest day, cause it can’t get much worse, right? Finally, as my favorite song on the album, “Cherub Rock” serves as a big old middle finger to the music industry, for all the needless pressure and societal expectations placed onto him and his group as they’re just looking to be let out of that discomfort and find some breathing room. Overall, there’s no denying Siamese Dream is one of the biggest albums of the ‘90s, in spite of what the band went through. At the end of the day, that’s a dream worth enjoying.

This is a really good album. It flowed so well from beginning to end (apart from the shitty youtube ads!). It passed my rule - if you get to the end of the album and wonder where the time went then it's a good album. I will definitely listen again.

The first half is pretty great but I lost interest throughout the second half. The songs are very full of themselves. Rating: 4.1

Top 5 best Rick albums if all time. This record is heavy, lush, thick, and full of both bone jarring riffs as well as amazing melodies. This is peak Pumpkins and I can't speak highly enough for it.

A complete nostalgic journey. Absolutely unforgettable. I've spun this album to death prior and I'll continue to spin this album to death after. I know many of these songs on guitar.. It’s a must-listen for anyone who loves grunge and alternative rock.

Great album. I always forget they started off as a great rock band before becoming whatever they were on mellon colllie

01) Cherub Rock - 8,5 02) Quiet - 7,5 03) Today - 9,0 04) Hummer - 8,0 05) Rocket - 7,5 06) Disarm - 9,0 07) Soma - 8,5 08) Geek U.S.A. - 7,5 09) Mayonaise - 9,0 10) Spaceboy - 8,0 11) Silverfuck - 7,0 12) Sweet Sweet - 7,5 13) Luna 8,0 TOTAL: 8,08 (81/100) Current ranking: 77/246 Ok, this sounds much better to me (not to mention shorter) than Mellon Collie (Total: 7,27 (73/100), current ranking: 146/246)... Butch Vig is recognizable, at times I hear a bit of Nirvana, and at times a bit of Garbage. The album is much more cohesive than its overlong successor, although there are fewer hits like "Tonight, Tonight" or magnificent "1979". For me, the best on the album are "Disarm", "Today", "Mayonaise" and "Soma".

Forgive me Smashing Pumpkins, I was not familiar with your game. Great album!

Again very strong music. Unique sound, technically precise, sometimes heavy but not grating. 4.3

Just a classic.

Med beröm godkänt. Har inte lyssnat tidigare och det fick man ju ångra. Skulle säga att det är väldigt bra. Disarm har man ju hört och den är en 5a rakt upp och ner. Stark 4a.

Så ska det låta! Ett fantastiskt album. I princip inte en dålig låt. Måste erkänna att jag alltid haft lite svårt för Billys röst, men musiken och arrangemangen av låtarna är så fruktansvärt bra att det väger upp. Låtarna är rika, intressanta, melodiska och perfekta.

Varför i hela helsefyr har jag inte lyssnat mer på SP är frågan? För det här är ju riktigt jävla bra. Inte bara Disarm och Today som jag hört tidigare utan i princip varenda låt är grym (hade möjligen kunnat kortas med typ två låtar).

Liked this one more than I thought I would. I know a few of their songs and was expecting whiny angsty singing. And while there was that, the instrumentals were way more lush and interesting than I was expecting. Liked that it was grungy while still being clear and didn’t just make everything noisy and distorted

10/10

Probably their best album. Everyrhingsy perfect. The production, the lyrics, the mood.

Enjoyed this quite a lot 8/10

Dark og gott. Svo þétt gítarsound. Lagasmíðin superb og röddin á Corgan er geggjuð þótt hann sé óþolandi stjörnustælapési. Sum lögin erfiðari en önnur. 4.5 stjörnur frá mér. Eldist vel.

Svakalega þétt og öflug plata.

I like several of these songs, but the album as a whole is too long, and I just don't see revisiting it.

This album has the best song of all time, Mayonaise. I have said enough.

all albums should be 10 minutes long, fuck this garbage

This is the music of my childhood. I loved it then and still love it today.

Not my cup of tea

Very interesting mixture, I enjoyed the back-and-forth between harder grungier sounds and softer melodic stuff.

A formative album in my teens, although I realise that I really dislike the guitar sound.

Really enjoyed this, and surprised it hit my radar earlier. Groovy and quite poppy, with cool big guitar sounds. Vocals are sometimes a bit whiny, but not so bad.

Here’s the thing: I gave Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness 4.5 stars, rounded up, while noting it’s very much a flawed record. Revisiting Siamese Dream it’s clear to me that, at a positively svelte-by-comparison 62 minutes, this is the superior listening experience. Like MCATIS there are still plenty of nostalgia-inducing hits and glorious guitar tones, and like MCATIS it still covers a broad musical and emotional spectrum, but unlike MCATIS it doesn’t drag on and there’s very little flab. All of which is to say I have to give SD the full five thumbs up too. And if that means The Smashing Pumpkins end up as my highest-rated artist on this site when all’s said and done, then so be it.

Fav: Mayonaise Least Fav: Quiet

solid garage rock album, ages decently! probably 4.5

Decent

I see why people enjoy the Smashing Pumpkins. It personally just isn't for me

Siamese Dream is the Smashing Pumpkins' second album. After the surprising success of their first album, the band had considerable pressure to perform on their follow-up, and they responded well with Siamese Dream. This is a great collection of guitar driven, alt-rock songs. They are far from the grunge-dominated alt-rock of the era - closer to a metal sound. Siamese Dream includes some of the band's early hits, Including "Today" and "Disarm." The success of these singles, and some very successful tours, propelled the band to international stardom. This is a great collection from the time when the band developed their sound.

