Reviews (page 2 of 14)
not my stuff
Early Pumpkins, you can see where they're going and what they would become, but honestly just didn't hold me for the entire run. Never been a huge Pumpkins fan to be fair.
Nope. It's the vocals more than anything, as I tend to like the guitar sound, but the tracks are all over the place and I cannot find a way in that I like. Not for me.
Billy’s vocals are a big wet blanket for me, otherwise music is OK. I need to find someone that does decent cover of the pumpkins to see if I like them better with a different vocalist.
The Smashing Midkins???? They're calling it the 'Headache Giver', because it gives you a headache listening to it I hate the fuzzy ass guitar, it's like listening to rock with a gas leak in my apartment Gen X can keep this one, cause I don't want it I wanna try and give some real feedback here. This genre and sound from the 90's is generally something that I have never enjoyed. I find the guitar distortion to be absolutely grating, especially over an hour long experience. This paired with the soft vocals made each track bleed into one another; making it miserable to listen to when I already was not enjoying the sound. Something about the vocals feel like a tease with no pay off. I can see the vision on certain songs like Cherub Rock, Mayonnaise, or Silverfuck. The musicians involved are clearly talented but the experience was not designed for me. I don't know how other to describe the sound than as the same feeling I'd have smoking 3 cigarettes in a row or going through withdrawal. To give it a second go, I had the album on thinking of my more critical review; I had to turn it off because I found myself getting frustrated again. idk kill me w/ hammers, I did not like it. EDIT: Imma bump it up to a 2. I can't, in good faith, keep a 1 after the past 2 days. I do have this one, Ready to Die and, Heroes to Zeros on my radar for a relisten in the next year.
Kind of boring to me. Nothing I didnt hear before and while I probably would've appreciated it for what it was back when it released, it doesn't really do anything for me today.
Probably the better album from the Pumpkins... but I still think they're very overrated, despite the rave reviews others seem to wax lyrical about them.
It was very… ok? It honestly felt pretty dull, like a sepia-tone version of emo-punk like Taking Back Sunday. There were a couple stand-outs like Cherub Rock and Disarm, but I found the droning guitar and drowned-out vocals to be offputting.
Best Song: Cherub Rock. This is the band at their most Smashing. A grungy, gritty groove that does a great job of kicking off the album. Worst Song: This is the band at their most Pumpkins. Corgan just absolutely squeezing out how he "used to be a little boy," sounding like he's trying to sing while someone fits him for a corset that's two sizes too small. Add that to the layered vocals when he sings against/with himself and it's all just too much. Overall: This album, like the other Smashing Pumpkins albums I've listened to, is bloated, self-indulgent, and rooted around a central sound whose appeal I just don't understand. There are better, realer, rawer grunge records out there. Your time is much better spent listening to any of them.
The odd nice song is not enough to lift the rest of this album enough for me.
It was ok, I found it a bit bland with nothing much to recommend it apart from the ones that I remember from back in the day, that were bangers when they came out (Today and Disarm).
Self-indulgent.
Here we are. First Smashing Pumpkins album. I think I've listened to one of the songs from Mellon Collie through autoplay before. I could be wrong, but I remember this band having a soft, understated sound with delicate instrumentation. Something typically within my sphere of interest as a sensitive young man. That being said, I also thought their general sound erred too heavily on the dull and flat side of soft, delicate music. I've never thought to seek out more of their music as a result. The name of this album doesn't ring a bell, but I'm pretty sure I've seen this album cover around before. I could be misremembering, however. A lot of 90s rock albums have photos of children on their album covers for whatever reason. Guess I've nothing more to do than get into this one. Huh. A bit of an intersection between grunge and alt-rock with this one. Guess that explains why I thought these guys were dull-sounding. I'm not a grunger and I never will be. I'll never understand the appeal of a genre which is avowedly apathetic in an entertainment medium that is reliant on getting you to feel emotions. I liked when this album leaned into it's alt-rock roots - particularly in the guitar department. Some of the reverberating effects also make for a good atmosphere, though that's where my praises for this album end. The signature grunge style is just awful. It's the auditory equivalent of muddy ice water to me - unappealing and useless in every regard. The vocals aren't winners, either. They range between being uninteresting to downright aggravating. I really didn't like the many moments of vocal strain on these tracks. All of this isn't even touching on the runtime on this puppy. An hour is just way too fucking long for music of this calibur - it all blends together into an unappealing mush. Book time. Highly ambitious. Performed almost entirely by the frontman. Blends the sound of many different influences. Wikipedia says that this album has a complicated recording history, charted very well and has received enduring critical acclaim. Yeah, I guess this earns it's spot. Through you go, lil buddy. I cosign this inclusion
Cherub Rock - 5 Solid guitar to open. I’m nervous that I really won’t like this song and album as a whole. Straight up rock like this really isn’t my vibe. I like the comparisons and complications they are writing about working in the music industry. It has a very sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek essence. Quiet - 4 His voice like unsettles me a little. I don’t like how this song never seems to fall into a pocket of rhythm outside of a constant guitar in the back. Solid guitar solo here. Very stereotypical for 90s/early 2000s rock songs. I like how theres a power shift from the beginning being from a presumed parental figure but by the end of the song he’s kind of taking that power back. Today - 2 Ohhh awesome a suicide song. Yea I fear I am just not relating to these songs on any sort of level. Screamy, emo, just straight up rock is kind of not for me. Hummer - 5 This guy seems soooo pretencious to me. But weirdly enough this is prob my favorite of the 3 I’ve heard so far. I like how the end slows down. I do often kind of like a religious commentary song, which this is so I like that aspect of it too. Rocket - 4.5 “I’ll miss everything I’ll never be” is a bar. Another religious commentary? This one is okay. Very interesting direction and resolve with the guitar at the end. Disarm - 6 This one is popularrr. I have been disarmed with this acoustic guitar. Anddd now a child abuse song? Fun. This is the most diverse in terms of instrumentals with the bells and strings?? I’m glad that he’s seemingly not falling for the abuse his parents did to him though and the real “gotcha” for his parents being horrible to him, is him being happy and living despite it all. I actually was really touched about how emotional and dynamic that song was. Idk if I’ll have that on repeat by any means, but that was technically my favorite so far. Soma - 2 A relationship song written through drug-use song now. Awesome. I just am not hard enough to take shit like this seriously lol. I just imagine an emo man going crazyyyy singing along to this and I cannot. DNF’d this - did not enjoy and it was TOO LONG. Geek USA - 5.5 Guitar kind of goes crazy in the intro. And the guitar continues to go crazy through the chorus. I also like the message that you just kind of need to accept yourself and you’ll find your group and your place. Crazy vibe switch like 2 minutes in. Title name drop!! I think the guitar is undoubtably the best part of this song. Mayonaise - 4 This one is popularrr too. I wonder if I’ve heard it before and didn’t know. Man people really rideeee for this band and I really find them pretencious asf. He was comparing himself to Picasso for god sake. I can kind of appreciate the artistry here but the reviews of this song calling is genius just seem a touch exaggerated to me. I’m just really not invested here. It’s a fine song. Spaceboy - 1 (this point is awarded to Corgen’s brother, I’m sure he went through a lot with this dude for family) Broooooooooo this dude is kind of irritating me now. The SP frontman is comparing his life to his brother (who is pretty significantly disabled) because they are “both freaks of nature and freaks of society” and this song is written with his brother as the inspiration. Whateverrrr dude I don’t feel bad that you’re weird and were probably treated differently because of it. Silverfuck - 3 Now this title has me intrigued. Yeaaaa I’m bored. Veryyy heavy metal vibe. Sweet Sweet - 3? Wow very short. This was fine? Idk seems very forgettable. Luna - 4 This one is also fine. Sweeter than the other songs on the album. Wow yea so this band is not for me hahah. I’m sure this goes crazy if alternative rock is your thing though. I liked some of the guitar parts and I think this drummer needs more credit for his work tbh. I just am not invested in Billy Corgan as a person at all and his voice unsettles me, sue me. I listened to the album in it’s entirety though and am very thankful I never have to go see them live, cause that sounds like my nightmare.
i don’t hate how the album sounds but i couldn’t bring myself to care about a single song
Blech!
Nope!!
Dreary. The early 90’s had great music - this was not an example of that trend.
