Reviews (page 4 of 14)
Whatever you want to say about Billy Corgan, and there's probably a lot you can say about him, he was a great songwriter with few top-notch albums. Siamese Dream is one of them, just a all-round great rock music which hasn't lost any edge since the release. No point to describe specific tracks, everything is at least solid, which also is quite rare nowadays. I liked Silverfuck the most, but that's because I'm a sucker for longer and more atmospheric songs. I think is not as good as Mellon Collie, but still it's an easy 5 on this list.
9/10 Wow. This band has been a find from this list. An amazing album Favourite song=Today
fuck i love this album. it got me through my teenage years, especially “today”, “soma”, and “mayonaise”. it’s even better when you’re high. billy corgan doesn’t write songs, he writes straight up poetry. he’s a questionable dude but you can’t deny his writing
Smashing Pumpkins at their very best. Phenomenal album. Love it from start to finish.
Freaking awesome!
Today is one of my all time favourite songs. I have the album on CD but I don't think it ever was on hard rotation - other than to play Today- and I have not listened to it in years. I really enjoyed listening to it today - perhaps in part because I listened to it straight after the much inferior Pearl Jam.
Was a good one to listen to with my son. He says I can't rate this less than a 5, so a 5 it shall get. 5/5
sorry billy corgan but you can’t make me hate your own band
How do you make a rock album? Well, you start by giving it drums. Drums gotta be loud, but not too loud to overpower anything. Make them pack a punch, that should be enough. Ideally, they should keep a simple 4/4 beat as the foundation of the song, but that doesn't mean they have to be boring. Fills, little flourishes here and there, it all gives the song more personality. Okay cool, drums, now what? Bass, gotta have bass. That's the second part of your rhythm section, which means it also keeps the song grounded. Don't be fooled, the bass still has a key role to play in the melodic elements of the song, as it provides a root note for the rest of the band to play off of. The bass can also provide it's own flourishes similar to the drummer, as it has the space to move around the scales while playing with the rhythm of the song. Groovy, I think now is a good time to add guitar. Guitar has the fun of wearing a lot of hats: it can have driving riffs or smooth finger-picking sections, it can provide supporting texture to a song or it can deliver a ripping solo. Where guitar is usually in the forefront, it also has the benefit of exploring different tones: sweet clean tones, exciting distortion, dreamy reverb, ambient delays all contribute to a song's personality. It is this range of sounds that allow the guitar to practically define a song. However, we still have vocals to consider. Vocals are defined more by the person delivering it than any production or songwriting nonsense I could spout here. With the lyrics and the vocal style of the singer, a rock song becomes distinct, even memorable. With these elements, you can make a rock song. Repeat the process enough times by moving around the pieces to make each song unique, bam, that's an album. The Smashing Pumpkins (in the '90s mostly) perfected the rock album. Billy Corgan and co. knew how each piece worked with each other and made 13 stacked rock tracks for an apathetic generation, helping them learn to care. Siamese Dream is tender and tough, dreamy and all-too-real. Is it better than Mellon Collie? Does it matter?
Such a fantastic album. I think it's incredibly rare to have an album with a 1+hour runtime with no weak spots or throwaway tracks. An excellent diverse set of songs that are heavy, reflective, relaxing, sad, and everything in between. Will definitely be coming back to this one
It’s a real shame that William Patrick Corgsn released this and Gish, two basically perfect albums, and disappeared never to be heard from again. (Takes a huge sip of coffee and checks Wikipedia) Oh. Oh no. Five stars.
Genius guitar riffing by Corgan balanced by phenomenal drumming by Chamberlin. Those are the two main ingredients that make this album great for me. Love the way they are able to turn a song from the most gentle beautiful softness to an absolutely raging wall of sound. Corgan's vocals are poetic and have an androgynous mystic. This album sounds best loud. VERY loud!
I guess the universe wanted me to have a good cry today. This is an alternative rock masterpiece. It's filled with emotion and absolute banger songs. Mayonaise is my #1 on this, though Disarm is a very close second. And Geek U.S.A. holds a special place in my heart as part of a glorious Greatest Hits compilation once created on cassette tape. I've been adjacent to a certain someone's Smashing Pumpkins obsession my whole adult life, which has also made me a pretty big fan. A lot of nostalgia here for me too. Saw them live 25ish years ago, and then again this past summer. They still rock it hard! And this album is their crowning jewel.
Been a while. There's a lot of really good songs on this one.
Oh, that's peak alternative rock. That's peak alternative noise rock shoegaze.
smashing
It's a borderline perfect album from probably my favorite band of all time, so obviously it's a 5. I have no idea how I'm going to choose between this and Mellon Collie for my favorite album at the end of this project. There isn't an ounce of fat on this album, it just feels so tight and focused and everyone is firing on all cylinders. I have to shout out Jimmy Chamberlin, one of my all-time favorite drummers. His drumming on Geek U.S.A. and Silverfuck in particular is so damn fun. And don't even get me started on the guitars, I live for the fuzz and will die for the fuzz. I really can't say enough good things, this album is just wonderful. One of those albums that is and has been one of my very favorites for such a long time that it just feels like it's a part of me. Also, just know that if you have written a review complaining about Billy Corgan's singing, I have rolled my eyes at you. You are boring. Go listen to Michael Bublé or something. I'm joking...but only kind of?
Brilliant Album. Never used to listen to TSP that much but as I've grown they've aged like wine on me.
