Smashing! [Import]

Smashing! [Import]

Track Listings

1. Everybody Loves Me

2. Brick by Brick

3. Big Time

4. Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town

5. You Want Kissing

6. Samba

7. Living on a Dream

8. 'Til the Sun Goes Cold

9. Favorite Thrill

10. Mr. Bad Vibe

11. Radio

12. ABC

13. Place I Know (The Fairy Song)

Smashing!,Right Said Fred,EMI Int'l,Club/Dance,Dance Music,Dance-Pop,Disco,Pop,Rock

Zeitgeist
Average customer rating:

They're back, in an interesting way.

Back, but not quite.

Excellent

Will seem mediocre to fans & really awful to non-fans

Great album

Zeitgeist
Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Martha's Music / Reprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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Our Love to Admire

Year Zero

Era Vulgaris

ASIN: B000OQF6N6
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

Doomsday Clock
7 Shades of Black
Bleeding the Orchid
That¹s the Way (my Love is)
Tarantula
Starz
United States
Neverlost
Bring the Light
(Come on) Let¹s Go!
For God and Country
Pomp and Circumstances

Amazon.com

Inside the buzzing hive of Smashing Pumpkins' guitars is clearly where bandleader Billy Corgan feels most comfortable. So, after a seven-year hiatus for the short-lived group Zwan and his surprisingly sunny 2005 solo album, Corgan has revived the Pumpkins in all the six-string-spattered shades of emotional gray that made them one of the greatest bands of the alt-rock era. Longtime drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, along with famed boardsmiths Roy Thomas Baker and Terry Date as well as Corgan himself coproduced. Chamberlin also supports mountainous layers of guitar with his fiercest playing. California musicians Ginger Reyes (bass) and Jeff Schroeder (guitar) complete a version of the band dedicated to early bare-knuckled form, with a few exceptions: Corgan's grown into a more powerful wordsmith and his lengthy guitar solo explorations of yore are replaced with a trim, barbed textural approach that's ultimately more vicious. That is, until the centerpiece "United States" stretches into an epic punk-metal-informed sibling of Jimi Hendrix's "Machine Gun," with Corgan's strings singing like explosions and twisting metal as he warbles about revolution. Much of this album conjures literal and sonic visions of apocalypse, but there's grace, too, in the blithe grind of the hopeful "That's the Way (My Love Is)" and the melodic "Neverlost." Overall, Corgan's captivating effort to mine both the spirit of these turbulent times and the soul of his defining band is a smashing success. --Ted Drozdowski

Album Description

The Smashing Pumpkins are back! After seven years, the acclaimed Pumpkins have returned with Zeitgeist. Featuring the single "Tarantula," this new sound is not to be missed.

Customer Reviews:

They're back, in an interesting way........2007-07-24

I liked and still like the Smashing Pumpkins with their albums Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie, which were hits and had their own sound. So when I picked Zeitgeist up, I was anxious of what they would sound like. The result wasn't all bad, just different. Billy Corgan seemed to change his guitar from piercing riffs and blazing solos to a kind of muddy "wall of sound". Also the absence of James Iha and D'Arcy Wretzky is definitely noticeable.

1.Doomsday Clock- One of their first singles, it's pretty catchy and rocks hard. 8/10
2.7 Shades Of Black- The verses in this song are pretty catchy, but the rest of the song gets kind of repetitive. 7/10
3.Bleeding The Orchid- An OK song, mellower than the first two, but not really a standout. 6/10
4.That's The Way (My Love Is)- My favorite song off the album, it's extremely catchy and has a more upbeat melody than the rest of the album's seemingly darker tone. 10/10
5.Tarantula- The album's first single, it has a faster beat and catchy lyrics. 8/10
6.Starz- This song is almost eerie and has a dark tone. Not really a standout. 6/10
7.United States- Billy Corgan dives into politics with this song, which has a cool jamming second half, but is kind of boring in the beginning. 7/10
8.Neverlost- A very good song with a light melody, it's a breath of fresh air from the muddy guitars. 8/10
9.Bring The Light- This song has kind of an atmospheric feel to it, but gets repetitive pretty fast. 7/10
10.(Come On) Let's Go!- This song has catchier guitar than a lot of the other songs, and leaves more of a lasting impression than "Bleeding The Orchid" or "Bring The Light". 8/10
11.For God And Country- The last two closing songs kind of fade out and leave more to be desired, like this one. Overall just boring. 5/10
12.Pomp And Circumstances- This is better than the previous song, because it has an oddly light melody and sounds like something off of Mellon Collie. 7/10

Overall, Zeitgeist has some songs that kind of blend together, but the ones that stand out are worth it. The Pumpkins' comeback was definitely interesting, whatever way you put it.