Yecccchhhh 🤢
i hated this i hate the nineties goodbye
Couldn't make it through. I found his voice unbearable. the instrumentation wasn't horrible, and I see how People would enjoy it. But not for me in the slightest.
Flippin rips, man. One day I'll buy it.
Yasssssssss
So many hits. Really enjoyed actually
I absolutely love this album, I don't think anyone loves it as much as Billy Corgan does though.5 stars a classic.
Great 90s classic. A few tracks are a bit less polished, but it hits where it should
One that I used to own. Includes my favourite song Disarm. Really enjoyed this trip down memory lane.
Love this album. First song opener cherub rock is amazing. Heard it so many times but it’s so good
Actually perfect. really scratched my 90s grunge/alternative itch I've had recently. Today was my fav song and first listen of the album. My other highlights were Soma and Mayonaise
Review - stone cold classic. Elaborate, psychedelic without being boring and wanky, heavy, melodic. No one sings anything like Billy Corgan but his voice just works for their music. This is the only Smashing Pumpkins album I come back to on a regular basis from start to finish, it's a flawless piece of art. A shame Billy Corgan is a bit weird about UFOs and stuff but as far as sudden turns from '90s musicians go it's not so bad. Score - 10/10 Need to listen? YES
punkin
I mean it’s an absolute banger, and that’s all I’ve got to say
My favourite album of all time.
Want to address a couple of things: 1. To the people who can’t stand Corgan’s voice I get it, it’s an acquired taste. But consider for a moment other alt rock singers of the 90s. Cornell, Cobain, Rossdale, Vedder, etc. could you imagine any of these guys singing the songs on Siamese Dream? No, because these are Billy’s songs, and his voice is the one they’re supposed to be heard from. 2. The recording process This is a fantastic story and also very Corgan. It is true that he wrote and performed all of the instrumental parts on SD except the drums and cello. It wasn’t because he didn’t like James and Darcy or that he didn’t trust them to get it right, it was that he had such an artistic vision for the album that it’s nearly a solo project between him and Butch Vig. The famous layering (of allegedly up to 100 guitars on soma) and creation of the wall of sound was a Butch creation, and in interviews he describes the vision and cohesiveness that Billy came in with being very strong and fleshed out, with Butch adding in his signature wall of sound and other production magic to create an insanely polished album. This was not the norm of the day. Alternative rock was in its infancy, but your Nirvanas and Pearl Jams who were leading the way eschewed the success and “commercial” polish in favor of rougher, rawer lofi-esque garage rock. That unpolished, unrefined sound was more “credible” in the rock scene at the time, rather than selling out and sounding all glossy and put together. Letting the ends hang out was part of the appeal in the grunge era. Corgan and the Pumpkins chose a different path- following more in the vein of the Pixies with a harder edge and a killer loud/soft dynamic than your Velvet Underground type of alternative the grunge guys were doing. And it worked. The album sold like hotcakes and propelled them to stardom. If you enjoy this album, you should listen to their 1993 album release concert from the Metro in Chicago on YouTube. When the loud notes of soma first hit, you can see Billy’s transition to being a rock star for the first time. It’s an electric moment when everything is clicking, and the Pumpkins have finally arrived. Easiest 5 stars of my life. An important album, and one of my top 3 all time that never sounds old, and I never get tired of. The back end does get a bit soft and mushy, but I haven’t heard those songs in a while- listening to the entire thing as a singular product really affirmed my love for the album all over again. The album that launched a million big muff pedals. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Too 10 album from the 90s.
Amazing Amazing Amazing!!!!! Love this album.
All time great album. Would be any other bands best album, but SP also did Mellon Collie
This album absolutely rocks, start to finish. I was familiar with a few tracks that I really like but I was unaware that the rest of the album is just as good. An insane tracklist with so many bangers. The drums and guitar just sound so fantastic - Billy's voice is undoubtedly a little bit marmite but I am fully on board with it and it conveys so much emotion. Favourites: All of it
This is a tremendously impactful album in my musical journey. When I started listening to rock radio in the 90s, Mellon Collie hadn't come out yet, and to my Foo Fighters and Chili Peppers were all the rage, but artistically the Pumpkins stood out much higher and I became hooked with their music. I even remember that Rocket was one of the first MP3s I downloaded on Napster (after Weezer's El Scorcho of course), took like 3hrs to do so. Doesn't matter how many times i've listened to Today, Disarm and Mayonaise, they're incredible songs and not really the best of the album... well... maybe Mayonaise is. My favorites were always Cherub Rock and Rocket, but later I gravitated and stayed with Hummer. The youthfull curiosity of the lyrics, the metal influences, the sound of the drums, the fuzz of the guitar and how the bass blends into everything seamlessly. I've named about half of the songs, then there's Quiet, Soma and Luna, an amazing closer. I hadn't revisited the whole album in a long long time and in retrospect, it's as good as Mellon Collie.
Fantastic. One of the best albums of the ‘90’s.
some great freaking tunes on this guy
A perfect album, they’ve got such a unique approach to rock. Even down to the way their guitars sound, it’s all satisfyingly melancholy, with some incredible amped up songs too that gave me energy
Awesome
Beautifully captures the feeling of early 90s american youth. Much like Rush’s Signals in did in 83. I shall be freeeeeeeeeeeeee
This album is great. Billy Corgan needs more cresit
Smashing Pumpkins is my favorite band....this album is just so good. I listened two it three times while I picked up trash.
excellent
Fav one by smashing pumpkins
Great rock music and Luna was my personal favourite
Topppppp!!!!!!!!!!!! Thats my!!!!
Rating: 10/10 Masterpiece. Maybe the greatest example of pure concentrated 90's Alternative Rock (along with Radiohead). Loved this whole album when I was in high school, still love it in full now, funny how it's mostly just 90's alt rock albums that applies to, probably because it was some of my only decent taste back then. So many fantastic songs, even the weaker run of Spaceboy-Silverfuck-Sweet Sweet I love all of. Has at least three alt rock classics. The best part is the guitar tone and sound that's achieved, the songs are accessible but also densely layered and fuzzzzy like makes you go hell yeah guitar pedals rule. Total sucker for this shoegaze-adjacent sound. I don't understand the Billy Corgan vocal hate I think it's a straight up good element of 90's Smashing Pumpkins. All around love it, it's not my absolute favorite entry of this genre but it's up there.
BangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBangerBanger Gish and Siamese Dream are quintesencial Pumpkins albums. Mellon Collie is bloated nonsense. Siamese Dream rips from the jump. Cherub Rock and Geek USA are brilliant. Hummer, Silverfuck, Rocket, Mayonaise - stellar. BIG MUFF!
30 years later, still sounds incredible. Not the largest grunge fan – maybe this is the best of what grunge could be. Melodic, haunting and just not a weak second.
4.5/5
Much like Samson in the bible, Billy Corgan was better when he had hair. Here Billy's excursions into goth metal are kept at bay and you get a dreamy alt-rock classic. The fuzz tones are incredible and the solos soar. But also, Billy's songwriting was at it's peak. "Cherub Rock", "Today", "Disarm", "Mayonaise" are all incredible, and the deeper cuts are really good too. 5 stars.
When to listen: a hazy almost fall day in the cornfields. Really enjoyed the range of this album. Good listen.
Génial, incroyable perf vocale de Billy Corgan, très influent, un modèle pour le son de l’époque
I normally hit the mayo space boy and silverfick trio only 😂
One of my all time faves. Hands down.
Banger after banger, wow. I barely know the band and the subject they tackle, but whatever, this was great.
I love this album, but I think the score is more “vibe” based and nostalgia…until another truly great song comes on.
Just try to un-hear the Cheap Trick influence.
There's a few songs on here that I'm familiar with, and I've always liked the sound of them. I think I like the Smashing Pumpkins more than some of the other grunge and grunge-adjacent bands of the 90's. The smoky guitars and sunburned vocals are just a cool sound. Favorite track: probably "Today"
Unbelievable. The guitar sound so crisp, Billy's voice and lyrics so raw, Jimmy's drums as thundering as anything you'll hear on a record. And the balance between softer songs and heavy ones is perfect. I love it
I'm a bit behind on reviews and feel like I don't have the words for this masterpiece. I'm of the right age and background that for me 90s alt-rock was centered on the Pumpkins, not Nirvana. And for all my love of other genres, I was born in 1984 and 90s music is home. I'll never not love this, never get sick of it. Maybe I'll have something more profound to say when Mellon Collie comes around.