I remember telling my homeboy Nate when we got this cd when it came out “If you don’t like this album, you don’t like music.” That was an exaggeration but man, I loved this record then and I still love it now. This is everything you could ask for from a band when you were in college in the early 90s. Sooo much good Mix Tape material.
a stone cold masterpiece and lifelong favorite. growing up, i always admired it mainly as a guitar record, with its bombastic, dense sound, but in this listen what i've honed in on is the percussion goes absolutely mental. jimmy chamberlin off the shits
One of my favorites
Classic 90's album
I love the instrumental, full bodied sound they create, matched perfectly with his vocals and the whimsical vibe.
Overall: 10/10 An album filled with banger after banger! I think Disarm is one of the best songs of the 90s and I absolutely adore their mix of Alt Rock, Shoegaze and Heavy Metal! If you can can get past Billy's strange vocals then you'll love it. Fav Song: Disarm Least Fav Song: Sweet Sweet
Production has a distinkt nineties sound to it, songwriting and drumming is stellar.
This album came out during my teenage years. The first few songs were part of the soundtrack to the 90s. I'm still wearing flannel and a band t-shirt to this very day.
A psychedelic rock masterpiece, everything about this album is absolutely perfect. The riffs are huge and fuzzed out and the clean guitars are dreamy and beautiful. Billy Corgan’s vocals range from sweet to snarling, while Jimmy Chamberlain’s drumming is both ferocious and jazz-infused. The playing is superb and Butch Vig’s production is stellar. There are layers upon layers of guitars, there are strings, there are Mellotrons, etc but it’s never too much and the raw energy of the Pumpkins blasts through. Alan Moulder’s mix is clean but muscular and somehow both the drums and guitars are loud and in your face. Today and Disarm are alt-rock radio classics but the best songs are Hummer, Mayonaise, Geek USA, and Cherub Rock. 5 / 5 flawless album.
Knew this one already but glad to revisit. Really emotional and distressing while sounding really really good. Should pay closer attention to the lyrics. Disarm has always been a favourite but Soma really hit me on second listen. 4.5/5
Always a favourite, still a favourite
Hands down the best album of the 90’s. I don’t care about your Nirvanas and Pearl Jams. This is it. This is the one. So shiny and oh so bright.
I really thought I was going to be too cool for my favorite band in the 1990s. But I'm not. This is so good! I love fuzzy guitars and melancholy emotions with some rage thrown in there. Billy Corgan has the emotions and makes me feel along with him. I was about to list my favorite songs, but all of them, they're all on the list. Maybe Mayonaise or Silverfuck would be at the top if I had to choose.
soaring scorching painful and affirming and still somehow the 5th best album the Pumpkins made before 2007 10/10
• 5/5 - Siamese Dream is a straight up 4 that gets a 1 point bonus for being a touchstone of my 20s • Several great singles that hold up after 30 years of play, especially Cherub Rock and Today. • By the end of the album the distortion and Corgan's voice have run their course, but we're left sated, neither overstuffed nor wanting.
What an album. This is such a beautiful mix of so many genres, there is the emerging grunge scene, some early moody emo vibes coming through too all the while undergirded by really incredible writing and instrumentation. The hits on this one carry it just a tad but there really aren’t any misses here either, a couple of comparatively lesser songs.
In 2018, a friend of mine recommended this album to listen to, but I ended up not paying much attention to it at the time and ended up putting the album on my eternal waiting list until today. As soon as I finish writing this review, I'm going to give him a huge scolding: "WHY DIDN'T YOU INSIST MORE ON ME TO LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM?" Musically speaking, it is a top quality alternative rock album! It's energetic when it needs to be energetic, it's soft when it needs to be soft, everything, absolutely everything on this album is precisely in the right proportion, including the voices, instruments, volumes, production, everything! Without any fear, I give it a 5 star rating!
Didn’t realize how old this was and how foundational it was for alt rock.
⭐ Mayonaise
I love this album - start to finish
What can I say? One of the best alternative albums of the 90s. A unique guitar sound and vocals, with a dreamy shoegaze sound. The whole album stands out, with no fillers. But in particular Today and Disarm stand out for me. 5/5
Without realizing it, I already knew many of the songs on this album—and for good reason. I think it’s their best work, packed with hits from start to finish. Hats off to them for delivering such an iconic record on just their second album. Overall, it’s an incredibly enjoyable listen and a true staple of the alt-rock genre.
such a beautiful album. I think it's been more than 20 years since I've listened to it whole. Some songs I used to not like (like Silverfuck and Quiet) I now see under a different light. I'm really happy this was included. I can inject Mayonaise and Disarm right into my veins <3
Lots of drive, awesome rock.