I really liked the guitar distortion

Probably listened to this album over 500 times.

I loved this album thirty years ago, and love it still today.

Great album.

Great alt rock album, Smashing Pumpkins at their peak.

Love it so glad to see this in the list and not just Mellon Collie. There are so many great songs on this album Rocket, Soma, Mayonnaise, Silverfuck, Luna and Cherub Rock are outstanding but the two big hits are the stand outs for me Today is catchy with a guitar lick that kills and Disarm is stunningly beautiful and haunting.

Never got into Smashing Pumpkins too much. When they were a big deal, I was exploring other things.

Um álbum sensível e agressivo ao mesmo tempo. Coeso sem ser monótono, com um instrumental e letras bem trabalhadas sem serem pretenciosas. Um trabalho muito foda do Smashing Pumpkins.

Enjoyable listen 3/5

the band was really good but the singing was mediocre. the band was also a lot louder than the singer most of the time so the singing faded to the back

so good. Im crazy for the drumming and the unique quality of the guitar diversity. The vocals are kind of off but it works in a way that may not mesh with stronger vocals.

90s icon

a bit mixed on this one. there are parts of this album that, for me, verge on unquestionably great. songs like, 'today' and 'geek u.s.a' are fun and definitely the highlights for me. a lot of the album is... fine but not really my thing. especially when the album tends to be quieter. i really like this album more when it's cooking than when it's soft. that being said, there's nothing bad here, just really not totally my thing. ultimately, i liked it, but didn't love it.

I did not hear any music on this album, ONLY noise! If you like that then a good album.

Haven’t listened to this one in years. Still holds up!

Some good songs Disarm brilliant.

some of the songs here are great (especially mayonaise) but a lot of them are kinda boring to me. 7/10

I liked it, solid stuff but not as strong as Mellon Collie. It started well and perhaps tailed off a little. Not much to complain about though, think I'll listen to more smashing pumpkins

Nowhere near as good as the other one, shame

While I'm not the biggest fan of The Smashing Pumpkins by and large, their era and subgenre of music is among my favorite in history, so I can appreciate their contributions to punk and alt-rock. In general, I find Billy Corgan's voice to be on the more whiny and grating side. However, this album ended up being to my liking much more than anticipated. They definitely kept the 90s alt-rock sound throughout, but had some different elements thrown in that were very interesting to me. In particular the bell parts on "Disarm", and fun, punky rhythms on "Geek U.S.A." and "Silverfuck" were more true to the time period and caught my ear. Overall, The Smashing Pumpkins aren't leaping into my top 10 bands anytime soon, but this was still an overall enjoyable listen for me. Notable Tracks: Cherub Rock Today Disarm - like the use of the bells Geek U.S.A. - punkier than elsewhere on the record Silverfuck - cool rhythm parts 6/10

meh. It was cool when I was 14

A lot of youth souvenirs with that album and my uncle

Long dose of nothingness.

I liked this much more than Melon Collie. Like twice as much. That being said, I still really don't like Corgan's breathy-ass voice. The music is good though!

Top tier album 11/10

Classic. Aged reasonably well.

childhood classic !

Didn't like hummer. Did like geeks and sweet sweet and Luna. Weird ending to space boy. Not sure how I feel about it

So excited for this album. Cherub Rock slaps forever! Love the intro to Quiet, kinda more grungy than expected. I don't love Today, but that may be because it was overplayed on the radio. A few boring songs. Disarm is sooo good. Soma also good, haunting. Really great album over all. So happy I got to start my day with this.

This is good shit!!! Wasn't IN LOVE with it but a solid album and I enjoyed the listen

Very good album. Today is always a banger! And just digged this album. Color me a fan of the pumpkins

Love ‘today’. Similar to a lot of albums— 3 of the songs stuck with me the others I might not listen to again.

This is a great 90s rock album!

One of my favourites

Less than Mellon collie but I listen to this regularly already

Nostalgic Guitar Hero shit. Favorite Song: Cherub Rock, Today Rating: 3.6/5

I never gave this album a fair chance even though it was incredibly popular when I was a teen. Corgan's voice always annoyed me back then. Listening to this front to back, it's amazing. Absolutely love the guitar tone and layering. Still don't love his voice but it does fit the music well.

I’d rank this higher if they weren’t such cunts

Good

Very influential, perfect example of the “Wall of Sound”, I love it.

this album sounds like cheese

Honestly, nothing special. It has decent songs, but nothing really grabbed me

I, of course, knew several songs off of this album from the heavy radio play. I also must admit that the song disarm is one of my big songs that I love to hear. I had never listened to a complete Smashing Pumpkins album until this. I have to say I really enjoyed the diversity of this album. There was rock, light metal, and some straight up pop . I’ve always appreciated Billy Corrigan‘s voice also. Overall, I really did appreciate and enjoy this album.