Keep Melancholy, this is the Pumpkins best album, and I honestly don't even think it's that close. Tons of hits, an interesting twist on grunge - if the Pumpkins were a Venn diagram, they'd be in the grunge, shoegaze, and emo circles. Great stuff.
My son warned me he wrote a book on this album. I had to make sure his mother saw it and in the process violated my self imposed rule of not reading his reviews until I was complete with mine. Well, I'm happy I did because it made my love and appreciation of this band even greater. I am happy Mindy and I were able to give our kids a very wide range of listening options and how we get to hear our favorite music being played by our kids through the years. And absolutely tickled some of "our" music has bevome some of their favorite music. Just makes this album, all music really, that much more an enjoyable experience. Back to this album. This was getting a 5 regardless of my son's review. This was peak Pumpkins, imo and definitely my personal favorite by these guys. One the things that make Pumpkins special is the combination of lyric writing with some really kick ass music. While your enjoying the tunes, you need to hear the message to the songs. Which brings me to my favorite Pumpkins song Mayonaise. Every time I listen, pretty sure I get goosebumps as I close my eyes and the let the song take me over. Cherub Rock always make me think of sitting in a Chicago bar at 3am watching, well I'll call him "Paul", bounce his head off the bar as he briefly passed out mid drink. Bartender takes his drink, looks at me and says, Your buddies done. You can have 1 more. I passed and got him home safely. This is another album that greats start to finish, but I have also always had special affection for the last song Luna. Just find it a beautiful, soul touching song. And now, after seeing my son's review and listening to the lyrics, even more special. There's lines in there along the lines of "what moon songs do your sing your babies." We played music and sang for our kids their entire lives while at home. Now when they return, they return the favor and play and sing their favorite songs for their mom and dad. Now, it just can't get any better than that, right? One last story, my wife and I took our son and a friend to see the Pumpkins in Detroit several years ago. I kept insisting it's been 30 years and he won't sound like the disc or play all of the music that made this band great. Well, they played a significant number of their best tunes and Billy sounded great. Most this review went sentimental, but hell, I was never that good at the words anyways. I'll leave that to Luke. This is a great album and the just more meaningful to this listener. 5
Alto disco aguante smashing pumpkins, corta la bocha. Sape sape
All time classic
FIYAA
One of my top favs
easily five stars, a true masterpiece
This has been one of my favourite albums since about 2019.
From the first song, deeply satisfying music. Grunge at its best.
Friday, 15 May, 2026 Pistons win game 6! This album, which has been the soundtrack to many of my drives up north, is in the pantheon of great rock albums. The opener, “Cherub Rock”, will knock your socks off, and Billy Corgan doesn’t let up.
*1993. *As one of the few people who loves Billy nearly as much as Billy loves Billy, I've been eagerly awaiting this album. *I just love it so much. Masterclass on playing with volume in almost every track. Mayonaise is a fave, Cherub Rock, Disarm, Today, and Rocket are classics. But all the tracks in between are an adventure as well. *So much delightful early 90s alternative goodness. RATING - 9.5/10
Grungy, emotional, and very in depth album, you can really feel the band through the written lyrics but also through the instruments. Every song felt unique in a way that had a different feeling but still fit the overall emotion the album exerts. 9/10, Favorite Song: Disarm
One of my favourite albums back in high school, although I wasn't even born in the 90s. Love the melody, distorted guitar, Billy Corgan's vocal, the drums, lyrics, everything. The emotions are raw, sometimes in an intense way, and others more melancholic and vulnerable. No more needs to be said. It's just superb. p.s. didn't get the smashing pumpkins 2026 uk tour tickets... :/
What a great album. Sure Billy Corgan is an asshole and might be difficult to deal with but, in my humble opinion, is one of the greatest song writers of this generation. This was such a great album and listening to it again and again and again does not change it. 5 fully deserved stars.
Truly one of the best 90s albums. Beautiful guitar riffs, variety in sounds, memorable lyrics. Incredible album. Unless I can’t be objective because I listened to it on repeat in the 9th grade.
If you watch any YouTube video on a Big Muff pedal you have a 100% chance of hearing the Cherub Rock riff. I can't tell you how many times I've listened to this playing Madden '93, Road Rash or Toejam and Earl on Sega. Easily in the top 10 alt rock albums from the 90's. Everything about this album is fantastic, but the drumming is absolutely next level. Jimmy Chamberlin really elevates these songs.
GENERATOR THINKS I DONT KNOW SIAMESE DREAM BY THE SMASHING PUMPKINS 🤣🤣 In all seriousness, genuinely one of my favourite albums ever. I first listened to this in high school. I remember I saw a clip of the music video for "Today." I was hooked. I still remember the walk I took when I listened to it for the first time. It's a true staple of 90s music, a good middle ground for what alternative rock was and how grunge would die.
Really good. Very happy to find out about this band through this. So far everything I’ve heard has been amazing.
(2.75)
Great Old skool rap.
This rocks and barrett and nick are stupid. Pure gold angsty 90s rock with a dash of the new fangled shoegaze for sublime emotional catharsis.
As guitarras são, com toda certeza, a maior qualidade do álbum e somando isso às letras o disco se torna uma verdadeira obra de arte.
Great album. I honestly forgot about how great Disarm is. oof. Five stars isn't enough.
My favorite Smashing Pumpkins album. I love playing Today, Disarm on my guitar. Also, it was a truly magical moment singing Mayonnaise together with Billy during the concert 🫶 Luna and Soma are kinda spellbinding songs. Cherub Rock, Hummer, Rocket, Silverfuck - also super good
What an incredible album. I am really into alt rock and this was the first full album I ever heard from The Smashing Pumpkins
I once told a colleague I was going to see My Bloody Valentine live. he wanted to know what they sounded like and started playing “Sometimes” — a minute in he said “they sound like Smashing Pumpkins.” he didn’t seem to believe me when I said it’s the other way around. brilliantly executed vision on this album. without Jimmy Chamberlin’s contribution, it wouldn’t have as much impact. also thx u big muff and Corgan + Vig for the sound. so many highs here. one of the best intros to a rock album in the 90s. the mix of sweetness and explosiveness. the guitars all over the damn thing. unpopular opinion but I could do without “Disarm” — would have fit better on Mellon Collie.
Classic album. Smashing Pumpkins absolutely nailed the slightly spacey sound and manage to combine heaviness and melody as well as anyone. 'Soma' is my favourite track but they're all good
This album is one of my favourites from the 90s -there is something about the guitar mixed with Corgan’s voice that just strikes the perfect balance.
After hearing the first couple of singles I knew this was a pretty damn good band. The video for 'Rocket' came on MTV (way back when they played music videos and it wasn't all the same genre and at the 2:11 mark there was this chord progression that screamed metal, shoegaze, pop you name it. I was hooked. As soon as the video was over I drove down to my local record store and bought the CD. What I found out after the first listen is that FOR ME there isn't a single skipper, in fact the non singles are in my opinion superior. If I was only allowed to pick 10 albums to listen to for the rest of my life this makes that list.
This is one my favorites & probably one the greatest album of the 90s. Absolutely love this one.
I don't care if Billy Corgan sounds like a young seagull getting run over by a smart car; He makes my heart skip a beat
Realistically like an 8/10 but I gotta inflate my scores because of how ass the rest of this list is
Billy can be a self-serving Dick, but Man he could turn out some tunes in the 90s
In a vacuum this record is expertly crafted, well sequenced, and near-perfectly performed. Just drop the needle or press play and it's ready to take off. You don't need any background to enjoy it if your music preferences come from any one of the rock traditions. With a little more context, this is one of the best examples of 90s alternative radio and MTV 120 Minutes broadcasts. The Smashing Pumpkins were culturally close enough to the so-called grunge scene to discern its workings and Billy Corgan was smart enough to incorporate and re-work elements of it into the band's broad sonic palette alongside spacier influences from the UK. It's heavy, but not too heavy, it has dreamy moments but not too many, it has an emotional core, but never goes too deep as to get lost in itself entirely. The album is a step up from Gish and the work they put in is evident. If the first three tracks don't grab you then you might as well walk away from the record because not much will change your mind, but you're going to miss out on some brilliant moments (Disarm, Geek USA, Mayonaise, Spaceboy, etc) as well. But maybe you are like me and you have too much context and baggage to be so easy on this record. I didn't buy this record at the time. I was actively opposed to this band and felt I couldn't escape "Today" at the time. I was too strident a post-hardcore punk into his noise rock fantasies to put money down for something so radio-friendly. It was obvious that The Smashing Pumpkins had sold out to break big. They shed some qualities of Gish that had helped them slot into a record collection that was expanding but still not welcoming of mainstream music. And you couldn't escape knowing how much of an ass Corgan was at the time so...you know, if you really cared about all the wrong things in your scene it was hard to accept this record. With time and some nostalgia creeping in I picked it up maybe 3 years ago and have put it on repeat a number of times. Its status as one of the iconic albums of its era is well-deserved. It doesn't represent me and owning it says something about who I am but nothing important about who I am. We need to separate things from the self. So, yeah, I give it 5 stars today — it's the greatest day I've ever known after all.