Back, but not quite........2007-07-24

Upon first listen, I was disappointed. Not much on this album reached out and grabbed me as "This is Pumpkins!!!", but it did enough so to keep me listening. After a few spins through the album and a review of the rest of the SP catalog, it began to grow on me. In all, it is a good listen, but may not satisfy some die hard fans or casual listeners.

I suspect several singles will get airplay, including "Tarantula", "That's the Way (My Love Is)", and "Bring The Light". "(Come On) Let's Go!", which would be MTV bound if they still played videos, is among my favorites along with others that seem to have all the SP elements, are "7 Shades of Black" and "Bleeding the Orchid".

If you want something a little different, but catchy and upbeat, sample "Starz". There is obviously some political content amongst the tracks, like the anthem "Unites States" and "God and Country", but Corgan's lyrics are so fractured that it's easy just to enjoy it for the music, or make up your own meaning! (Sorry Billy, I just ain't buyin, so stop tryin)

I am really enjoying this album now, and find myself far less boring and depressing than the odd ballads of Mellon Collie. I'd say this album is a good blend of Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie while showing some growth in most elements, if not lyrics.

Excellent.......2007-07-23

This is an excellent album. Smashing pumpkins in very fine form. And being now a christian, its very interesting to see Jesus stiring up Billy's soul.

Will seem mediocre to fans & really awful to non-fans.......2007-07-23

I became a pumpkins fan at the height of their popularity, i.e., right after Mellon Collie came out. More specifically, I saw the Tonight, Tonight music video and was really impressed. I'm still impressed with what the band accomplished. Their massive hits like Today & 1979 are just as great to listen to now as they were over a decade ago. I could sit and listen to their first four albums from start to finish and never get bored. Then came Machina! It has a few good songs, but nothing a non-fan would ever want to listen to. This album is even worse, but it has one song - Tarantula - that a non-fan might want to hear. Sad to say, but Billy needs another major shift in his sound. He also needs to pump up the sound and drown out his voice. Maybe he always sounded this bad, but we couldn't tell in the early days because the awesome music drowned out his high-pitched voice. My great dissapointment is that there are no songs here that a fan can privately enjoy, the type of song like Mayonaise or Muzzle that the fans can love but won't get much radio play. Tarantula is the only song of quality here, and it's for the radio - not the fans. For that, I am greatly disappointed.

Great album .......2007-07-23

Love this album, kills the new velvet revolver album. Good ole 90's rock is back.

Average customer rating:

this special edition is not special at all.really dissapointed
The Smashing Pumpkins Are Back
I'm in touch with you
Thank You, Paris Hilton!

Zeitgeist (W/Book) (Spec)
The Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tarantula
Our Love To Admire (Special Package)
Absolute Garbage
Zeitgeist
Garbage: Absolute Garbage

ASIN: B000QGDIKM
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

Doomsday Clock
7 Shades Of Black
Bleeding the Orchid
That's the Way (My Love Is)
Tarantula
Starz
United States
Neverlost
Bring the Light
(Come On) Let's Go!
For God And Country
Pomp And Circumstances

Amazon.com

Product Description

Ltd. Edition. "Photo-album" style book w/ CD & 78 pg. book bound with post and screw; features diecut "windows;" disc included in diecut disc pocket inside back cover. No Addt'l music.

Customer Reviews:

this special edition is not special at all.really dissapointed.......2007-07-23

ive been expectin this special edition really more special than the standard one.but the thing is this edition sucks.
i got a scrached cd after the 1st time i opened the sealed package cos the cd is put in the back slipcase and way a lot worse than it to put in a standard cd case for more protection.
and the 76 pages *full*colored book is bulls***!it only got 4or5 low quality picture prints and a *lot*blank pages and transparent pages(so they call a transparent page is TWO PAGES)that is ridiculous cos all the so called book contained 4-5 pictures that maybe billy took and one billy transparent page and one jimmy page the rest are lyrics just like the standard edition.

so everybody who got a brain don't buy this LTD VERSION,ITS A TOTAL WASTED OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!

though the music is good.everybody should listen to the music n don't expect anything more of this album

The Smashing Pumpkins Are Back.......2007-07-22

A friend recently described this CD as "loud," and she was right. For some people that is going to mean The Smashing Pumpkins are back: loud full sound layered and layered and layered and busy...