Another amazing album by the Pumpkins. I think they got a lot of bad press once and it kind of made everyone think Billy Corgan was an asshole. And he very well might be, but damn he made some cool music. Reading about this album and how Soma has over 40 guitar overdubs, that's insane especially for a song nobody knows. Cherub Rock, Quiet, Disarm, Hummer, Silverfuck, and of course Today and Mayonaise steal the show. They are undeniably catchy and heavy as fuck when they need to be and light and airy when they don't. The loud quiet loud formula is strong here and I'm not mad about it. I saw The Smashing Pumpkins live a couple years ago at a smaller venue outside. It sounded so good and the entire show had so much energy. I was waiting for Billy to lose his shit or something. He seems the type. But it didn't happen and he even at one point brought one of his kids out on stage with ear protection and let him jam out to one of their songs. It really humanized Billy in a whole new way for me. He wasn't just the asshole musician trying to take over his band anymore. He was a dad and successful wrestling league owner. Oh wait. He's still a bit weird but seriously one of the best live shows I've ever seen. James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin also made this band what it is. Darcy is the Kim Deal of the Pumpkins unfortunately but I am sure she left some influence on the band the same as Kim.

Incredible album. Billy Organs guitar work on this record is fantastic. The guitar tone he has is beautiful. Especially on some solos or lead parts. I often find that Lyrics aren't really his strong point...but in this record they are awesome. It's too bad he couldn't capture the magic in this record with other releases. Smashing pumpkins were never really on my radar growing up. Of course the singles on the radio or on much music were often heard... But they never pulled me in at the time. I think I appreciate this record differently than I would have growing up. Even in my angst years. There's a beauty in this record filled with melancholy and hope that is captured perfectly within the lyrics, the music, and within the tone of the record.

Nice

Good album, has some bangers 7.5/10

6/10/24. I love this album, one of the best sounding guitar albums of all time for me. The production is also top notch.

Love it

Still not a huge fan of The Smashing Pumpkins. I think it’s mostly Corgen’s voice, but overall it’s fine. Not something ima ever go back to but it was fine

This is one of my all time favorites already, and it was great getting it on day 2. I forget how ambient a lot of the album is, and it's higher energy songs are just so *chefs kiss*. Great album, one of my faves.

The whiny voice was more bearable here, I actually enjoyed this one decently. I wouldn’t mind if a song came on shuffle, but damn it gets so repetitive. Sad boy summer vibes for sure. I’m just glad pumpkins are over with for now.

This is alot more droney than before I like this and I like that it is shorter than Mellon collie but it has less hits it’s way more lowkey and it kinda feels dream rock and psychedelic for a bit. Luna is a great ending but realistically it just kinda blends together. Somber and lowkey but doesn’t pack that same punch as the original but better because it’s shorter. Glad they fixed the singing in the next record

I don’t think I’d ever sat and listened to this album in its entirety before. But of a masterpiece isn’t it? The combination of power and beauty is exquisite.

Wow, really refreshing, don’t really listen to something like this on a daily basis

Einu sinni fannst mér Billy Corgan alveg afskaplega leiðinlegur áheyrnar. Svona vælukjói í rokkhljómsveit. Svo varð ég fullorðinn of byrjaði að hlusta almennilega á Smashing Pumpkins og þetta er núna orðið band sem ég set mjög reglulega á fóninn. Frábært stöff. Heimskur ég í gamla daga.

Day 5 - June 6th, 2024 bbbbbBORING (this album tries to be angsty but ends up being cringy). Disarm was the only good thing about this album, but even that couldn't make up for how bad this album is.

Truly a masterpiece of early 90s grunge/hard rock. I don't think there's a bad song on this album. I'm not the biggest fan of Billy Corgan's nasally sound, but it's less prevalent on this album. The guitars sound incredible here. It might be my favorite guitar sound of the 90s. Excellent album.

yea manngggg this shit grew on me so much since the first time I listened. Still not a big fan of Billy Corgan's voice but the guitar on this album just sounds so fucking GORGEOUS

Two good songs.

I've never listened to this entire album straight through, and while there are no big suprises, there are also no needle-scratching disappointments, either. This is a solid album, even if Billy Corgan insisted on singing on all of them.

Great 90's rock vibes. Would give it 3.5 if I could but I'll round up today. :)

A classic 90s alt rock album. Favorites were Today, Quiet and Disarm.

Not a fan of Billy Corgan's voice, but I dig the album!

Alt rock sounds like construction noise to me. I have come to really dislike heavily distorted guitar and drums too high in the mix. Honestly, I find typical alt rock drum grooves to be boring as they're so repetitive, even when they are done well, as they are here. In one song, the guitar tone made me laugh. "Disarm", an acoustic song, was listenable. This album just isn't interesting to me. In fact, I started to ge angry at it and didn't get through the whole thing.

Heard of this band but never listened to them, great album and enjoyed the variety of music. Sweet Sweet is great.

own

Liked it at first but it wore on me.

this is probably a 4 star album but billy corgan is enough of a shit for it to be dragged down to a 3

This was enjoyable! I don't know if I would listen again, but I did like the sound of the album as a whole. I don't think I'd ever heard a song by The Smashing Pumpkins before somehow, but I'd listen to more from them.

Yeah this sounds like Smashing Pumpkins

My god, this thing is a trip and a half. This album is one of the best rock records of the 90s. Very emotional songwriting and amazing instrumentals. That guitar tone is AMAZING. It kind of wains near the end, but it doesn’t drag down the rest of the album with it. Even with a few issues, this still is an amazing outing. Amazing!

The other week, I tried to listen to this album after a looonnnnngggggg time since I listened to it--maybe like twenty-eight years--and I was instantly reminded why it had been such an interval: It's hear they abandoned the crushed velvet psychedelic patchouli and cloves mope of Gish (and a bunch of fantastic singles and b-sides) and decided to be Styx instead. "Cherub Rock" is kind of annoying in a cloying way. "Disarm" is more mawk than moody. These being the hits, they kind of ate the album in my consciousness. However, there is plenty here that still reminds you this is a band and not the Billy Corgan show. Destructro Rock, super-ramalama, dream pop, and shimmery instrumentation still abound, and still make for a thrilling experience. I can't say this is back to front good, but if you dodge the obviousness, there is much to love.