Good
This is the rock i want. The guitar in this album alone, amazing. I love the heavy sound they have.
really nice , , loved the rumbly guitar
liebs!!
L'album est incroyable, c'est une folie
Hard to be unbiased because I’ve loved this band for a long time. Great album, no filler just heaps of nostalgia and hard rocking fun.
Great fun, they're a band I've just never gotten round to. I like the big driving sound and the heavy fuzz bass on stuff like "Quiet". The bells in "Disarm" are so cool, maybe my favourite song here and I genuinely think it's just that and the strings I love weird instrumentation. I like "Mayonaise": real big fuzzy thing. I think this album is the first I've never heard before that I'd consider listening to again. 4.5, but we'll be nice and round up.
Cherub Rock is one of the best album openers we've heard yet - sets the tone and builds quickly to an ecstatic fuzz which doesn't really let up throughout the album. The whole thing sounds great - Corgan's nasally, punkish whine cuts through the heaving fuzz and the swaggering guitar leads and other flourishes (bells + horns) lift their sound above the morose fray of contemporary grunge acts.You can knock the back half for being indulgent, but the front half is so live, dynamic and originial that I'd argue they'd earned a little pomp by the time the 8 minute long 'Silverfuck' starts to drag. If Billy Corgan had died young he would be spoken about even more reverently than Kurt Cobain. If Kurt Cobain had lived he and Corgan would be considered equals.
Corgan and Vig are at their best. Sonically, this has got Big Muff Pie all over every track and I cant get enough of it. Its such an intensely fuzzed out overdrive that it really would sound awful im most situations. Here is kind of works over the really airy melodies and both the sweet and whiney vocals that Corgan flips between as well as the really impressive strings/orchestral stuff. Songs I didnt know that were great: * hummer * Rocket
I did not expect to like this quite so much. Really not too many duds. Monster songs like Cherub, Today, Disarm. Then some new ones to me like Hummer, Quiet, Silverfuck. A couple of highlights for me are the guitar solo on Quiet and the outro on Hummer - really pretty. I like this version of Pumpkins - much more college radio rock than their later melodramatic stuff. This just feels a little more emotionally balanced. Kept thinking about the guitar tones across the album - so much variety but not annoying, like perfectly placed. Though now I'm reading alot of that was done through studio layering, and never quite replicated live. Reading that My Bloody Valentine is a big inspiration for this album and Billy overall - going to need to go back to that album this week.
Truly deserving of all its accolades. Absolutely great album start to finish.
Me ha gustado muchísimo, hay varias canciones conocidas pero otras joyitas ocultas también
this album made me feel like a teenager again
I just can't enjoy the monotonous sludge of distorted guitars and Corgan's petulant whine. Is what I would say if I were normal.
Oh fuck yeah! I'm excited for this one. But obviously 5 stars! :D I don't know that I've ever given this album a listen all the way through! Crazy. Hummer was fucking dope! Soma is awesome too. I like these lesser known tracks. Well goes without saying 5 stars.
One of the best albums of the 90's. I was 15 when this dropped and this was the prefect soundtrack for my ansgsty little ass. I still remember listening to Rocket and watching the sun come up after after after an epic night with the boys. There were a hundred other nights like it but this album helps to crystallize that 90's vibe. It was a good time.yo be a kid.
idk w sumie yo moglabym wszytkie piosenki dodac do mojej playlisty
I've listened to this album front to back a million times. Not a single track is out of place, and they're all wonderful.
An old friend that has aged well. Or at least was very good to revisit. This was like being visited by a gothic astral traveler offering a warm fuzzy blanket and being lulled to sleep by abrasive beauty. Yes. I'm aware of how ridiculous that sounds but isn't that kind of the whole point of this record? And coming off the heels of all the 70s/80s guitar heroics and album rock embellishments, too.
Often lumped in with the grunge label, Smashing Pumpkins have more in common with My Bloody Valentine than Pearl Jam. The guitar tone on this so clearly influenced by the shoegaze movement. These are still rock songs though, as emphasised by the ripping guitar solos and the hard drumming style of Jimmy Chamberlain. I wouldn't blame anyone for not liking the band due to Billy Corgan's nasally voice, but I believe his voice further adds to the unique sound the group has. This record has such a sonically diverse palate, and they built upon Pixies' quiet-loud formula that much of the alternative rock scene followed. Fuzzy melodic rockers like 'Today' and 'Cherub Rock' blew the band up and pigeonholed the band alongside other rock bands of the time, even though the Pumpkins were much more interesting and innovative than many of their contemporaries. We get mellotron enhancing an already beautiful acoustic cut on 'Space Boy' and the strings-laden track about childhood trauma on 'Disarm'. 'Mayonaise' might be the most enchanting song ever named after a condiment. Both noisy, euphonious and delicate, this is the Pumpkins at their absolute best.
This album has such a range and I love it. Maybe I like alt rock more than I thought? So many good songs on here that it's hard to pick one. Favorite Songs: Disarm, Quiet, Sweet Sweet
Smashing Pumpkins is 2/2 so far with 5-star albums. Just fantastic rock albums.
I was certainly smiling politely while listening to this one. At their peak, Smashing Pumpkins were capable of a legit musical journey.
Classic
Awesome
This album really feels like an intersection of radio friendly pop and weird alt music. Its most known moments are very grandiose and anthemic, but a lot of the most powerful moments here are very intimate and odd. A lot of this even borders on shoegaze, and it really blends everything it’s trying so well. Truly a landmark of the 90s. Favorites: Cherub Rock, Mayonaise, Luna
amazing album!
yes yes beautiful love love LOVE
Me parece un disco espectacular… muy inicios de sonidos diferentes para esa época.. grunge puro
Core memory album. There probably isn’t a bigger, better album in my canon of defining albums. This one I discovered by myself, for myself. Stranger in a strange land, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I’m thinking back to where I would have bought this, and I can’t place it. I see a dump bin in the front and I can’t quite place the facade or any of the particulars. I can’t even remember a record store in Saskatoon.
wowie what an album obviously. I think while obviously songwriting is excellent on here, some of the best mainstream rock songs of the early 90s are on here, I feel like the production and sounds stand out the most for me, in the sense that nothing of this genre and sound has EVER been this popular, aside from maybe loveless and some odd tiktok shoegaze hits. The big muff guitar tones are incredible and the way that they are used, usually after a long section of clean, quiet stuff always hits you in the face in an incredible satisfying way. Some of these songs are incredibly heavy, but again rewriting the rules, not in the traditional sense in any way. I feel like in a vacuum, Billy Corgan's singing voice is absolutely terrible (ie if you solo his vocal track) but it works so well with the whole instrumental so well. The Jimmy Chamberlain is also a fantastic drummer, and its probably a tough job to compliment the white noise-esque guitar parts well and he certainly does. Favourite songs: cherum rock, quiet, today, hummer, diarm, geek USA, mayonaise, silverfuck, sweet sweet, luna. (mayonaise may be the best 90s song maybe (within reason), I think I maybe prefer it to most if not all nirvana songs.) Overall around 9/10
Brutal, la fuerza de la instrumentalización contrasta efectivamente con la voz del vocalista, de estilo uniforme, un deleite
Was very happy to have this one come up, another album where I've had about half of the songs lurking around playlists for a long time. "Cherub Rock" "Today" and "Disarm" are the standouts, but I also really like "Quiet" "Rocket" "Geek U.S.A" and "Mayonaise"
Oh that ruled. Loved the textures
This is a fucking great record.