Freak out and give in. And so it began. Stunning intro to the album…Cherub Rock grabbed my attention way back when. I can’t explain just how beautiful I find this album. The Smashing Pumpkins have their own completely unique sound (not just the unmistakable vocals) which is really quite an achievement in the early to mid 90s when guitar driven indie rock was living its best life. The blend of soft/loud is exceptional. There’s the heavy distortion of the sweeping guitar riffs coupled with some very intricate and delicate guitar work too (‘Today’ being a superb example of how it should be done). And they throw in some beautiful arrangements with a variety of instruments. There’s even bells for fucks sake. I know Billy’s voice isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it just works for his music. This 1,001 list has been a slog recently with some music I’ve tried hard to find a level of appreciation from, and largely failed. But when this came up today I could really indulge with multiple listens, and I fell in love with it all over again. Knocked 30 years off me tonight 😊
I look back at 1993 with lots of nostalgia - I know I'm washing away a ton of anxiety, bad young-person decision making, and awful diets, but for me it was a watershed year noted by waves of new music, Geddy Lee singing O Canada at the all-star game, Wendel Clark, and Joe Carter. Anything on this album brings me back to all of it - I listened to it endlessly that year from week 1 of release. Although "Cherub Rock" is the perfect album starter that makes me want to run through a wall, it's the 4th track "Hummer" that immediately killed me and still does - absolutely their best song and one of my favourites by anyone from the decade. Everything in that song and then you get to the soft guitar outro to "Hummer" holy shit. That stuck with me. Man I hadn't listened to this in way too long. My only critique is that it's a bit too long in running time - they could have cut maybe 3 songs (even just stop after "Mayonaise" or just keep "Silverfuck" of the last 4 which would have been an insane album-closer) and it probably would have made for a bigger impact. The last 2 cuts are nice but almost feel like pleasant EP bonus tracks. Overall I still love it length notwithstanding and for me this was it for the Pumpkins - after the exhausting and boring Mellon Collie I don't think I ever heard another SP song. This ranks as one of my favourite guitar rock albums. 9/10 5 stars.
Amazing
There aren’t enough stars to give this album. Top 10 all time for the 90s
Love the Smashing Pumpkins.
Holy shitttt, its like a fucking dream! Couldn't rate it lower than a 5. Fucking Masterpiece!
Love Smashing Pumpkins. 5/5
One of my favs of all time
mayonnaise is one of the best songs ever so immediate 5 also my mom's name is luna
This is one of my favorite albums of the 90s, and I love 90s alternative. The sound is wildly full and lush. They hit the full vibe from barely a whisper to crushing you under the walls of sound. The lyrics are sad and relatable. Love it.
Some classic grunge from one of the better grunge period bands. It's got great production, vocals and guitar tones and plenty of musical hooks. I liked it a lot. I'm more into grunge than I realised.
This was one of the albums that got me through my GCSEs. I still listen to this album a lot today. A slightly biased 5 stars for nostalgic reasons!
Billy smashes it as usual.
One of the best albums of all time, 0 skips.
before: what i’ve heard about them wasn’t not something i was a big fan of. but i’m very interested to hear what is in this album! while listening: sounds a lot like nirvana. saved everything and liked them all. they blowed my mind totally!
My favourite album of all time.
Loved it! I could hear the influences of past bands as well as the influence this album had on music going forward. And lovely vocals!
#362. This was the first album I ever bought, and it seems I still like it just as much. 5/5: I dig it.
😍
Genuinely beautiful noise. This sounds like the culmination of everything that came before it while sounding like nothing else. Billy Corgan really should of delegated vocals to someone else though 10/10 Everyone should hear this
Awesome
Super solid - pretty mellow. Includes classics like Today. Beautiful lyrics, great instrumentation.
I’ve always loved melancholy but this album was great!
I bought this album back in the day and have listened to it more times than I can count. It's not quite as good as Mellon Collie, but it's still an easy 5 star for me.
I listen to this album on the daily (or at least one song pops up in my playlists on the daily). Excellent album!
Finally some good feckin noise!! Great stuff, I needed some guitars to cleanse my ears :D
This is one of my favorite albums of all time by one of my favorite bands of all time. I cannot stress how much this album influenced my current guitar playing. It’s a full no skip for me. A true masterpiece.
it's just a stunning Album from start to finish
really exceptional, mayonaise especially is such a highlight, but this album has insane highs, and its lows really arent very low
life's a bummer; when you're a hummer
Surprised to love it so much. Amazing vibes
Smashing!
Good stuff. Very enjoyable all the way through - set me off listing to a grunge playlist all day
Love love love
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
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
Discazo. Abajito del Mellon, que es un milagro de disco, pero aún así potentísimo.
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.
Might be nostalgia, might not, but can listen to this all the way through still.
Great album! I might appreciate this even more now -with its propulsive drums and wall-of-fuzz guitars- than I did as a teen.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Forgive me Smashing Pumpkins, I was not familiar with your game. Great album!
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).
10/10
Probably their best album. Everyrhingsy perfect. The production, the lyrics, the mood.
This album has the best song of all time, Mayonaise. I have said enough.
This is the music of my childhood. I loved it then and still love it today.
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
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.
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.
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.
Haven’t listened to this one in years. Still holds up!
Top tier album 11/10
childhood classic !
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.
Very good album. Today is always a banger! And just digged this album. Color me a fan of the pumpkins
One of my favourites
Less than Mellon collie but I listen to this regularly already
Very influential, perfect example of the “Wall of Sound”, I love it.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
own
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!
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
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.
cannot describe it as well as the other reviews but yeah
5/5
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.
Amazing top to bottom. Rocket is my new favorite song.
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…
Such a nice album, always a great listen.
Great classic alternative album
Throwback to my youth. I had forgotten how much I love this album.
Favourite tracks: cherub rock; quiet; today; hummer; rocket; soma; geek USA; mayonnaise; Luna; disarm
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
After hearing so many bad attempts at rock, this felt like a breath of fresh air
First time I heard the Smashing Pumpkins was on a ford fusion commercial emphasizing the ford sync system and I was immediately hooked on their sound ever since
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
One of my all time favourites!!!
Very cool. So good. Five stars.
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.
This is miles better than Nevermind, but nobody tell Billy Corgan because we need his angst for sustenance.