Rated against other grunge in general.

Better than Mellon Collie, but that may be largely because it's shorter. I quite like the music but I can't get past Corgan's voice.

beyond amazing, I already heard a few but to think the whole album was a banger, wow 👌

One of the Best albums of 90s? No filler

such an album 5/5

Definitivamente rokillo emo de los dosmiles one more time. Carne de MP3 con auriculares de diadema /robados de la renfe y llevar flequillo darks. Ta fino, buen guitarreo y buena attitude. Quiero creer que las niñas de la portada estan unidas y por eso y el titulo del disco le damos 5/5

Meh. It was fine; I liked some of the quieter/more instrumental stuff but overall would give this one a pass

Love SP, but they have better albums.

I thought this was good, and if I was born 20 years ago I would’ve LOVED it

I've always found Corgans voice too vague and overtly screamish. I remember back in my youth when I first heard the Pumpkins, I thought the band could be so much better, if they hired a better vocalist. But it's probably me that's a bit off. High pitched screamy voices really turns me off. I never really digged the Pumpkins, except some of the hit tracks on the Mellon Collie-album.

The whole loud-quiet-loud formula that was so prevalent in 90’s alternative was created by The Pixies but perfected by The Smashing Pumpkins on this album. So many moments that go from a whisper to a roar in a matter of seconds on this album, something they didn’t really use with such intensity after this album. Billy is quoted as saying that Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was meant to be that generations The Wall, if that’s the case then Siamese Dream is their Dark Side Of the Moon. Not just because it predates it but also because of its technical merit in its recording and mixing. Billy has said it was his wall of guitars technique that Butch Vig stole, after recording The Pumpkins on Gish, that was used on Nirvana’s Nevermind. Every “heavy” guitar sound I’ve recorded has at some point has chased this albums guitar tone, unsuccessfully of course. The other highlight on this album is of course the drums. Jimmy Chamberlain laid down some of the best rock drum takes of all time on these first 3 pumpkins albums but I’d say his best were on this album. He’s such a dynamic player, even the louder songs have varying levels to that loud thanks to Jimmy’s playing. He approaches rock drumming almost like a jazz drummer, but without playing strait up jazz beats. To say this album has been a major influence on me as a musician would be an understatement, but this album also had huge impact me during my emotional teenage years. Adore was the last Pumpkins album that I truly enjoyed. With each album I grew more annoyed with Billy’s voice. Going back to this one now it’s very surprising to me that his voice even made it to radio in the 90’s.

This one is special. There are albums that transport you to a place and time, and this is one for me. I've spent countless hours alone in my room at 13 and 14 listening this. This album is what I needed at the time to get me through loneliness. The funny thing is I'm not a huge fan of any of their songs after Pisces Iscariot (which are just b-sides from this one.) Soma brings me to tears. Such a roller-coaster of emotions on that song. It's definitely my favorite. Brilliant album start to finish.

The Memorial Day holiday put me back a day, and also deleted what I wrote, so I'll keep it short. Distanced from Seattle's 'grunge' movement, Smashing Pumpkins was still a giant on the 'alternative rock' scene, combining powerful arena rock ("Cherub Rock," "Rocket"), chugging alterna-folk ("Disarm"), and warm-distortion shoe gaze ("Soma," "Mayonaisse") where it is equally appropriate to pump your fist or slow dance. No odd times, no weird chord progressions, no left turns. Just straight ahead songwriting leaning more towards sentiment than aggression. Billy is shredding that guitar too.

If you were to ask me my favorite music, somehow Smashing Pumpkins would not be at the top of my mind. I've never seen them in concert. And yet when I saw this album here today, I knew it would be an instant five stars for me. This is one of the first albums I owned; my mom gave it to me as a gift for my 12th birthday, and she thought it was funny when I began opening it and I cheered when only the smallest bit of paper was torn off. I could sufficiently see a tiny bit of that iconic cover peeking through. I've got so many core memories associated with this album, which I'll keep for myself, and which inevitably happens when you listen to something so heavily in your youth. But I'm confident in saying that this album deserves five stars for reasons that have nothing to do with my nostalgia, and are based purely on the merits of the album itself. Somehow this album retains a sense of rawness despite the laborious high level of production. It rocks hard but can be gentle, beautiful, and sweet. Sometimes it's thick and sludgy and other times it's effervescent and shimmery. So much is packed in, and it's so layered, but it feels like all the parts are there for a reason, and the album is cohesive and there are no extraneous songs here. For me, this is truly an album I can listen to from beginning to end. This is peak Smashing Pumpkins. Faves: Today, Soma, Mayonaise.

A masterpiece. Such an iconic generation x album. I really feel like this is one of the albums along with 'Nevermind', 'Superunknown', 'Core', 'Dirt', 'Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic' and a few others that really encapsulated the early 90s. What a time to be coming of age when these albums came out. Even if you weren't fans of all the same bands, a lot of your friends cross pollinated with these albums. A friend of mine once proclaimed years ago that Siamese Dream had some of the best guitar tones ever put down on a record. I have to agree. Although this album came out in the same time frame as the aforementioned ones, it did not quite have the same type of sound and feel. I always felt as though this album sounded otherwordly, like space creatures had landed from another planet and began to play rock music that could transport your mind elsewhere. The album has something for everyone. Soft soothing tones, mid tempo hard rock, more frantic heavy style rock, the balad that is Soma, acoustic sounds....so much innovation and creativity. Jimmy Chamberlain puts on an clinic in one song in Geek U.S.A. I feel like if a drummer could keep up with him in that song, then they are probably able to fit into any rock band. William Corgan Jr has a unique voice that takes many different forms throughout the album.