Nice album
Absolutely smashed it out of the park. Beautiful and engaging throughout. One of the best on the list so far.
5/5 very good rock album by SP
Album #101 The Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream It’s some sort of irony that my hundredth album was surrounded by two 5-star albums; I guess the special ones come when you least expect them. My 99th album ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’ was the sound of the 90s in the UK; well, this album is the sound of the 90s in America. Sure, Nirvana were bigger and have become the more stereotypical 90s band, but a lot of their influences were pulled from the 80s; they just made the sound mainstream. The Smashing Pumpkins established something new with Siamese Dream, which even Nirvana took elements from, as Billy Corgan would be quick to let you know. This album would rank amongst my top ten for purely guitar work, the absolute emotion and otherworldly noises that Corgan was able to create have never been replicated in my opinion. As far as Pumpkins albums go, this is certainly their most consistent, with Melon Collie potentially having higher highs, but also some bloat; there isn’t a single track here that feels like a waste of time. The lyrics can sometimes feel like nonsense, but each word and turn of phrase still carries weight. Somehow, the line “Life’s a bummer, when you’re a hummer” doesn’t sound completely ridiculous in the context of the album. The guitar licks on ‘Mayonaise’ are up there with ‘How Soon Is Now?’ by The Smiths when it comes to iconic guitar distortions. I think a lot of people find it easy to write this album off due to the overly distorted guitars, Corgan’s voice, and well, Corgan’s personality, but if none of those things bother you too much individually, when they all come together, it forms a certified masterpiece. At the end of the day, even though it seems like Billy Corgan is just a washed-up egotistical dick, he has that ego for a reason, and I can’t blame him for recognizing the brilliance of his work. Best Songs: Disarm, Mayonnaise, Luna Worst Song: None Score Out of 10: 10
Great album.
This is a favorite album of mine. Unlike other albums from this era I've enjoyed listening to it and it's unique sound has held up over time to become a classic.
10/10. Cold play for straight men
Where has this album been all my life. Great stuff
definitely an interesting listen!! not something i usually go for but it exceeded my expectations
90s classic... Holds up
4,5
Epic from start to finish
I hadn’t listened to this album in full before but loved it. I love the lyrics, Soma, Spaceboy and Mayonaise were personal favourites. I feel like I will like this album even more each time I listen to it and I will pick up on things I didn’t notice the first time. This is the type of music I love and my favourite I’ve listened to so far.
Trying not to let nostalgia tint the view of the album, but it’s really solid. Billy’s voice is Billy’s voice, but I really enjoyed listening to this.
I like it
Kinda like how they have all the instrumentals kinda hate that every song has two versions
This album is like a fuzzy blanket and a warm quilt that was made by your grandma. The guitar textures are some of the most luscious tones on any rock album you can find, with hit after hit after hit. As a lover of the Pumpkins, this record is absolutely Smashing and I return to it every day. It's impossible to listen to this objectively, as I've adored this 90's gem for so many years. Gorgeous alt rock that defines my autumns.
I was born just too late for this to be a childhood album for me, but the sound is unmistakable. It's got a controlled strength to it, steel cloaked in velvet. If Cobain's Nirvana was all raw aggression and emotion, this is powerfully smooth, melodic and dreamy. Very strong start with the iconic Cherub Rock. Just enough fuzziness to the guitars and the vocals float over top of it all. Quiet is next, proving they could throw down a heavy riff with the best of them. The solo is appropriately chaotic and the band never really lets up, Corgan's voice straining a bit in the chorus. Today is the perfect follow up, a hard-edged power ballad as good as anything from the 90s canon. It's hard to imagine a much better run to start. Hummer is a bit of an epic in three parts; a dissonant intro, the anthemic middle section, and a quieter final third. Rocket has guitars like buzzsaws, but Disarm feels like a climax, suddenly dominated by acoustic guitar and strings and some of the best vocal lines on the album. I'm left a bit breathless. Breaking like an ocean wave, Soma is calm and contemplative for 3 minutes then a bit riff snaps me out of my reverie. back to guitars that could cut diamonds on Geek U.S.A., but there's a couple of great mid-song tempo changes and some good soloing. We finally settle on a chugging, slow riff that leads into Mayonaise, a measured pace and the now customary wall of sound. Spaceboy is something different - acoustic again and dramatic, with an orchestral backing. It's the last quarter now, and Silverfuck doesn't try to be anthemic but opts for darkness and desolation. The longest track on the album and at times the angriest. Then quiet and eerie, still but deep waters, an abrupt transition to an energetic finish. Dissonance again. Sweet Sweet is a needed interstitial to cleanse the palate and set up Luna, a beautiful closer after the chaos. Absolutely masterful pacing throughout. I don't know if I would change anything.
I am biased, I really like The Smashing Pumpkins. Even though a lot of their songs are kind of similar, but that's the beauty of it to some extent. This is not my favorite album, Adore is my favorite one, but this one is definitely really nice
One of the greatest alternative albums of its time
Hadn’t listened to this whole album before but I really enjoyed it
Classic 90s rock, up there with the Seattle bands for sure.
Can't really be objective about the soundtrack of my high school years, but I do think a lot of these songs really hold up as hard-rocking, grungy, angsty tunes. There are a couple that lack structure or discipline, but it still rewards listening all the way through.
*Top Five Favorite Album* Of all the albums that formed and clarified my tastes and identity in high school, this is the one that has aged with me the most. I was drawn to the guitar tones, the pretentious high school diary lyrics, and the songcraft, but that was true of dozens of records. So why this one? I'd boil it down to this: I can wrap myself in the barrage of soaring, euphoric guitars on Siamese Dream, and the hypnotic solos and breaks. I feel the drums in my gut. When the band goes to 11, it takes me with them. They are a master of dynamics. I feel 40 feet tall when 'Quiet' is playing. The melancholy of 'Mayonaise' has been a port in the storm for 30 years. And there have been so many storms, so the years are grafted onto that song in particular, and the album as a whole. More than most records, my mood affects how I hear the album. It makes for a non-static listening experience. Pressing play is an act of adding another layer of my life on top of the music. There's nothing distant or detached about the listening experience. Each year, my relationship with the music changes and matures. I don't feel nostalgic when I listen to it, unless I'm already feeling nostalgic. Is it a great album? I think objectively it is, but more importantly, it is *my* album. It has my whole heart because it somehow contains it.
Classic, cherub rock opening is one of the all time greats
A foundational record to my musical upbringing. One of my first exposures to alternative rock and especially that of the 90s US alternative scene. A masterpiece in pretty much every regard, even if I rarely go back to it these days. "Silverfuck" is my pick for the Pumpkins' best song and it's not even close. What a monstrous record.
Likes: Massive, perfect guitar tone; drumming and rhythms are next level; angsty lyrics; no bad songs at all, no skips Dislikes: Billy’s vocals are an acquired taste Overall, easily one of my favorite records. It’s Pumpkins at full power and strength, but neither the record nor the songs themselves overstay their welcome. Focused perfection.
This is top, classic, alt rock album. Full of fuzz and melody. Some incredible tracks. Not a big fan of TSP, but this is an undeniable 90s classic.
Great album. Was already a fan of this one so it's easier to come to that conclusion, but it's still true. It's so intentional and well crafted. The mix is gorgeous, the tones are dreamy, and the songs are meaningful. I love the vibe The Smashing Pumpkins put into the aether. Every song on this project jumps out to me as special in some way. It's an incredible achievement. 4.8/5
Um grande clássico do rock alternativo. Disco excelente! Melodias e vocais sensacionais! QoA Adonis New.
This album just sounds good. Has it aged well? I dunno - it hasn't really aged at all. It's still a really solid expression of teenage angst backed by a wall of sound and infused with some pop sensibility. Actually, what really impresses me looking back at this album is how much it borrows from and puts it all together in a cohesive package: we've got that loud soft dynamic, industrial rhythm, electronic music, shoegaze, grunge, swaggering hair metal, it's incredible how it all comes together. Billy Corgan's kind of a dick, but I think the vocals really work here - they kind of blend into the roar of the fuzz. I'm on the fence about a 4 or a 5 here and I think I have to bump it up despite myself because they really put together a great piece of work, even if it's best heard at age 15 because you're the type of kid who got bullied a little bit. Which I suppose I was at one point, but now I'm not. And even if it runs a little long (which it does). There's something about it that feels right as both an album and an artifact, personally and culturally.