E-Gitarren Klassiker
Thoughts before listening: Well this is one of my favorite albums of all time. This came out when I was 12 and just getting into music. It blew my mind then and continues to blow my mind when I listen now. It’s such a big rock sound for an alt rock band whose peers mostly leaned heavily on the punk rock aesthetics of angst over technique. Really helped them to stand out from the pack, and the songs from Siamese Dream remain absolute top of the heap of 90s alt rock. Review: This album still just sounds so modern and vital. Many of the Smashing Pumpkins' contemporaries are starting to sound dated 3 decades past their primes, but Siamese Dream could be released today. Its a timeless record that has been an absolute joy to revisit after a few years without listening. Many of these songs will get added to the playlist, but I especially like "Cherub Rock", "Today", "Hummer", "Disarm", and "Mayonaise". This is a 5-star album.
Excellent.
Always thought I disliked The Smashing Pumpkins. Turns out I was very wrong. Absolutely loved this album.
The smashing pumpkins might not be for everyone, but my gosh are they for me
Fool enough to almost be it Cool enough to not quite see it Doomed Pick your pocket, full of sorrow And run away with me tomorrow June We'll try and ease the pain But somehow, we'll feel the same Well, no one knows Where our secrets go I send a heart to all my dearies When your life is so, so dreary Dream I'm rumored to the straight and narrow While the harlots of my perils Scream Mother, weep the years I'm missing All our time can't be given Back Shut my mouth and strike the demons That cursed you and your reasons Out of hand and out of season Out of love and out of feeling Fool enough to almost be it And cool enough to not quite see it And old enough to always feel this Always old, I'll always feel this No more promise, no more sorrow No longer will I follow Can anybody hear me? I just want to be me And when I can, I will Try to understand That when I can, I will This is just straight up an amazing album. 5/5
Love it! Love it! Love it!
Absolute masterpiece, IMO their best album
I love it, the soundtrack to my teen years
Fantastic
A couple months ago I decided that this is probably my favorite album. Whenever one song comes on shuffle I almost always listen to the entire thing. I listened to this a couple of hours ago and I am typing on my phone so I am just going to list a bunch of things I love off the top of my head. 1. This album probably has my favorite production and mixing of all time 2. That layered big muff guitar tone is my favorite guitar tone, especially on mayonnaise 3. All the drum parts are killer and all the fills have so much energy and weight to them 4. The bridge in geek USA maybe the greatest minute of music ever recorded and it gives me chills every time. 5. Geek usa is probably one of my top 10 all time favorite songs. I love how it mixes all the different parts together. 6. This album has great lyrics vocal hooks/melodies and Billy's singing has so much emotion behind it 7. Cherub rock is such a good song and is so much fun to play on guitar 8. Soma is such a great song. It may be my favorite solo of all time, there is so much emotion and power behind it 9. Idk what that string synth sound thing is on space boy but it reminds me of a melatron and I love it 10. I love all the mini solos Billy and James throw in between the vocal parts Ok I think 10 is enough but I could keep going 10/5
There are few more distinctive voices than Billy Corgan's and this album is a belter.
Good Pumpkins
Absolutely amazing mid 9 alt rock masterpiece
Wow. I was just listening to this tonight thinking I can’t wait until it comes up on my list. It's a top 5 album for me. Not a song I don't love, and as a whole the production is as close to perfect as you can get with this type of music. They're absolutely on their game, and the combination of influences from My Bloody Valentine, to Black Sabbath, to The Cure, to Rush, all shine... and packaged up so well. The guitar tone, the solos, the drumming, the vocals (yes I dig Corgan's vocals). Great mix of quiet and loud, the dynamics are absolutely dialed in! Love it! 5/5
This is a great album, truly representative of the 90s alternative rock. It feels sad but energetic, raw and angsty but still fun. The guitars are a blast.
wonderful album, something special in the early 90s while being in the grunge vein but somehow still outside it
Mayonnaise is one of my favourite songs of all time. But some songs are not very memorable - 4.5 rounded up.
Tremendous!!!!
I’ve listen to this before….. loveeee
I love this album still listen to the damn thing! Reminds me of high school. Gen-xers unite!
One of my all time faves.
amazing album
Cannot argue with this album. Many people like Mellon Collie... more, but I never really connected with that in the way I did this when it came out. It is absolutely of an era, but is standing the test of time very well. I sound old to say: they don't make 'em like this anymore.
The only thing more amazing than Billy Corgan playing all the instruments on this album is that he slept with Jessica Simpson … and dumped her.
In a nutshell: sweet dreams are made of this. So close to perfect. I can only nitpick. The outro to Hummer was too long. Sweet Sweet is nice but only a filler track. I would have placed Luna elsewhere on the album and ended the album with Silverfuck. This was a first time listen for me, and it was a joy. Overall: 9/10
Alternative classic takes me back to my teenage years.
I don’t know why I’ve slept on Smashing Pumpkins for so long, they’re right up my alley. This is gorgeous.
Great reintroduction to an album I never fully absorbed. Guitar play, lyrics, tone, all there.
Didn’t know so many of their singles were on this album. Greatness all around
One of the greatest albums that ever has or will ever be. Sonically daring, Corgan tortured himself (and his bandmates) to achieve this and we get to reap the reward forever. This is one of those albums I would call important, because to me, it changed the game.