I cannot abide by Billy Corgan's constant solipsistic, combative and narcissistic attitude. I also, like many, subjectively do not like his voice. That said, his voice objectively works with his compositions, which are very good and the musical performances on this album are clearly great. Never having listened to an entire Pumpkins album before straight through, this was daunting, but I was carried through by the caliber of the executions, thankfully. Straight til the last track, Luna, where a repeated "I'm in love with you", every emotion falls flat except anger. Corgan simply doesn't convey anything other than rage in a believable fashion. It's as if he's doing his best to capture what others feel. Fortunately there's plenty of rage to go around, and the quality of the music is so on point, that for many it does not matter.

cannot describe it as well as the other reviews but yeah

Siamese Dream bien podría haber sido etiquetado como un disco de Billy Corgan. Los problemas internos de la banda hicieron que él tocara casi todos los instrumentos, exceptuando la percusión. Fuera o no producto de la tensión y los conflictos, lo cierto es que el resultado fue un magnífico disco de rock alternativo que dejaba atrás el grunge y el punk, y coqueteaba sin excesos con lo progresivo. Me gustan bastante sencillos extraídos del álbum como "Today", "Rocket" y la emocionante balada sinfónica "Disarm". Pero también la rockera "Geek U.S.A.", o el tono épico de "Silverfuck". También hay lugar en mis preferencias para la calma de "Mayonaise" o "Spaceboy".

boy i sure hope corgan isn't a jag

Part #625 of “I don’t like this as much as I’m supposed to.” But I do like it. And I LOVE “Cherub Rock”. Just not an all-time favorite. 3.5/5

I've already heard melon collie and I've passed through one or two songs here but this project overall is amazing, near perfect, and remarkably produced. How it didn't make it's way into the Apple music top 100 is beyond me.. Every track brings it's own significance that makes each one special to me. I can't think of a bad song on this record realistically! Cherub Rock and Disarm are just two examples of perfect tracks. The electric guitar distortions makes this entire thing feel destructive and powerful. The band even feels a bit ahead of their competitors on this LP for the time it released.

Really cool grunge rock album.

5/5

Bands on the cusp of a breakthrough are at their most interesting and their most unpredictable. Before the Pumpkins became the Led Zeppelin of Alternative Rock, before Billy Corgan became the bald, monk of underground rage, before they released their hit-making magnum opus, there was the dense, fuzz guitar anthem “Cherub Rock” and its haunting acoustic cousin “Disarm,” which arguably goes harder than any of the blistering guitar assaults the band ever produced. “Today” is a spiritual companion to “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and it might be the only successful single in Rock history to simultaneously warn against suicide while celebrating a release from this veil of tears. For fans of guitar-based Rock, the Pumpkins offer layer after layer, with Corgan and James Iha making the case for the best, most effective guitar partnership of the last 30 years. Their debut was an exciting promissory note for ‘90s Rock. “Siamese Dream” delivered on that promise, paying that investment back, and then some.

I've never known an album start so well for the first five tracks and then get a little worse each time until the end. The high energy at the start just drifts into slow meandering walllowy music, which I find boring. There's one exception around track 9/10, which is actually a decent song, but then it drags out a completely unnecessary middle section and kills the song. This and Mellon collie show that the pumpkins were a band who needed someone to tell them no sometimes

Except for maybe Abbey Road, I doubt that I have listened to any album on this list more than Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins. This was one of my stone cold favorites in college. I knew some of the songs, especially "Today" and "Disarm," but I really got into the Pumpkins and this album when Mellon Collie came out. I saw them twice on that tour, late '96 and early '97. There were a few amazing singles off of this record, but many of the tracks aren't just songs. They are spacey, anthemic, prog-rock compositions produced from the context of a 90s alternative ethos. So much of my music taste was introduced to me by this band and this album. Creativity must have been just pouring from Billy Corgan during this period. Every song ebs, flows, changes, spaces out, and dive bombs back in. I love this record. I have always loved this record. I will always love this record. Five stars.

I do like it a lot, but it's one of those albums that I can't seem to fall in love completely with

I didn’t remember the pumpkins rocking this hard

Amazing top to bottom. Rocket is my new favorite song.