Very fun/nostalgic. "Today" is a classic and there were a lot more songs than I thought I knew on this one. Will definitely revisit often.
It’s great. It’s a great album. I like the grungy psychedelic instrumentals and his voice. I think he uses his voice well here. And I like how it seems woven into the other instruments and how everything is layered and flowy. It’s more engaging to listen to how the it runners layer heavily on each other and interact. It makes it more complex, even though it seems to be that the music isn’t actually very complex or difficult. I could be wrong. Maybe it sounds effortless because of the way they play their instruments. The melodies come through. It doesn’t demand all of your attention all the time—it’s easy to listen to all the way through because it steadily and rhythmically comes to your attention while listening. It’s easy to multitask or think or write or talk. Flowy. Easy. Weird. Noisy.
Easy 5/5. Wall to wall bangers. Mayonaise with that cheap guitar whistle noise is so great.
One of my all times
Absolute "grunge" giants. Throughout great songs and an incredible atmosphere.
Great album - some bangers that make it a five for me (Today, Cherub Rock, Disarm, Mayonaise)
I have nothing to add, it's perfect
Группа Hole звучит замечательно!! Люблю! Круглое (как голова Билли Коргана) отлично.
I have to give a 5, I don't give this album enough listens but it's iconic for me
Great record, Smashing Pumpkins greatest one. A perfect balance of Grunge and Shoegaze with a lot of great melodic songs.
Absolutely stunned me tonight. I bought this at the time, enjoyed it, moved on. Now I appreciate it. So epic, layered, so much range. Just glorious.
Vaya batería
de mis discos favoritos
Not a miss on here. Billy Corgan's greatest work. Im so glad I listened ot the 2011 remaster and not whatever the other one is. The Deluxe songs have a stranger mixing, and drag slightly longer. The original is a perfect length, no song misses. My favorite album so far, one of the few "perfect albums" on my list. Put this on a pedestal
Some of the best rock and dreamy rock you could ever listen to
I had liked Gish enough that the release of Siamese Dream was a big deal when it happened, but I didn't anticipate just *how* huge it would be. I basically played this album on a loop for months, only souring after Billy Corgan petulantly cut a show short when I saw them on the first leg of the Siamese Dream tour. The songs were and are still great, though (just as Corgan remains insufferably petulant). I loved all of them, with the lower-key "Mayonaise" being my emo-boy anthem. Nearly all of these songs belong on my Hits playlist. Essential listening.
Graduated high school in '95 - Nirvana and Pearl Jam were great, but this was the defining album of those years, and it was a somewhat rare contemporary album for me that broke through my retro-70s and 80s obsessions of that time (which have carried through). If I'd put out the greatest rock album of the 90s I'd be smug too.
That tone, that fucking tone. The man is a guitar demigod. This album is so wonderful.
The most consistent and all-consuming Pumpkins album. Who knew a Big Muff could sound so beautiful!
You know this is a 5. The only argument this album has ever been involved in is if Melon Collie or this is better. The solo in Soma was bonkers good too.
Sexy
If you had to pick 5 Lp's that WERE THE 90's in a nutshell, this is on that list. Banger LP for the era, for sure.
Yksi albumeista. Iisisti top-50 ikinä. 6/5.
This is such a huge album, it really catapulted The Smashing Pumpkins into stardom. Being called the next "Nirvana" especially in 1993, was high praise; and very well deserved. While I don't see them as being much like Nirvana musically, their success and notoriety was really on the same level throughout the mid 90's. This album made them part of the conversation of "cool bands" that you were supposed to be into at that time. Along with the likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots, there were The Smashing Pumpkins. I would argue though that they were musically and artistically at the top of that pile. They didn't shy away from showing emotion, writing love songs, and composing really complex and deep songs. It wasn't all angst, depression, and screaming rage. Although they had their fair share, The Smashing Pumpkins have always been deeper than that. Take Mayonnaise for example, one of the best love songs of that era. Billy Corgan knew that he had to make a truly amazing album to keep up with his contemporaries, and despite the struggles (and there were many) he wrote one of the greatest albums of the 90's and even one of the greatest albums of all time.
My favorite Pumpkins album.
Emotional and verbose lyrics combined with good hard rock. I can't fully understand the technical parts of it, but I had a great time with this album.
A truly iconic album. Noise rock dialed up and honed to an agressive perfection. Granted, Corgan's voice is somewhat of a love it or hate it kinda deal, but to me that snarl is exactly what that baselayer of fuzzy and frantic sound needs. Perhaps we can all start a club for those who bought fuzz pedals from hearing this album?
There’s probably a great deal of nostalgia involved but this is great, one of my all time faves. I get how his voice is irritating for some people but this whole package just works for me. Their best album by far. It sounded like nothing else at the time. Something about it lifts my spirits even although it’s somber at times, there’s something euphoric about it. The drumming stands out in particular. No brainer
#27/1001🇺🇸 I have a theory that the best albums were made in the year that you were born and the year that you turned 16. In my case this is 1977 and 1993 and Siamese Dream is one amongst those albums. It still sounds amazing today and i was fortunate enough to see them play about half the songs from this album live in Halifax last year. Whilst it was produced by Butch Vig and plays upon the same loud-quiet-loud dynamic as Nevermind, this is a more ambitious record and i feel that it has aged better. Don't get me wrong Nevermind will always get 5 stars from me too but this is the album that i'm more likely to pick out and listen to. Best tracks: Mayonaise, Today, Disarm, Cherub Rock.
Alongside OK Computer as the best alt rock album of the 90s. Magnificent
absolutely adored this. one of those albums where it all just flows. couldn't turn it off for the rest of day after the first listen. i wasn't really checking the song titles as i listened so i couldn't tell you my favourites, but i do know there are none i don't like or wanted to skip, which does not happen for me often!
Incredible, as most things Smashing Pumpkins. Longer than abattoir blues, but still, so much more listenable. An absolutely delightful listen..no idea what they're singing about though.
Class
Favourite Songs: Cherub Rock Quiet Geek U.S.A Mayonaise
Siamese dream is easily one of the best albums of the 90s—it’s a sound so potent and incredible that people are still trying to emulate it today. The Smashing Pumpkins just totally knocked it out of the park on this one. From the bright, fuzzy riffs, to the impossibly tight and funky drumming, to the dark and creative lyricism, this album is just a masterpiece from front to back. The start of this album has to be the most impressive 9 track run I’ve ever heard.
One of the best grunge albums of all time, fucking loves every minute of this
Trance like guitar! Take aways: Cherub Rock, Disarm, Silverfuck
Banger
Definitive 90’s rock. Like Mick Jagger fronting Black Sabbath. Too many hits for one album!
What can I say? I think this band is great.
I can't be impartial on this one. It's the sound of high school for me.
Never listened before, because I knew I was gonna like it and it wouldn't be challenging or different. End result, I liked it.
giving this a 5 as i realized i added almost every song to my playlist
Liked a lot
This is like an immediate 5+ from me. I know almost every move by heart anyway and didn't /need/ a relisten to rate it but I enjoyed the listen anyway. Super fun, iconic fuzzy sound, amazing melodies and esp the guitar parts. I hear the criticism that Corgan's voice sucks... that's fair. To me it's so iconic and 90's-cool that I can't be upset about it. He's not Celine Dion haha.
Ok
One of my favourites. Great sound overall. Lots of memorable tracks.
Every sound is dialed to excess and somehow it still feels intimate. that contradiction is why this record belongs in the canon. it sounds enormous because it is. it has that bruised maximalism and it’s guided by sincere feeling.
9/10 Album reassessment time! I had always felt the Smashing Pumpkins were too heavy for me, but this has a subtly and intelligence under the riffing guitars that I never gave them credit for. Awesome
Love this album. Reminds me of uni. Well written songs and a good response after Gish (which I also love). For me, this is the peak of Pumpkings.