Others will complain that it doesn't sound like the old Pumpkins, because there are some differences. This isn't Siamese Dream or Mellon Chollie and the Infinite Sadness, it's more like MACHINA with touches of Zwan and The Future Embrace--not three of Corgan's more popular works--but it's these touches that make this album interesting and fresh.

The Smashing Pumpkins are indeed back, with enough of the old raw power and sound to satisfy most old fans and enough creative verve to satisfy those of us who don't want the same old thing from old favorites.

The special edition booklet is about as interesting as these booklets get, which isn't very, but Billy Corgan took the photos himself--even the ones of Paris Hilton. No extra content, just 12 songs, but given the quality of those songs, that's more than enough to make this worth buying.

I'm in touch with you.......2007-07-17

The Smashing Pumpkins are back. The legendary rock band, which blossomed like a dark rose in the musical wasteland of the 1990s.

Okay, only frontman Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin have returned from the original lineup, and the absences can be detected. But their return album "Zeitgeist" is still worthy of epic praise -- dark, passionate hard-rock, written with a darkly poetic sweep. Too bad the extra material isn't so good.

The drums smash, the bass roars like unleashed tornado. "Is everyone afraid?/Is everyone ashamed?/They're running towards their holes to find out/Apocalyptic thieves/Are lost amongst our dead," Corgan drawls, telling us a story of gas masks, Kafka and fear.

It's followed with the roiling rocker "7 Shades of Black," with the level of depression you'd expect ("And without peer/And without fear/I'm without anyone at all!"). Then it pours into a series of blazing hard-rockers -- soaring grimy epics, buzzing and cascading bass rockers, a stripped-down melodic tune, and the soaringly exquisite "Pomp and Circumstances," which is only marred by Corgan singing "la la la la..."

"Zeitgeist" probably won't be gently compared to the Pumpkins' earlier classics, especially since it doesn't have James Iha and D'arcy Wretzy from the original lineup -- valuable talents both. But taken on its own virtues, it's brilliant hard-rock -- epic, dark, and with moments of sheer poetry woven into the stormy music.

If I had a main complaint, it would be that the softer songs are rare here, and that the bass doesn't have that epic quality in some of the songs. But Corgan is blazingly passionate in his playing, layering and building a storm of driving guitar and fuzzy bass. He pushes on the fiery melodies of each song, with Chamberlin smashing the drums beside him. These guys sound kinetic.

And Corgan's nasal voice sneers and drawls through the harder songs, but he can also sound wistful and tender, like when he sings, "that's the way my love is." And he pours plenty of passion into his songs, which seem to balance out between the happy and sad -- on one side, a crumbling, bitter apocalypse, and on the other, "no shadows follow me unsung."

Some of his songs aren't up to par lyrically, like "God and Country." But Corgan spins his weird poetry in other songs, like the the ethereal "Pomp and Circumstance": "Torn, broken and frayed/Oh don't we face/War, sunshine and grace/Oh won't you stay/For a while/We can fail in style..."

The special edition of "Zeitgeist" also comes with a eightyish-page booklet, but to be perfectly honest, the booklet is kind of pointless. It's primarily filled with arty photographs -- Paris Hilton in front of a burgeoning nuclear explosion, a grim reaper on the presidential podium, a Roman soldier, coffins, and quite a few others. They're interesting photos, but not really worth exerting yourself for, and they don't reveal much about the album itself.

The Pumpkins aren't quite all they once were here, but Corgan and Chamberlin are enough to make "Zeitgeist" a brilliant hard-rock album with some vintage flourishes. Just take it for itself, with no comparisons.

Thank You, Paris Hilton!.......2007-07-12

Their third start as a band (second without their bassist and this time with Chamberlin and Corgan only), the Smashing Pumpkings are half of what Siamese Dream used to be: innovative. This time like Siamese, Billy plays all the instruments with the exception of Jimmy on Drums. The most radio friendly songs include Tarantula, (Come On) Let's Go!, and Bring the Light. Here you will find songs in contrast to The Future Embrace and a mixture of Zwan's Mary Star of the Sea and Machina. The lyrics are political like "the're bound to kill us" from Doomsday Clock and "revolution!" from the song United States. The multiple-page book shows images of Paris Hilton (Starz), the U.S. podium, death, and children. The booklet also includes the lyrics to all songs and images of the two remaining Pumpkins. All photos were taken by Billy Corgan using multiple images to show what politicians are doing to America or in some cases facism. The music is lyrical and fueled by guitars and drums. One of the songs, Bleeding the Orchid, shows a sensitive side to what Corgan is trying to achieve with this reunion.