Enjoyed album. Sweet sweet was very good

i like this a lot actually 4/5 tho bc the songs are all long as fuck

Smashing Pumpkins – “Siamese Dream” So I normally don’t do this, but we sorta had an “Album Club” a few years back with some friends of mine, and “Siamese Dream” was one of the albums that we reviewed – so here is what I wrote up back then… I have always enjoyed the Smashing Pumpkins – though you could probably say that appreciation has been “from more of a distance”. They came along in the midst of my working a full-time position at the hospital, while going to graduate school, all while raising 3 kids (i.e. my youngest was born in 1989). I have referred to this period as sort of my “blind spot” when it comes to music. It’s not that I wasn’t familiar with the bands of the era or their music, it’s just that I was not able to devote the kind of attention to those albums, the way I was when I was young… So I had this album in the collection, and was extremely familiar with each of the songs that found their way into heavy rotation in my area (i.e. “Cherub Rock”, “Today”, “Disarm”, and “Rocket”…). What I found interesting with this exercise, is that I can’t remember a single time when I ever really listened to this album from start-to-finish. Not sure why, but I think I thought of it more as a collection of songs, as opposed to a true album. So this little journey has been good for me in that respect… What has always attracted me to the band, has been the incredible uniqueness of their sound – as in they really don’t sound like anyone else – which always scores high marks with me. And while I can’t qualify it, they have always sorta had a “progressive” feel to them, which also serves them well in my book. However, I have found that the not-quite-as-popular songs of the Pumpkins (i.e. the ones that I think are well done…) really do tend to age well in my eyes… Not sure why, but this is a clear trend for me with this band – and there is one song off of this album that fits that bill exactly – for example sorta like “Rhinoceros” was for me off of their first album. I am also happy to report that after this little exercise, I have added a couple of more of those “not-quite-as-popular-but-they-really-seem-to-work-for-me” tunes to the collection from this album… Also have to add that while I generally prefer live offerings to the studio, that is NOT the case with this album. It’s not that they are poor live renditions or anything like that, but they really captured a unique sound on this album, and I really think there was just no way to recreate all of the nuances in the live setting. As for my track-by-track thoughts, here we go, and I paid no special attention to lyrics, just what seemed to stand out as I moved through the album, so most songs are taken as a whole… 1. “Cherub Rock” – 5-stars out of 7… This my friends, is THE perfect way to introduce the listener to THIS album! It clearly announces the arrival of the sound, tempo, and style right from the starting gate. There is not another song on the album that could have filled that lead-off spot, which created the perfect mood for what is about to follow… 2. “Quiet” – 3-stars out of 7… Someone once said that all of our Presidents can’t be Jefferson’s and Lincoln’s, and the same holds true for Smashing Pumpkins songs on this album. Not that this is a bad song – because it is NOT, but by comparison, it is one of the weakest on the album. And even after repeated listens (i.e. and I probably listened to the whole thing all the way through 5 or 6 times – in addition to extra listens for particular tracks…) it never gained any traction with me… 3. “Today” – 6-stars out of 7… So if this were the first time that I had ever heard this album, we’d have that great start, but then we’d have that backslide with “Quiet”, and then my mind would start to wonder… But then just when I was about to really question things, “Today” comes on – and then all is right with the world! Incredibly original, and I really enjoyed the softer parts in contrast to the bombastic sections. This is a spectacular song all the way around… 4. “Hummer” – 7-stars out of 7… So for me, this was the eye-opener of the album. I don’t ever remember hearing this one back in the day. I’m sure I did, but my attention span must not have been there at all as I have no recollection. The more I listened to this one, the more I absolutely fell in love with it… Just feels like a truly complete song in every way, and is about as perfect as it gets… Don’t think I’ve ever experienced as much of a disconnect between listens to a single song ever, which is in part what is really striking for me. In my opinion, one of the best songs on the album, and I wish it were 12-minutes long… 5. “Rocket” – 5-stars out of 7… Another one of the big four that I was quite familiar with – and probably the weakest of the 4 “hits”… Still good to listen to, and no real complaints here – just found some of the other options far more deep and compelling… 6. “Disarm” – 6-stars out of 7… The last of The Big 4 – and also an incredibly original track. The diversity between those four popular songs, is probably one of the greatest strengths of the album, and probably something that helped contribute to its success in attracting listeners from different musical persuasions to this creative and well-constructed album… 7. “Soma” – 4-stars out of 7… Here is the next of the not-quite-as-popular tracks that has really grown on me – though I do remember this one from my initial listening’s. Doesn’t quite have the grab of “Hummer”, but I enjoyed the relaxed pace, and it is perfectly slotted in the album’s running order between “Disarm” and “Geek USA”. Also really enjoy the piano sections on this one… 8. “Geek U.S.A.” – 5-stars out of 7… This is one of the two really loud, fast, and rambling efforts on this album (the other being “Silverfuck”) and of the two – THIS is the one that I prefer by far! A bit of an unbridled feel to it – which is always appealing, and the music has just a hint of Soundgarden to it which doesn’t hurt either. Also has sort of that musical theme component (i.e. a repeat of a musical section from a previous segment of the album) that runs through the slower mid-section (i.e. the part right after Billy sings the “Siamese Twins” line…). Just another really complete effort, featuring an awesome display of musicianship! 9. “Mayonaise” – 7-stars out of 7… So when I mentioned earlier that “other” song of the “not-quite-as-popular” ilk that I had been hooked on early in my original listening’s of this album – well this is the song that I was referring to. When we were at the beach, if someone held a gun to my head and said, what is the best song on the album – I would have said “Mayonaise”, and it wouldn’t have been close! Now that says a lot because of just how good it think the more popular songs are, but for me – this is it, and it will always be my favorite – as well as the defining song of the album for me! The fact that it was able to work its way onto my musical psyche despite work, grad school, and 3 young children says an awful lot… Pure perfection as far as I am concerned… 10. “Spaceboy” – 4-stars out of 7… No real strong feelings here either way, as it is not bad – but it just doesn’t really measure up to the run of songs that leads up to it – but how could it… That string had to end at some point… 11. “Silverfuck” – 3-stars out of 7… Okay – this is probably where I may differ from several of you, but I really don’t like this one… Sure there are snippets here and there that I’m okay with, but as a whole, it just comes across as bloated, excessive, NOT all-that-original, and fairly simplistic as compared to the rest of the album. The energy is fine, and the musicianship is always top notch, but even after repeated listening’s, I found myself actually saying “…Dear God – this is almost 9 minutes of my life that I’m not going to get back…”. This is the song that I’m really looking for answers to – so if anyone can help me understand what I am missing here, please share… 12. “Sweet Sweet” Nice acoustical bridge that re-calibrates the listener, and sets up the closing song of the disc. Nothing exceptional, but does lead quite well into the “Luna”… 13. “Luna” – 4-stars out of 7… Not sure why, but every time that I listen to this one, it feels like I have completed the journey, and it feels like I have returned to the other side of the starting point if that makes any sense. The perfect song to close out the album… Was a bit worried when I started this exercise because I began it during the week that I got the flu – and there are just some types of music that are not meant to be listened to while congested, nauseated, and headache infested… I listened to segments (4 songs at a time) during that sickly early part of my endeavor, but after I got well, I was back on track. As for final thoughts, I don’t think that I have listened thoroughly enough to all of the other Smashing Pumpkins albums to really be able to speak to whether this is their best effort or not. I will say however, that this one sets a standard (especially as just their 2nd album) that would be hard for ANY of the post “Siamese Dream” efforts to live up to. It is an incredible album, and everyone needs to have this in their collection, and enjoy as a whole – as this is one of those albums that is greater than the individual sum of its parts, and is an absolute masterpiece…