2nd best album of the pseudo-shoegaze strain of music (albums like you'd prefer an astronaut - HUM, fantastic planet - failure) mayonaise, silverfuck and Luna are the standouts here. seeing sp live in june so this album has been in heavy rotation for me in recent months. 9.4/10
This is one of my favorite albums! I listened to it for the first time last year and fell for it instantly. Those iconic guitar textures are on another level and the general vibe of the entire album just rocks! A must listen for alternative rock fans. “Mayonaise, “Geek USA,” and “Silverfuck,” are favorites.
Deep, layered
Really, really good album. I'm biased because this was around during my late teens / early twenties but I never listened to the band at that time, and as such I don't really have any Rose tinted view of it - it's just a superb album. Also, I don't get people hating on Billy Corgan's voice when there are plenty of other things to dislike about him
A classic of my youth. Holds up so well to this day.
Incredible album, with many beautiful songs and also many angrier songs. Absolutely zero skips here which is impressive for an hour long album, there's no way The Smashing Pumpkins can top that, right?
Banger
Great album one of my favs
One of my favorite records from that time period.
Un clásico
Fucking amazing album; one that grew on me a lot over the years, as I didn't like most of it when I first listened back in high school or something. In fact, it's still growing on me to this day, as I only saved Spaceboy and Luna after this listening session (I only have Quiet left). Billy Corgan is honestly an underrated guitarist and he rips on a ton of these songs, a handful of which I consider perfect (a large handful tbh). Not a bad song on this thing though. The drumming is also insane. Deservedly ranked among the best albums of the 90s, as it truly captures the "sad happy music" sound that makes so many of the best albums of that decade so great. If you like this album, you must watch the acoustic album release show they did, especially the Cherub Rock performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzwOwzGtiZw
Can’t 5 star this album fast enough. Once I hear that opening drum roll of Cherub Rock, the emotions of the album come rushing back and I get excited for the next hour of listening. Aside from all of the amazing sounds and creative guitar work, I love how personal to Billy Corgan it is. As much as Billy Corgan is an egomaniac, control freak, and unpleasant pontificator, you can’t help but to feel bad for him as you start to understand that there is a deep insecurity rooted within him. This album feels like it’s Billy’s way of showing that insecurity to the world; of psychoanalyzing himself for all to hear. The record starts with and has some of its strongest moments in the grand, arrogant, powerful chords that capture Billy’s harsh side; the lust for greatness and belief in supremacy over all of the other poser musicians in the world (including those within his own band). While it progresses, it starts to see-saw between the grandiose and a milder, sweeter, sadder sound. As the Pumpkins guide us into these more melancholic moments, it begins to feel like you’re hearing the truth of how Billy feels inside. That he would gladly return all of the stardom and fame and acclaim for the chance to go back in time to those days of his childhood when he was the most disconsolate and make them just a little bit better. That every extra bit of fame makes him feel even worse for carrying around all the pain and makes him want to withdrawal from the world to spend his days in bed alone. The album is magnificent, anxious, dejecting, angry, calm, and, most of all, beautiful. 10/10 — best non-singles: Hummer & Silverf***
I remember Cherub Rock from Guitar Hero. At the time, it was one of my least played tracks on the game but it’s definitely grown on me a lot over time. I hadn’t really paid much attention to Smashing Pumpkins in general until a few years ago. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: Cherub Rock, Today Favourites: Today, Mayonaise I’ve said it many times before, but I love the unnecessary level of distortion found in a lot of 90s alt rock, and Siamese Dream is absolutely no exception. Each song would sound perfectly fine as an acoustic song, but that ridiculously heavy guitar tone adds so much punch. For a long time, I’ve been unsure of if I like Billy Corgan’s voice, but it suits every track here perfectly. There are no bad tracks here, and I found myself loving everything I heard.
Easiest 5 star I've given. Every song is an absolute banger. And, kills just as much now as it did 30 years ago.
Awesome album
Absolutely incredible, mayonnaise is a masterpiece, Luna and sweet sweet too
Feels like high school
This was one of Gen X's defining albums. Perfect 90s rock.
Ganz ok
The album I would to choose to send into outer space.
I went to Secondary School in a different town to where I lived. My hometown had a School, but I so hated the town, and the fuckers that I’d previously been at school with that I wanted out. A few years later, when I was in Uni, I went back to the town on the same train that I must’ve caught a thousand times before. As it started to pull up to the station, my phone started to play Mayonnaise, and as I walked up the slope and saw the town centre for the first time in years, the heavy riff started, and for a moment I was transported into the start of my very own Teenage Romantic Drama, the protagonist coming home for the holidays, going to a party, seeing everyone from school, and how they’ve changed, inevitably falling in love with his former best friend. It was a perfect moment, one of only two I’ve had regarding music. The other involved Road To Nowhere by Talking Heads and another train, thinking about it. Huh, weird. Maybe it’s because Alt Rock in the 90’s has always been so intrinsically linked to adolescence and so revisiting is invariably going to feel nostalgic, but Smashing Pumpkins always felt particularly nostalgia fuelled to me. I was never even the biggest fan of them. They were a bit too Proggy, too much guitar noodlery, not enough Punk. But relistening at a time when I have less teenage angst and more genuine Existential despair, I better understand it. The problems of your 20’s are similar to those of your adolescence, but if anything as a teen I felt more hope. There was possibility, there was a chance of getting out, of opportunity on the horizon, even if the present was less than shining. Nowadays, ‘I’m not living, I’m just killing time.’ But at least the music is beautiful. Bleak and despairing, but Beautiful
An amazing classic alternative album. A favorite.
Nice. Love cherub rock!