The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits - Rotten Apples

Average customer rating:

helped me through hell
Most of the greatist hits...
One of the few greatest hits albums that actually satisfy
Greatest Hits
Buy the 2 disc version

The Smashing Pumpkins - Greatest Hits - Rotten Apples
The Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005RGFU
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Siva
Rhinocerous
Drown
Cherub Rock
Today
Disarm
Landslide
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
1979
Zero
Tonight, Tonight
Eye
Ava Adore
Perfect
The Everlasting Gaze
Stand Inside Your Love
Real Love
Untitled

Amazon.com

The Smashing Pumpkins' greatest-hits album, Rotten Apples, traces the band's evolution (or devolution, depending on your feelings about the band's radical sonic shift in the mid-'90s) from its early days to its status among the kings of alt rock. For fans of the Pumpkins' beginnings as a tripped-out indie/art rock act, Apples opens with some of the band's strongest material. "Siva" and "Rhinoceros" (from Gish, the Pumpkin's first--and arguably best--album) seamlessly mixed dream pop with noisy goth-rock as prime examples of the Pumpkins' early '90s sound. Apples also showcases three stellar tracks ("Cherub Rock," "Today," and "Disarm") from Siamese Dream, the Pumpkins' breakout album. This disc makes the band's mid-'90s directional swing obvious, though, starting with "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," the aggressive alt rock/alt metal concoction released on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Fans of songs like "Zero," "Tonight, Tonight," and "The Everlasting Gaze" will be happy to know that pretty much every cage-rattling hit made it to this disc, along with the previously unreleased dream pop track "Real Love" and an untitled new track (that sounds a lot like the Siamese Dream-era Pumpkins) to round out the mix. --Jennifer Maerz

Customer Reviews:

helped me through hell.......2007-06-18

after i got this cd it was constantly playing, i have heard all these songs and uncounted amount of times and i still listen every day. the order of bullet and then the next track as 1979 is genius, also drown fits in very nicely at track 3. the only grapes i have with this album is that it wasnt like a 22 track cd, you know, the other 4 tracks should have been sprinkled in there. they should have been mayonaise, geek usa, muzzle, and go out with thirty-three. but it doesnt matter cuase i have every sp album, but still this cd is nicely put together, it really soothed my entire being on days where i really wanted to be done. but it and if u like it u need to at least buy siamese dream, and if you dont already know about mellon collie then like they say its never too late to get into some real music, completely unto itself. really there is nothing like it. and it is a gorgeous thing that no matter what comes the music of billy corgan and smashing pumpkins will live on.

Most of the greatist hits..........2007-04-20

Corgan and SP made some of the most creative songs during the 90s.Theres not many bands like them.

But when I bought the album I was a little dissipointed too see that there were some songs missing.Such as "Spaceboy", "Thirty-Three", "By Starlight", "Starla" and "Try,Try,Try".It might have also been cool if they added the "1979" Moby remix.

But all in all the album is awesome.I suggest people who are new too Smashing Pumpkins to buy this album before they go and get their other albums.If you like greatist hits I suggest you get MCATIS and Adore.But I think you won't regret getting this.

One of the few greatest hits albums that actually satisfy.......2007-03-27

When it comes to "best of's" and compilations, very rarely can a collection successfully comprise a solid overview of a band's catalog. The Smashing Pumpkins' "Greatest Hits" is one of the few of these collections that actually satisfies, providing a very solid overview of the songs that propelled the band to stardom. Singles from "Gish" to "Machina: The Machines of God" are covered here, as well as "Eye" from the soundtrack to David Lynch's Lost Highway, and unreleased songs "Real Love" and "Untitled", which are actually pretty good as well. The only real downsides to this compilation are that no other non-singles are covered here, and the CD booklet features no kind of commentary at all from any of the band members. That aside, for casual fans of the Smashing Pumpkins, "Greatest Hits" isn't a bad pick up at all.

Greatest Hits.......2007-02-22

I really enjoyed this album. I've tried to buy this cd in the store, but can't find it (sold out). Amazon offered a much better price on it anyway, so I was able to save a little extra money. This cd truely offers the band's greatest hits in one cd. If you like The Smashing Pumpkins, which many people do, I highly suggest this cd.