why tf is it so long holy shit

Want to hear another example of the power that Butch Vig has in music? Never knew he co-produced this album with Billy until today. But suddenly it all makes sense now. The Smashing Pumpkins are a band that unfortunately feel like they used up every interesting idea they had in the first 8 years of their 30+ year long career. Of course they couldn’t have known how far they would get, but in hindsight it’s clear they haven’t been running on the same fuel they had in the 90s for a long time. And I’ll get the chance to talk about the real cause of that eventually, hopefully sooner than later. Although, I also wasn’t aware of how much of that fuel for this album in particular was not good. It’s unfortunate how riddled this album’s creation was with personal and artistic roadblocks. From a work schedule that pushed Billy, Butch, and the rest of the band to their limits and even caused Billy to have a nervous breakdown, to Billy’s excessive control over every aspect of the recording process. In which he would undo much of the work that his fellow guitarists were creating and just simply do it himself. He forced Chamberlin to play Cherub Rock until his hands bled once. And all of this was so that they could get as perfect and close to the sound they wanted for the record. And what you hear now is that. A labor of intensive work and love that resulted in one of the best produced and written alternative albums of the 90s. Say what you will about Corgan and his voice or personality, but they struck gold with this record. On many songs, such as Today and Mayonaise, there is brief respite before these thundering riffs of shoegaze-esque guitar comes in, completely fuzzed to shit. I don’t know how they managed to find a balance between intensity and warmth so perfectly, but it paid off. Speaking of Mayonaise, I’ve always loved the way pure distortion peaks through the main riff in short bursts on the chorus. What you hear on this is also some of the finest drumming of any 90s band. Jimmy really is underrated as hell, and the way he writes such unique and iconic drum parts is amazing. If you don’t believe this album’s sound was brought about in some way by the rising popularity of shoegaze at the time, especially with the release of Loveless not even two years prior, this was mixed by Alan Moulder, the same man who mixed that previously mentioned album. I’m still not sure whether I like this, or their following record more, but I do know that this one is an incredibly solid piece of work. Rating: 8/10

Such a nice album, always a great listen.

Great classic alternative album

A brilliant grunge album, well produced and delivered.

I'm neither a teen or angsty, so it doesn't appeal to me that much but I see why people enjoy it. 3*

Throwback to my youth. I had forgotten how much I love this album.

Another one that bounced off me at the time, probably due to silly band name syndrome (I was reading Smashing in the UK sense of the word). I was expecting a scrappy grunge album but actually got a well produced post rock thing instead, even featuring (gasp!) string arrangements on some tracks. I mostly enjoyed it, but I think I probably would have loved it if it was shorter and scrappier.

Pretty good album, perhaps their better, the music is strong, but I still don't know if I like or despite Corgan's voice.

Favourite tracks: cherub rock; quiet; today; hummer; rocket; soma; geek USA; mayonnaise; Luna; disarm

I wish I liked this. Musically it's great but not a fan of Billy Corgans voice. Can absolutely see why people like them and I can hear other artists have been influenced since this album but I think I missed the boat with the pumpkins. 2/5

Very good 👍 feels like an album that will get better with more listens.

Meh. I don’t understand what the big deal is about the Smashing Pumpkins. They’re not bad, I just don’t know why the big hub-bub.

One of best albums of the '90s, nay of all time.

Cherub Rock Today Hummer Disarm Soma Geek U.S.A. Soaceboy Silverfuck Boy does this put me in a great mood. I loved this album through and through. The sound produced by this band is killer. Justin and enjoyable album to chill or work to.

great

tomorrow's much too long...

Parempi kun muistin! Hyvää ysärii! 4/5

Tää oli teinimpänä tosi siisti, mutta vähän käy raskaaksi ja paikoin siirappiseksi nykyään. On tossa silti vielä ihan toimivia biisejä. 3/5

Eäh eipä vieläkään kovin paljon kiinnosta tämä bändi. liian poppista. 2/5

very coherent album, to the point of being a little same-y. they get some cool sounds, particularly that panicked guitar tone. it's really in my style but I end up wishing it had a little more bite. I like a lot of the writing too but its ultimately a little hard to stay invested throughout the album. its like 2.5 straight-down-the-middle star

OK, not one of my favorite bands. A couple of good songs.