My girlfriend likes to call this the Hard Rock Cafe band/album, and I say it fits. Love this album.
Alternative music staple
Luka is wrong about the Smashing Pumkins, they're great
Enjoyed!
Großartig. Die unterschiedlichen Stile, die Mischung. Ich lieb‘s.
Bonafide classic, probably in my top 25 albums of all time. The guitar tone is just incredible
I love Siamese Dream. Great album, with a lot of fun memories associated with it.
Great Album
Man, I know I'm conditioned due to what was popular when I was growing up, but boy do I love this sound.
Love me some pumpkins. 5/5
Another great album. 2 days in a row we've had some classic Guitar Hero tunes, so much nostalgia. What a tune Today is.
Great alt rock
I love the slow songs, very dreamy
Excellence throughout.
This review got deleted :(
Classic 90s
A fantastic blend of comfort and weird in every song.
4.5
Good midtempo, loved the guitar parts and layering with tremelos and delays.
Ich mag die Lieder
Went in deaf and album overall turned out to be really good. Will be revisiting again in the future.
One of my all time favorites. Mayonnaise might just be a top 10 alternative rock song of the 90’s.
A. Alt rock classic - their finest moment in my humble opinion. Better songs overall the Gish, tighter sound, less filler (is there any here?) than Melon Collie.
Prime Pumpkins!
I liked it. I'd heard most of the songs beforehand but not the full album. Good stuff.
Alright i guess
9/10. I think Mellon Collie was a bit better, but it's a close call, and definitely both are solid.
Great stuff from the Pumpkins. 9/10
SO IN LOVE
I loved it in my jounger years already
Rating: 10/10 Classic album, one of the best albums of the 90's and one of my all time favorite albums. Extremely cathartic album, Corgan pours his emotions out on each one of the songs. The guitar tone used on this album is one of my favorites ever, absolutely loved it as well as the production/mixing. Love this album instrumentally as well, a lot of aggressive moments but many beautiful ones as well which always makes this album a journey to listen to. Favorite songs: Pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Quiet.
Some real hits on this album, lovely distortion and even a bit of an Irish sounding influence in some of the melodies. Some songs do drag on/are a bit repetitive but overall, has a strong theme, unique vocals, great sound
It's been a while.. It was good then, It is still good now. This album gives me goosebumps. Well written, well executed, a classic from the 90s. The guitars and drums are the stars here, there are really good lines here to listen to. Cherub Rock is such an amazing song to kickstart the álbum. 5/5
Stunning from start to finish.
No surprise here; I still love this album. Has held up better than a lot of 90s music to my ears
"Siamese Dream" is the second album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. The list of musical genres associated with them include alternative rock, grunge, alternative metal, shoegaze, pyschedelic rock, indie rock and hard rock. Quite a list and these songs do fit into each of them at times. This was a difficult recording process as frontman, guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Corgan felt pressured "to set the world on fire" and went through depression and suicidal thoughts. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlain was addicted to heroin and guitarist James Iha and bassist D'arcy Wretzky had ended their relationship. The end result worked as the album debuted at #10 on the US charts, had wide-spread critical acclaim and catapulted them into the mainstream. A drum roll, building guitar notes, the drums kick in and we're off with "Cherub Rock." Layered, melodic, driving guitars. Corgan screaming. Excellent drumming. Corgan's relationship and perception of the indie rock community. Melodic guitars strings start "Today." It's slower and no less effective. Corgan goes personally very deep touching on his depression and suicidal thoughts. A Pumpkins' classic. Guitars are again the stars in "Rocket." Loud, droning, layered guitars. It's about the Pumpkins separating themselves from other bands and in their own light. He shall be free! The production shines on "Disarm." Acoustic guitars, bells, strings. Corgan goes deep again singing about his shaky relationship with his parents. The melodic, layered guitars come a crescendo in the wonderful "Mayonaise." Starts slow, goes loud. Tempo changes. Maybe Corgans' best vocals. I'm not sure what it's about. Corgan said mayonaise was on a misprounciation the band heard in Japan. Quite possibly a love song. Well, there's no doubt the album closer "Luna" is a love song. This is more laid-back. Acoustic and electric guitars. Strings. The album ending on a positive note. This was a big album in my world back in 1993. I loved their debut "Gish" and this up the ante. Yeah, there's a lot here at 62 minutes. But, the number of melodic hooks is worth the excess. There's a number of high-level rock songs. Corgan's lyrics are very personal at times. He defintely laid a lot on the line. Not mentioned, in my first paragraph, but besides the drums, he played most the music since he knew what he wanted. This album still sounds fantastic and is one of the best albums of the 90's.
great album - lots of my favorites!
5 stars. No notes.
HOLDS UP
I bought this album on iTunes in 2010 and it was the official soundtrack of that summer. Have revisited many time since then, culminating in a recent highlighted interest in “Geek U.S.A.” Hard to say if there’s a song out there with more guitars or a more head-bang inducing ending. That’s often my get-home-early-and-crank-the-stereo-because-no-one’s-home song of choice. This is a tremendous album. So much good music from the 90’s and Smashing Pumpkins is always near the top of my list. Billy Corgan is an iconic frontman with a great story. The sound on the album is fantastic, albeit punishing to the ears. Great songs all over the place - Five stars.
Fuck yes.
cant fault this album
One of the best albums of the 90s, I think. It struck me as I revisited it that the songs are very much stadium anthems, but delivered in a way that makes them sound so strange and alternative and non-anthem-y, if that makes sense. I think this album stands out too for its production: compressed so extremely that it comes off as quite loud, which makes its quiet moments all the nicer. I love Siamese Dreams and was so happy to be reminded of it on this list!