Buy the 2 disc version.......2007-02-14

The 2nd disc of rarities and b sides on the limeted edition is one of their best releases. Unless you dont own Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie, and Adore there is no reason to buy this, just get the other albums and make a mix. Or get the videos DVD.

Average customer rating:

Alternative rock masterpiece
Must have album!
An Alt-Rock Masterpiece
gorgeous!
an all time favorite

Siamese Dream
Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
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MACHINA/The Machines of God

ASIN: B000000WJZ
Release Date: 1993-07-27

Tracks:

Cherub Rock
Quiet
Today
Hummer
Rocket
Disarm
Soma
Geek U.S.A.
Mayonaise
Spaceboy
Silverfuck
Sweet Sweet
Luna

Amazon.com essential recording

An introductory drum roll drops out and is replaced by a single suspended electric guitar, which is then paralleled by a snare, filled in with the bass, and--crash!--"Cherub Rock," the opening track, is enveloped in an explosion of metal guitar. So the journey begins. This album is pre-experimentation vintage Pumpkins. Produced by Butch Vig (Garbage, Sonic Youth, Nirvana's Nevermind), Siamese Dream is first about guitars. Lots and lots of guitars. A very close second is Jimmy Chamberlain's unquestionably excellent power drumming. Throughout each song, Billy Corgan delivers angsty lyrics in his signature breathy whine. "Disarm" is a nice intermission halfway though the album. As the title of the song suggests, it throws the listener into a different mood with its full string arrangements and radiant orchestral chimes. But then it is back to the aural masochism--a pain that rarely sounds so sweet. --Beth Bessmer

Customer Reviews:

Alternative rock masterpiece.......2007-07-21

Siamese Dream (1993.) The second Smashing Pumpkins studio album.

INTRODUCTION:
With the advent of the alternative music movement in America, new bands were surfacing all across the country. Among them was Billy Corgan's band, the Smashing Pumpkins. The group had already gained a cult following of sorts after touring with other, more popular acts. Their following had increased further with the release of Gish, their first full-length studio album. Two years later, after numerous conflicts and hardships, including Corgan's depression and Jimmy Chamberlain's drug problem, the album was finally released.

OVERVIEW:
Siamese Dream was released in 1993. The band's second studio album featured the classic lineup of Billy Corgan on vocals and rhythm guitar, Jimmy Chamberlain on drums, James Iha on lead guitar, and D'arcy on bass. Guest musicians Eric Remschneider and David Ragsdale provide string arrangements and violin/cello for some tracks.

REVIEW:
Despite the sessions for this album being plagued with hardships coming from every corner of the band, the end product was more than worth it. Billy Corgan had written over fifty songs during the sessions, and was going to disband the group if the album was a failure. Fortunately, he didn't have to do that. Siamese Dream catapulted the band into the American mainstream, and scored even more hits than Gish. The band's sound here is much more mature and developed than on Gish, and this results in a stronger, more coherent album.

-Cherub Rock:
One of the biggest hits on the album, and of the band's career. This song beautifully combines a melodic, peaceful sound, with the hard and heavy rock of the band's early days. The fusion of these two styles results in an absolute masterpiece.

-Quiet:
It's called Quiet, but this song is anything but. This is straight-up, distortion-driven rock. James Iha's distortion-heavy rock guitar sound makes this yet another worthwhile tune. It would not have been out of place on Gish, the band's first album.

-Today:
One of the reasons so many people like the Smashing Pumpkins is for their ability to combine heavy and soft sounds alike. And that reason is why this song was such a big hit. Slow and melodic verses are combined with guitar-intensive choruses and interludes, making for yet another worthwhile track.

-Hummer:
Another fusion of melodic rock and the distortion-intensive material the band was so well known for in its infancy. The final two minutes are all melodic, abandoning the hard and heavy structure of the rest of the song. What results is another great track. While not as popular as some of the other songs on here, this one is no less excellent.

-Rocket:
With Corgan and Iha alike shelling out multiple guitar tracks, this song takes hold of your attention and never lets go. It's another one of the distortion-intensive tunes (clearly the band hadn't outgrown them yet), but the use of the multiple tracks and awesome melodies makes this one a stand-out.

-Disarm:
By far the biggest hit on the album, and definitely the most popular song the band ever recorded that didn't come from Mellon Collie. This isn't your average rock song - it's filled with classical-style melodies, including string sections courtesy of the guest musicians, and church bells chiming. The song doesn't rock hard at all, but it doesn't have to. The beautiful melodies on this song must be heard to be appreciated. Absolute masterpiece.