Best - mayonnaise Worst - disarm
For whatever reason I’ve never gotten around to listening to a full Smashing Pumpkins album before. I’ve heard a few of their songs in the past and loved them, but getting to know the band’s music better just always fell by the wayside despite it being something I’ve been meaning to do a while now. But man, have I been missing out. Should've done this sooner. 4.5/5
Day738 - in my top five albums from the nineties. i saw them at lollapalooza in ‘94 closing the show right after the beastie boys and it was awesome. this is such a complete album. put them in the rock and roll hall of fame
Through this album I found a song from my childhood that I’d forgot about a long time ago (Today). The rest of the album was a strong showing, but that feeling of finding a single hit that used to be a regular from long ago really worked for me.
Loved this album as a high schooler in the 90’s! Haven’t listened to it in full in a quite a while (15 years?). Y’know what? It holds up well! The crunchy guitar parts (“alternative”, but not-quite-grungy) and quiet-loud-quiet sequences really build angsty vibes, and feature sneaky melodies too.
hot
Another 90’s classic. I never sat down and gave The Smashing Pumpkins a chance, but I’m familiar with so many of their tracks since they had such an impact on the culture.
I listened to this while reading the wikipedia page for tiananmen square, and I think they synced up.
One of the best alternative rock albums of the 90s. Has moments of oppressive heaviness, alongside moments of ethereal light. The guitar tones are varied and hold attention throughout. I had always been a Melancholy fan. This listen through and actually giving the non hits a fair shake may have me rethink Siamese Dream as the superior Pumpkins album.
An absolute classic and the best thing they ever did
Hippsters like to say the Pumkins' best album is Gish. WRONG! It's Siamese Dream. Even so, I've always felt this is a somewhat inconsistent album. Some of the stuff feels like filler, but the good parts (and perhaps Cherub Rock, Quiet, and Rocket alone) make it worthy of a 5.
I'm not going to have any perspective reviewing this album. I saw Smashing Pumpkins 3 times on this tour, twice in Chicago at the beginning of the tour and once in Paris while I was on an exchange program. My daughter still wears my falling-apart tour t shirt. I bought all the singles individually. From Gish to Mellon Collie, I was a super fan. Then I wasn't. While I don't know that this has aged as well as Gish, it's pretty great. I will say this was the height of Jimmy Chamberlain's considerable powers.
5/5 - This music is in my blood. Everyone gets a few of these in their lives that hit them at the right age and the right moment that syncs up with their feelings and moves them to another place. This is unquestionably one of those records for me. An all-timer 5.
Really enjoyed this!!
Peak Billy Corgan, where his ambition and dreaminess collided with grunge to make a beautiful, heavy slab of alt rock.
Good Album. Not their popiest but we're getting there.
This was the album of my teens… hands down! At that time, Nirvana and Faith No More had opened my door to alternative music a couple of year earlier. Thinking back it was probably this album that I took solace in after Kurt’s death. An album of insane dynamics with equal parts power, sweetness, grandiosity, melancholy and passion and Corgan, the tortured perfectionist; an incredible songwriter with an innate ability to hook you in and take you on a journey…. well, me at least. I spent a long time in the last decade or so not listening to Siamese Dream. Maybe I’d overplayed it, maybe I didn’t need it anymore. Then a few years ago I put it on for the first time in what seemed like forever and I was gripped once again. It’s an album that will never leave my heart.
Spaceboy & Sweet Sweet are my fav so far
Vildt fedt, stor fan
I should've listened to Josiah and checked them out years ago... My mistake, this is great.
Best Song: Silverfuck An absolute masterpiece and one of my favorite albums in 1993/1994. Sadly, this is one of those bands where I have to separate the art from the artist since Billy Corigan ego is a lot to take. On the other hand, based on this album he deserves to have a bit of chip on his shoulder, in my opinion. This is a 90's classic! 5/5.
Kedvenc/Favourite: Spaceboy Sejtettem, hogy tetszeni fog és nem is kellett csalódnom. Alapvetően régóta szeretem a műfajt, kicsit arra is emlékeztetett ez az album, amilyen zenéket 14-15 évesen hallgattam. Néhány szám picit összefolyt, de összességében elég változatos volt. Nagyon élveztem, örülök, hogy meghallgattam. I suspected I would like it, and I wasn't disappointed. I've loved this genre for a long time, and this album reminded me a little of the music I listened to when I was 14 or 15. Some of the songs blended together a bit, but all in all it was diverse enough. I've really enjoyed it, I'm glad I gave it a listen.
great!
Favorite songs: Cherub Rock, Today, Rocket, Disarm, Mayonaise, Spaceboy
i enjoy the soft rock to this album, even tho i'm 10 mins into it i can tell im gonna enjoy - listening to space boy and sweet sweet before
Amazing album with so many hits. Listening to this brings back so many memories.
10/10 album, The Smashing Pumpkins are a classic
I Have heard this album before Cherub rock - The guitar is amazing and the drums are also good although a little lackluster Quiet - Has guitar and is music. One of the albums weaker tracks Today - OMGGGG ITS TICTAC SONG OMG, But its really good. Hummer - 7 minutes is a lot for a song but the drums are really good. Rocket- It's kinda similar some of the others Disarm – its cool and i like the guitar Soma - The drums are so good omg literally all over my screen and headphones GEEK USA – ITS SOOOO GOOD OMG I KAJDGHASGHUDGHJAS Mayonaise – The lead is so good again as per usual Spaceboy – Its acoustic and nice Silverfuck – its cool and Devious and epic Sweet Sweet – sad but cool Luna – its also slow and REALLLYY good and i like Overalll a very very very good album and i like very much A decent to weak 9
Cherub rock - This has already given me high hopes for the rest of this album, beatiful guitar, could do with drums being cooler just saying pumpkin smashers. Singing is turning me off a little went from throbbing hard to regret Quiet - 2nd song with some guitar then leading into some random lyrics Today - ITS THE TIKTOK SONG OMGM AJOASCNJKKJNKJN No this song is popular for a reason sounds cool Hummer - 7 minutes was excessive but the drum kit building it up was a pleasant surprise Rocket- Each of these songs sound samey... I probably couldn't on first listen distinguish between some of these songs not that that is always a problem but then you could pull a fat rat and make unity 20 fucking times Disarm - Some knobhead singing with an acoustic guitar, the guy around the campfire no one invited to the party, this song remined me of the scenario of being serenaded by some wanker at a party who really thinks hes the shit when he really isn't is this an orchestra of a rock band make a goddamnable choice Soma - Good buildup, was initially disappointed but the drums came in for a 1 hp clutch GEEK USA - Holy what a start bloody explosive and whatnot don't fumble it, singings almost dropping the ball if Im being honest. Very same thing but if it ain't broke don't fix it. Nevermind it became rather quiet. Oh that fucking solo jesus christ cover me in butter, hammer me to the nail and spank me until my entire body is red - that means I quite like this song Mayonaise - guitar lead sounds yknow banawow bnghwho I am a fan, not crucifiction BDSM bullshit level though, solos calmer, although ear splitting whatever tone they found its splitting in a good way Spaceboy - Dickhead with his acoustic guitar, kmon have some crazy eletric guitar entering halfway through. I can accept that is is a fine song, bit slow for my liking Silverfuck - nauseating keep it coming. Kind thrashy names a bit edgy, not that I care I listen to Viagra boys Sweet Sweet - I want to feel happy not sad . . . NEXT Luna - This is how you do a slow song, heavy drum influnce, little blimming acoustic guitar Overall - I may have found a new favourite band for me, I will definitely be checking out the rest of the smashing pumpkins debating a 4 or 5 honestly for this but hey you only live once so I'm leaning on the 5. Its nauseating and fucking amazing, like being just before shitfaced, pleasantly unpleasant distortion
Highlights: cherub rock, quiet, today, hummer, disarm, soma, geek USA, mayonaise, sweet sweet, luna General notes: - Grungey, Chicago-based alt rock band formed in 1988 (SUPER popular/successful during 90s) - Lead singer (Billy Corgan) looks exactly like Gerard Way & apparently he mentored Gerard a bit - A lot of these songs sound like they belong in an early 2000s movie - Silverfuck had a weird intermission I wasn’t expecting (not the biggest fan, but maybe it needs another listen) - Sweet sweet is short & such a vibe - Luna reminds me of smth; i really enjoyed it - Album seems to get softer as it progresses through tracks Overall: Solid, no misses, most songs I saved yet! They have a clear sound but also demonstrate versatility. I’m interested in hearing more from them, and seeing which tracks end up leaving the most lasting impact.