Taking the best crunch and anger from Nirvana and the best sonic attack from my bloody valentine. I didn’t appreciate this at the time, I was too young, but this is really something special.
For me this is the best Smashing Pumpkins album. Great noisy guitar sound combined with beautiful melodies. Fantastic songs and a lot of variation in speed and style. From agressive to introvert.
I love cherub rock, favorite song Mayonnaise is really good Disarm is beautiful Silverfuck is long Hummer soma geek USA and today are good too
This is might just be the best smashing pumpkins album. Ive always been a huge indie fan and these songs fit there perfectly. Ill be honest i never listened to the whole album until now but im glad i listened to every song
Very very big fan of smashing pumpkins. This album displays creative sounds lyrically and musically, which is hard to create in such a common genre like alt-rock. Completely different than other albums you hear in the same genre, definitely one of the few to set the bar. Absolutely amazing all around Personal Favorites: Today, Cherub Rock, Luna, Soma, Mayonnaise
I don't like Mayonnaise, but I do like Mayonaise. I'm so conflicted.
Forgot how good this album is! Every song brought me back to my yute ;) If you know you know!
Maybe the best sounding guitars on any rock album of all time. 4.5/5
First time listening to Siamese Dream. Now Mellon Collie feels bloated by comparison. This is probably the best new thing I've heard on this list so far.
The MTV video for "Cherub Rock" was my intro to SP. It's still one of the best album openers ever. I've jammed "Quiet" in garages with friends, fallen asleep to "Mayonnaise," "Soma" and "Luna" on repeat many times each, and headphoned this album extensively. "Siamese Dream" and "Gish" are the only great Pumpkins albums in my opinion, and this one is a top 50 for me. "Hummer" and "Rocket" might be the best tracks in their catalog. The album is peak creativity in all aspects: brilliant riffs, enviable fuzz, S-tier percussion, nerdy-cool vocals... and Billy was still likeable and relatable. This remains a great sensory memory reservoir for me. Thanks for this album guys and D'arcy! These were the anthems of my youth. 4.8
I LOVE THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Incresible album. I've been a casual fan of the smashing pumpkins for some time but never given the time to listen to a full album of theirs. Every song her was greatly enjoyable and brought something to the table. Several (cherub rock, disarm and today) are some of the best rock songs of the 90s. 4.5 or a 5 idk yet
Only reason I'm tempted to give this less than 5 stars is so Melloncollie & Infinite Sadness would be higher rated. But well worth it on it's own merit!
Great album with great songs. Band refused to play any of these when I saw them live. Lesson: listen to the albums but don't buy a ticket to see this band
Brilliant
Sometime in high school, or maybe even shortly after (early aughts), I bought a Smashing Pumpkins greatest hits CD. I listened to the shit out of that CD for several years, especially the singles that got heavy airplay on our local alternative rock station. I never got around to listening to an entire Smashing Pumpkins album, and other than catching the stray song of theirs on Sirius XM, I haven't really listened to them in quite a while. This album was an absolute treat. I was already very familiar with "Cherub Rock," "Today," and "Disarm," but I'd never really given much thought to why I liked these songs until now. The guitar playing is fantastic on all three of these songs, and I love the distorted and fuzzy sound they have. I'd never really noticed before that The Smashing Pumpkins take so many different elements and blend them all together to make their signature sound; there's bits of hard rock, grunge, and shoegaze all represented heavily here (granted, I didn't hear the term shoegaze until I saw The Killers in 2009, and M83 opened for them, but that's a story for another time). I love Billy Corgan's voice on these tracks too. His singing is perfect for the heavy and darker tone of the lyrics featured on this album, and I think "Disarm" is the perfect example of this. I really enjoyed revisiting the tracks that I already knew, but the songs that I'd never listened to were fantastic too. The fuzzy and distorted guitars were present throughout the album, but those sounds took a backseat at times when they needed to, like the finger-picking on the guitar towards the end of "Hummer," and the light strumming at the beginning of "Soma." This album did all of the big things really well: great instrumentation, moody lyrics, and fantastic production, but there were a lot of other little things that stuck out to me too: the thundering drum intro on "Silverfuck," the drum fills on "Hummer," and the strange little guitar chords that interrupted the main melody on "Mayonnaise," all added some depth and detail to these tracks. The thing that sticks out to me the most about this album is that its a melodic and beautiful piece of hard rock. There's so many sonically pleasing elements peppered throughout the entire album: the string arrangements on several tracks, the bell on "Disarm," and the amazing denouement of "Sweet Sweet" and "Luna" to close out the album. The Smashing Pumpkins really knocked it out of the park with this one, and I'll be listening to this album regularly from here on out.
Great rough sound!
A perfect album that I know like the back of my hand. One of my earliest memories is of my oldest brother telling me that the two little girls on the front of the album were the band in hopes of making me interested in his music taste. I mean, as a former little girl, I do understand how important representation is and well, it worked. It’s been 30 years and I still love every second of this album. And can we agree that Mayonaise is one of the most beautiful songs ever written?
5/5 great album. Mayonaise is the best song named after a condiment.