-Soma:
For the first half of this song, the band shows off their melodic rock side, and quite well. And then, come the second half, James Iha enters the picture, rocking out full force. This one is a fan favorite because it has the best of both musical worlds.

-Geek U.S.A.:
Despite its awkward title, this song rocks hard and never backs down - except for during a very brief, melodic interlude. Once again, Iha is on fire (this guy is such an underrated guitarist.) Awesome track that deserved more credit.

-Mayonaise:
Another distortion-intensive rocker. The band tries to fool you with a minute-or-so long melodic introduction, but catches you off guard with heavy riffs when you least expect it. This album is laden with underrated treasures, and this is one of them.

-Spaceboy:
Here the band takes a break from the rockers and tries something completely different. Acoustic guitars and orchestral backing instrumentation is the primary sound here. These deviations from the rest of the album make this one of the stand-out tracks, even if it wasn't one of the more popular ones on here.

-Silverf*ck:
This is an interesting song, because it's simultaneously the loudest and the quietest song on the album. The intro and outro parts rock hard, even harder than anything else on the album. But a lengthy interlude in the middle is extremely low-pitched - hell, it's even pretty difficult to hear unless you turn up your stereo full blast. But once again, they're nice melodies. Another good fusion of two musical extremes.

-Sweet Sweet:
Less than two minutes in length, this is the shortest song on the album. The instrumentation is all acoustic and classical flavored. It's an excellent melody, and the only weakness is its brevity.

-Luna:
The band closes out the album with another slow-paced, melodic tune that heavily implements classical instrumentation. It's another unique track, and definitely stands another solid one. Great closer.

OVERALL:
Overall this is a greatest album, one of the finest alternative rock albums to come out of the nineties. It's not quite the masterpiece Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness would be - while the band has began maturing, it's clear they're still not above the distortion-filled rock sound that filled their early days. If you're new to the Smashing Pumpkins and you're trying to decide which album or albums you want to purchase, I would recommend buying this one, along with Mellon Collie. Final verdict? VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

EDITION NOTES:
The Smashing Pumpkins albums have always remained popular and have always been readily available. And being one of their most popular, this one remains available at most major music retailers.

Must have album!.......2007-07-11

This is, in my opinion, Smashing Pumpkins' best album. "Gish" and "Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness" are also good, but this is their masterpiece. Still has a unique sound to me- imagine how unique it was then...

An Alt-Rock Masterpiece.......2007-06-29

This album is so good, it puts a lump in my throat just thinking about it. Very rarely are there great "albums" released anymore, where from the first song to the last, the music is strong and artfully arranged to make one complete "book" of music. I love this album, I love this sound. To me, this captures the best of the Pumpkins - the driving guitar and drums. What is that signature Pumpkins distortion on the guitar? Amazing. There's another song out there right now that has a similar sound and screaming vocals. It's not the SP, but it sure sounds like them!

gorgeous!.......2007-06-16

well this will be review 450 and i guess there aint much to say that hasnt been said at this point. so shut my mouth and strike the demons... yeah, you see i was only 4 when it came out and my sister who was only 8 had it new. the thing is i dont really remember much of it from when i was a kid. so skip some odd years later plus a shattered soul and you have me at 18, a diehard pumpkins fan of about only a year, and when i first heard sweet, sweet again it was instant nostalgia of heart warming bliss, like that song had never left my heart all those years. all in all it is the best sp album because it is the most flawless even though personally i find no flaws in any sp material. i will listen to these songs until my heart beat implodes, nothing short of that. the thing is that my taste in music is so big that i could kick it with most that love all good music, and still could not say there is anything in the history of music like the splash in "TODAY" after those opening chords of angel dust...nothing! billy better be playing most if not all of these songs on upcoming shows, hard to do when his songs list is extremely dense, still i'll prolly be the guy in the front wearing my zero tee yelling play SWEET SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

an all time favorite.......2007-05-19

Why do I keep losing this CD?! I've bought it about 6 times now and I love it every bit as much as I did back in Chicago when I first heard it, so many years ago. I love the Pumpkins, I love their ever changing sound. But this is one of those "top 5 stranded on a desert island" CDs for me, and I suspect it always will be. It's pure, raw, energetic Pumpkins at the very beginning of their long and glorious run...which is finally kicking up again soon. It's one of the few albums I own where I love every single song. A classic.