Perfect album. The wall of distortion starts and never stops. Amazing mix of rock and psychedelia.
Great album. Shame Billy Corgan is who he is.
this was great, that last track was awesome, it was very spacey and just had that classic rock sound, this caters to my taste a lot
It's hard to top this era of Smashing Pumpkins. I've listened to this front to back too many times. Jimmy Chamberlain is one of my favourite drummers and every time I listen to this and Mellon Collie I am instantly in a drumming mood. Highlight: Silverfuck
I'd never listened to more than one Smashing Pumpkins song in a row. This was a great collection of their songs. I kind of missed them first time round, but I think I'll grab a copy of this on vinyl.
Great album, great singer, great songs, great melodies, great lyrics
lovedddd
complete classic from start to finish one of my favorites ever
The beginning of the snob side of grunge with pinnacle results.
THIS IS REAL MUSICCC 🔥🔥 I partially listened to this in passing at work and thought it was repetitive like the other rock albums but gave it another go. Constant switch-ups, catchy, unique, alternative. No other album thus far has moved me like this one has. I can see the elements from recent music influenced by this that I like. Saved (5/13): - Quiet - Hummer - Disarm - Soma - Geek U.S.A. 🔥 (HM: Silverfuck - won't save but a great listening experience)
As much as I enjoyed Melon Collie, I think I enjoyed this more.
Excellent album, I feel bad for only listening to a few smashing pumpkins songs now.
I already have listened to this album and I love it, Billy corgan has vocals that just make me feel things! and the way the rest of the band plays....ugh such a distinct sound that I wish I could hear everything as
Cherub Rock - what an opener. I can tell this is going to be really good. Amazing solo - I am a big fan of solos which bend like that, and when the vocalist sings over a soloing guitar - this song does it so well. Intro to hummer - that little bass slide(I think) is lovely. Favourite track - Mayonaise. very very good. What an album. Had heard of The Smashing Pumpkins before but never took the time to really listen to them. I should do so now.
Like a fine 🍷
Now THIS is what this list is for! No stupid beep-boop bullshit (looking at you The Shamen) or dumb c-list classic rock castoffs (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band). This is a great album, if not the Pumpkins' best. Also, I STG if The Strokes aren't on this list but all this other bullshit is, I'm gonna hunt down the author and cuss them out in person...
I can see why Corgan's vocals would be off putting but it really works for me. I love how the guitars sound on this record, and I always love the levels of ambition the Pumpkins have. Great band, and this could be their best record.
Good album
Surprisingly amazing
Everything came together here to make an amazing record.
ахуенный альбом на 9 из 10 любимая песня mayonaise
I loved this album! I want to spend more time with this one for sure. For an alt rock album it was quite chill? Each song was cohesive but so unique without sounding all the same.
I forgot how freakin' awesome this album is. Makes that catastrophe of Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness so much more infinitely sad in comparison. Starts hard, ends in shoe gaze, drips teen angst all the way through.
Unfiltered, cool, perfect.
Really fun album
Great Album 5/5 Especially Cherub Rock, Disarm and Mayonaise. Very good production.
9 - EXCELLENT
Probably the best pure rock album of the 90s, IMO. Unrelentingly good.
Catchy songwriting full of groove and energy. The vocals and guitar switch seamlessly from smooth to aggressive, punching through the pop grooves with an unexpected rock energy. Occasional meter shifts keep the music interesting. The songwriting and production have a subtlety that is rare for alt-rock bands, pulling influences from The Beatles and Pink Floyd while giving it a distinctive 90s grungy feel. The influence of this album on a multitude of whiny 90s alt-rock bands who can't quite pull it off as well as Smashing Pumpkins is apparent. Why more songs on this album weren't bigger radio hits seems like a sign of the time more than anything, as there is not a filler song on the album, and many of these songs are better than songs that would become much bigger hits just a couple of years later.
(98/100)
One of the pillars of Alt-Rock's greatest all-time records. I love the drama on this record. The opening of that solo guitar before exploding into a wall of sound in 'Today'. The quiet breakdowns bookended by the guitar thrashing and drums smashing in 'Geek U.S.A.' and 'Silverfuck'. Siamese Dream has it all. I saw the Pumpkins in concert in the late 90s and Billy Corgan played the shit out of that guitar. What might sound as electric 'noise' has actual talent behind it. This hits all of my Gen X buttons.
10/10 no notes
No doubt a classic and an album that was imitated for years after its release. For me, Gish is the choice here but I still love this album, Sure, give me 12 channels of guitar. 5 stars all day.
This album made today the greatest day I’ve ever known. A masterpiece from start to finish, up there as one of my favourite albums of all time, with ‘Mayonaise’ being one of my favourite songs. From ‘Cherub Rock’ to ‘Luna’, every second is bliss.
Just freaking great
6. One of my favorite albums of all time.
Smiled immediately after seeing this pop up. Something I've heard before, but never "listened to" before. A classic. Best Song: Today Rating: 9/10 Stars: 5
One of the best albums ever made
One of my faves from the Pumpkins!
The proof that Mayonaise is better than Ketchup.
Smashing stuff
Strong throughout. Really enjoyed this.
the only bad thing about this album is the cover
I first heard Smashing Pumpkins in my freshman year of college. A fellow housemate handed me a cassette copy of "Gish" and told me to check them out. I listened to the whole album that night and went out and bought the CD the next day. It was hard to find because it was buried away in the wrong section. They had put it in the pop section when clearly that album should have been in the Alternative/Grunge section which was growing prominently every day. Anyways, this album rocketed Smashing Pumpkins to instant fame and MTV legendary status. Tons of singles including the disturbing but really well-done song, "Disarm". This entire album is really good, from the beginning song of Cherub Rock to the intense Silverfuck, to the ending and mellow and beautiful Luna. This set them up for their masterpiece Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Without Siamese Dream, Smashing Pumpkins would have faded into obscurity. Essential listening for everyone. 5/5
Fantastic from start to finish.
I can’t listen to this album and not get psyched up
Absolute classic, pretty much perfect all the way through. It's been a long time since I've listened all the way through this one and there are some fantastic songs beyond the well known hits.
bem alt rock solos lindos guitarrista faz umas brincadeirinhas legais c a guitarra durante o album capa descolada tb
A classic of 90s grunge;
Important album for me growing up. I’ll probably still listen to this when I’m 70 and my grandchildren will wonder why Grandad is screaming.
Absolute powerhouse. Nothing before it ever sounded like it.
Production is worthy of careful listening with headphones. Modern masters of Zeppelin-style light and shade. Deep, unashamed influences evident. Corgan claims that the riff on Cherub Rock was stolen from Rush, and it was. But its the groove he stole from Ted Nugent's Stranglehold (that he won't cop to) that made that song.
Absolutely incredible album. The pinnacle of that 90s post-grunge sound. So many wonderful songs here. The instrumentals and the composition of every song is brilliant. I absolutely loved this.
I've never been much of a Smashing Pumpkins listener. I've listened to Smashing Pumpkins and I've liked what I've heard. I'd heard Today. I'd heard Disarm. I hadn't heard them in a very long time and my music taste has changed significantly since then. When we saw My Chemical Romance in Chicago, Gerard Way introduced Bullet With Butterfly Wings as "the perfect rock song," and when he was about to perform it, he said "please welcome the God-Engine of rock n' roll" and Billy Pumpkin himself came out to perform the rat song with MCR. I think it was in that moment I realized "wait i like this a lot" and I've been wanting to give Smashing Pumpkins the true listen that I feel they deserved since. As soon as the album started I knew it'd be my typa album. I could've given it a 4 just after Cherub Rock. Hummer banged. Geek U.S.A is such good shit. I don't think I've heard a song that was new to me quite like Mayonnaise in a very long time. I've given other 5s before. I gave one to The Beta Band. I must've been feeling goofy that day or something, because this is what a 5 feels like. I enjoyed this album thoroughly. I want to listen to this album more. I want to explore more Smashing Pumpkins. Thank you Billy Pumpkin and the rest of the crew.
The highest form of praise I can give an album is to add some of the songs to my liked song playlist. I added more from this album (and Monday’s) than any others from our list thus far, so I feel like that has to warrant a 4.5 or 5