Nostalgia dialed up a notch
So good
I was wondering when this was going to happen—an album I am not just familiar with but intimately familiar with. I probably know every word just about, and have listened to some of these songs dozens if not hundreds of times. I am familiar with how the album was recorded. That being said, my Pumpkins obsession probably peaked before I turned 18, and that was a long time ago. I didn’t realize how ornate some of the instrumentation was, there’s a lot going on here. Probably why I’ve always preferred Mellon Collie. Also I have never been happy with how the drums were mixed on this album. It’s like Billy Corgan was scared of being overpowered by Jimmy Chamberlain’s drums. There are so many good songs on this album, I have never been tempted to skip any of them, even though he could’ve left the strings off Spaceboy. Obviously I’m biased though. This album has tunes for days! And Billy is an interesting and powerful vocalist, though it’s something he wasn’t able to maintain as he aged.
The breakthrough album by SP, this one has the 'classic' sound they are defined by. Hearing cherub rock on MTV2 was my first exposure to them and it's such a great opener. Theres a few songs on this like Hummer that sound a bit like Pearl Jam and are the only time the grunge label makes sense. Mayonaise is their best song, gives me a nostalgic feeling without having any strong memories attached to it. Always shocked it's an hour long, flies by. Its not as ambitious as Mellon Collie but it was only their second album so you wouldn't expect it to be and it makes it an easier listen. 5*
Don't think I've listened to this album all the way through before... Weird I missed it given how much I love Mellon collie. This was great, probably isn't as heavy or as soft as Mellon collie gets, not as many extremes, not that that's a complaint. Some really iconic smashing pumpkins tracks here. I think Jamie is right, mayonnaise might be one of my favourite tracks! Highlights: Cherub rock Today Disarm Geek USA Mayonnaise I prefer Mellon collie, but that's an unfair standard to judge this by. I'll definitely be back to this. 5
Hard to be impartial. I loved this album in my youth and I still love it today
Out on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins, these nature kids, do they have a function and do I really give a fuck?
Love love love this album. Every time I think I've maybe grown out of it or think the latest embarrassing thing Billy Corgan does has finally put me off, or I think I'm a bit sick of overblown opuses with countless guitar overdubs, none of that matters. When that opening drum roll hits and I think about all the songs here, I am right back in. As has been written many times Corgan was a tyrant in the studio and there's like fifty guitar tracks overlayed in places which some might say is excessive, but it's the gentler moments here that really make this album shine and live long in my heart, and in turn really feed the power when it explodes. I used to use this CD to test a stereo out before I bought it. If this record sounded good that system was a winner. It's a yardstick. The quiet, breathy bits still bring to mind memories of walking the streets delivering papers in the dark early mornings lit by yellow streetlights, listening to this album. One of my favourite all time records. Forever, apparently. Best songs: Hummer, Spaceboy, Soma, Silverfuck, Mayonnaise, just all of it. I can't put them in order.
Another shocker, I didn't care for this much then
Excellent classic album taking me back to growing up in the 90's, background music doing homework or playing video games in my room, and later driving around and moving on to college.
5 stars
Easily my favourite Smashing Pumpkins album!
One of the best albums ive heard so far on this list. I knew a lot of songs but never listened start to finish. An underrated song is Soma.
Having been a part time listener of Smashing pumpkins for years this album was not unknown to me however I had not listened to it before. This really is a special album. I enjoyed this much more than my previous pumpkins experience would have led me to believe. The quality of the guitar work surprised me and I really enjoyed some of the singing as well which I know for many is what lets this band down. Would say 9/10 but 5/5 will do.
Is this the thickest guitar album of all time? Layer upon layer of fuzzed out riffs, overdriven leads, detuned chords, crystalline clear intros, and double, triple quadruple-tracked harmonies are all compressed into a warm, oozey and totally distinctive sound. That sound paired with a great sense of melodic phrasing makes for some of the most inventive and memorable playing of the era. The drums cut through the density of the guitars with sharp bright and clear snare, tom and symbol sounds and an almost jazzy playing style that, rather than doubling down on the heavy riffs, elevates them with a more spacious synchopated approach. If the guitars are thick, the vocals are thin and raspy, nasal and heady: the range is more about volume/intensity than anything else, from whispered, gentle and introspective to searching screams and wails. Like the songs. then, heavy or tender. Amazing musicianship and recording is combined with some of the best alt-rock radio song-writing of the 90s on singles like Today, Cherub Rock and Disarm which still stand up after thousands of plays and brilliant album tracks like Soma, Mayonaise, Hummer, and Spaceboy.
After listening to Siamese Dream, I can say its an amazing album and probably the best one i have done so far. The guitars were absolutely amazing and sometimes the songs could give me Metallica vibes which i really like. The mood of the songs also was great. I definitely really like this album. Best Song: Geek U.S.A. Worst Song: Spaceboy
Amazing
Excellent SP. At their best. Disarm ("Killer in Me...) is a classic, if you don't hear it a ton on the radio. Brought back a lot of memories.
A classic album and the videos for "Today" and "Disarm" are burned into my memory. Like most Smashing Pumpkins albums, they need an editor to cut down on the number of songs, but it's still a wonderful album. Even the album tracks like "Soma" and "Mayonaise" are classic tracks that simply get overlooked because of the other great songs. A must-listen.
10/10 desert island record for me
Excellent album!
Strong opening song. Lots of depth. 5/5
How good that this exists. I feel like most metal riffs are on this album in some early stage.
One my favorite albums of all time. Just an incredible piece of rock history front to back. 10/10 album.
Album is a classic. Great hits and musically sound. Billy Corgan's voice embodies grunge, and recognizable. His voice does tinge on whinny, but tolerable.