Average customer rating:

Wrap me up in arm weights
Great album, I wanna buy it
One of the best of the 90's
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
I'm kinda new to this album...

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Siamese Dream
Adore
Pisces Iscariot
Gish
MACHINA/The Machines of God

ASIN: B000000WA4
Release Date: 1995-10-24

Tracks:

Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness
Tonight, Tonight
Jellybelly
Zero
Here Is No Why
Bullet With Butterfly Wings
To Forgive
Fuck You (An Ode To No One)
Love
Cupid De Locke
Galapogos
Muzzle
Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans
Take Me Down

Tracks:

Where Boys Fear To Tread
Bodies
Thirty-Three
In The Arms Of Sleep
1979
Tales Of Scorched Earth
Thru The Eyes Of Ruby
Stumbleine
X.Y.U.
We Only Come Out At Night
Beautiful
Lily (My One And Only)
By Starlight
Farewell And Goodnight

Amazon.com essential recording

Emotionally over-the-top pop extravaganzas like the string-swelling "Tonight Tonight," the Metallica-influenced alternative rock of "Zero," the techno via new wave of "1979"--the 28 songs on this swell two-disc album are as eclectic as their themes are epic and ambitious. Billy Corgan's thin whine isn't much of an instrument, but he makes the most of it by writing smart songs that take emotional chances that more-typical alt rockers would deem uncool. Pessimistic and feeling trapped but still wanting to believe in love, in a future, in something--this is the sound of Gen X at the millennium, with all the self-indulgence and power that would suggest. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

Wrap me up in arm weights.......2007-07-24

I had the great fortune of being a teenager when this album first came out. Many (too many) years later I still find this an incredible example of artistic creativity and sheer talent. The Smashing Pumpkins' eclectic style shines more so here than any other CD (Siamese Dream was great but fairly uniform). Some may complain of "fillers", but to be honest I do not think there is a single song on this double CD that would make the whole better by its removal (even James Iha's two entries--which I originally found intollerable, have grown on me as a pleasant and partially tongue-in-cheek break from Corgan's downpour of emotions and ideas). After this album, the Pumpkins went off in new directions, never returning to the brilliance demonstrated in Mellon Collie.

Great album, I wanna buy it.......2007-07-22

No doubt, it's a must-have album. It's a double-cd album. I found there're two versions of this album. One version comes in a double jewel case, the other comes in a standard jewel case . Could anyone tell which version it is? Thanks

One of the best of the 90's.......2007-07-18

Smashing Pumpkins were a flower that grew out of a pot of dirt that was the must of the 90's littered with rap and grunge.

Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.......2007-04-24

The Smashing Pumpkins-Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness ****

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of if not the greatest band of the 1990s, and will some day be concidered on eof the greatest bands of all time. Many people concider Mallon Collie And The Infinite Sadness to be the bands best album and one of the greatest albums ever. Well thats because it is. The band was at its best here. Siamese Dream is a much better album as a whole, but this because it has so many songs has more room for error. Many feel the album would have been better as a single disc, we'll see.

Corgan who we all came to find would go back and rerecord over everyone elses stuff once they left the studio so he really is the only one that you here. He is at his best musicaly, idealy, and lyricly.

Disc One: Dawn To Dusk

'Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness' the title track which opens the album does it perfectly. 'Tonight, Tonight' 'Zero' and the massive success of 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' were all big hit singles still get played quite a bit on the radio. 'Zero' which is maybe the best thing the band ever recorded is so in your face that it is not even funny. The lyrics are just scary, and deppresing at the same time. The guitar is some of Corgans best, a classic thats for sure. 'Tonight, Tonight' apart from having one of the all time greatest music videos to accompany it is one of the bands better songs. With mostly acoustic guitar and lots of string arrangements this song is a sure win. 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings' is The Smashing Pumpkins all time biggest hit and one of the most over played songs of all time, but it is still one of the best songs ever and the lyrics are pure poetry. Corgan has some issues as you can tell from listening to this song. 'Cupid De Locke' and 'Take Me Down' are both very similar songs.They are both slower and quiter then most of the rest of the first side and are very beautiful songs. 'Here Is No Why' is a harder rocker and a great asset to the album. 'Galapogos' 'Muzzle' and 'Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans' are all songs that the album could have done with out.

All in all the first half of the album is pretty good. Only a few songs that could be thrown out, and the rest is amazing.