I already knew a few songs from this album. It's a pretty good listen. I enjoyed it, even the songs I didn't already know. I want to go back and give it another listen.

Un disco excelente, el mejor de uno de los grupos fundamentales de los 90. Mezcla psicodelia, rock, pop, heavy, shoegaze, progresivo, cuerdas que embellecen composiciones deprimentes... todo encaja y suena de maravilla. Los años no le han hecho mella. 1993 fue el año de otros discos, pero este fue de los mejores y más exitosos: debuts de PJ Harvey, Bjork, Suede y Radiohead, el último gran disco de U2, discos muy buenos de Nirvana, Pearl Jam, New Order, Aerosmith, The Breeders, The Afghan Whigs, Morphine, Liz Phair, Cypress Hill, The Posies, Teenage Fanclub, The Waterboys, Yo la Tengo, Mazzy Star, The Boo Radleys, Mercury Rev, The Auteurs o DM3. Disarm, Tonight, Rocket, Hummer, Soma, Luna, Mayonaise... siguen sonando tan grandiosas como entonces. Es un paso de gigante desde su debut, pocos meses antes que Nevermind, y un par de años antes que su continuación con el ambicioso y excelso Mellon Collie... aunque también un tanto excesivo si lo comparamos con Siamese dream. Aquí apuntaban muy alto y la línea era claramente ascendente. Con Mellon Collie se agotaba la virtud de hacer discos geniales y con Adore el talento se secó salvo en fugaces pasajes de su ristra de megalomanas publicaciones

Helaas -1 ster voor de stem

Listening to this album made me remember why I disliked The Smashing Pumpkins back in the day. The devil's in the details, like how some tracks drag on to the point where they get repetitive, or how the vocalist's voice sometime isn't mixed well and is too quiet compared to the instrumentation. Some of the slower tracks have the potential to be epic, but are dragged down by the vocalist who's got an unpleasant, 'whiny' quality to his voice. I will say though that a couple of songs like Mayonnaise, Soma, Cherub Rock, Disarm and Hummer are worth a re-listen, even if I really dislike the vocals on this album.

After hearing so many bad attempts at rock, this felt like a breath of fresh air

Smiling politely, enjoying this album

The opening riff from Cherub Rock- chefs kiss

Dull

good

Just a great album and one that holds up really well 30 years later.

cherub rock mega wall of soind und no geil findi. quiet het e rieeeese solo hobbla, cool. today macht de relativ ruhige gsang mit hässiger gitarre move, cool. de fuzz bass isch super. und d strophe sind super cute. hummer sehr cooli chords mega tension. disarm isch sehr whiny gsi aber no guet als ballade. oke soma isch glaub die richtig ballade. sehr melancholisch ihm isch all by himself. aber s funktioniert findi. mayonnaise isch huuere schön im intro, mit de hert gitarre immerno cool. spaceboy isch au huere schön, wenn au nüt ultra soeziells oder so.

nimmtmi sehr wunder, han nonie öppis vo ihne würkli glost cherub rock mega ami iwie hahahah d snare isch ultraaa crisp today mega grunge I BI SOO MÜED disarm no cute I guess oke nei hans eig würkli na gern somaa bangeeer, weird und trz catchy MAYONNAISE MIT SENF cools intro aber s riff findi denn echli lacking hey ich glaub er liebt die person, binmer aber nöd sicher ja eig fun album aber au für mich nüt megamegaa spannends

I never listened to much Smashing Pumpkins, other than what was on the radio. That said, most of these songs are recognizable. Enjoyable sound. Heavy guitars, but not pounding in your ears. Definitely a niche band though. Low 4

An old favourite - absolutely loved this as a younger man. Still holds up, but I can see how it might be a bit repetitive

Like this!

Not sure what to say about this except that it’s amazing. Was a gift from my then gf now wife to me for my 23rd birthday back then so brings back a lot of great memories.. but that not why it’s amazing. SP album's after this can’t compare, this was their peak imo

One of my favorites from the 90s

Cherub Rock, Today, Soma

Just a bit dull, innit. Favourite track: Soma.

One of my all time favourites!!!

A banda tem um estilo muito característico que talvez não agrade todo mundo e talvez nem eu gostaria se conhecesse eles agora. Mas esse álbum é muito nostálgico pra mim. Acho muito gostoso de se ouvir. Fave: disarm

Like it. Brings back memories of junior high.

Very cool. So good. Five stars.

Great album!

Funny how I don't love Billy Corgan's voice yet still find this to be both one of the best bands ever, and this album just great. It could have to do with how I like "whole" bands, and not just individual singers first. Not that I don't love singer/ songwriters and all that, but I appreciate that the background musicians have a name, and in the Pumpkin's case, they matter by contribution and are part of a whole that is wonderful.

Today is the greatest day I’ve ever known. I loved this album actually. Great moody vibes. While Cortana vocals seem to be a point of contention between reviewers, I find them to add to the overall vibe and draw you into each song. So I like this album. Today is my standout.

Cleanly produced, lots of highlights with a couple songs that feel a bit like filler. Solid album

The Smashing Pumpkins reminded me this week that no matter how old I am, 90s alternative will always be my favourite. I didn’t give this band the attention they deserved in the moment. For the me guitar stands out. At times very shoegazy which is want held me back for years, but when Billy cracks up the tone, I love it. Cherub Rock needs more of that. Also sneaky good at the softer songs, Disarm has always and will always be one of my favourites of all time. 8.5/10

This is miles better than Nevermind, but nobody tell Billy Corgan because we need his angst for sustenance.