Disc Two: Twilight To Starlight

'Where Boys Fear To Tread' opens the second have greatly. 'Bodies' keeps the album going nicley and segues right into 'Thiry-Three' which is also one of the best songs on the album. '1979' is the only really big song on the album and it was massive when released as a single. The song that introduced most to The Smashing Pumpkins. Easily one of the best songs Corgan ever wrote, very electronic and goth, but very good with great drumming and nice guitar effects add a nice feel to the song that sets it apart from the rest of the album. 'X.Y.U.' is just insane, a very interesting song that is slightly out of place on the album but is still a great song. 'Lilly (My One And Only)' maybe the best song on the second disc. Its hard to explain, the piano and the song are so peppy and cheer full but the lyrics are sort of sad. A perfect song, and a truly original one at that. 'In The Arms Of Sleep' 'Thru The Eyes Of Ruby' and 'By Starlight' could have all benifited the album had they not been recorded. They are really just filler and the album would be a lot better with out them.

Once again disc two is really good except for a few songs that are nothing more then filler, but over all another great side to the album.

All in all could Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness been left a single album no! While yes there are still a number of songs that could have been left off there would still be way to many songs for a single disc, this album had to be big and huge and over the top. Could it have benifited from less songs, yes it could have. Is this the bands best album, no not by a long shot, is it one of the better albums in rock history, yes it is. Should you own it, is that even a question you are really debating at this point, click the order button.

I'm kinda new to this album..........2007-03-20

But I gotta say that so far "Farewell and Goodnight" is a truly remarkable song! Its great! Ill do a review later but I just gotta appreciate that song!

Average customer rating:

If this is Billy being deep, then I'd hate to see his flippant side
The song is good and the album cover is a commentary
Its a single
I wish I could give it Zero
Complete waste of time and $$$

Tarantula
The Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Zeitgeist (W/Book) (Spec)
Zeitgeist
Untitled
Absolute Garbage
Survivalism, Pt. 2

ASIN: B000RHK16Y
Release Date: 2007-07-09

Tracks:

Tarantula
Death From Above

Album Description

First CD single pulled from their 2007 album Zeitgeist, their sixth album overall and their first for seven years! . 'Tarantula' is an undoubted highlight of the album and ranks alongside classic Smashing Pumpkins tracks such as 'Disarm,' 'Today,' 'Cherub Rock' and '1979', songs that defined the Alternative music era and continue to resonate, influencing a whole new generation. Features 'Tarantula' plus 'Death From Above'. Warner.

Album Details

The First Fruit of the Original Lineup of the Reunited 90's Rockers on their New Label Home.

Customer Reviews:

If this is Billy being deep, then I'd hate to see his flippant side.......2007-07-17

Tony Danza railed against CNN dubious coverage of Paris Hilton's incarceration. Does this make him philosophical as well?

My problem with Tarantula is that it hardly brings anything new to the table. BC is merely doing a rehash of what people already know. Yes, we are unhandily obsessed with the culthood of celebrity. This is not breaking news. I'm not sure what reaction Billy expected by putting Paris on the cover. Did he think people would turn off The Hills, pick up the latest Mother Jones, and call their state senator?

If anything, the whole thing smacks of opportunism and hypocrisy on Billy's part. For example, see the Pumpkins MySpace saturation. See their latest contest of "make your own Tarantula video using our original green-screen footage!". See Billy's childish blog postings of "It's James' fault that SP broke up! D'Arcy was a mean-spirited, drug-addict! "

Don't bite the hand that feeds you, BC.

I'm guessing Billy was one of those people that made fun of the elected Homecoming royalty in high school but secretly dreamt of being voted king himself. Now he has graduated to criticizing E!'s coverage choices but where would Billy be without his fawning fans? The man clearly enjoys his celebrity status.

As for the song itself, it hardly breaks any new ground musically or lyrically. Yeah, it's full of (misdirected) rage but it has all the power of a banana-cream pie being dropped from a ten-foot ladder. Which is too bad when you consider the power of true zeitgeist songs like Eve of Destruction, Blowin' in the Wind, Imagine, or Orange Crush. Tarantula hardly rates among these tunes.

Borrowing a trick from BC... Here are my b-sides for the title of this review.
OMG! This isn't gr8, it sux...
Billy, meet the pot and the kettle.
The drama queen has no clothes.
Would you like some weienerschnitzel with your zeitgeist, Frau Corgan?
No, I meant what does "ironic" mean?

The song is good and the album cover is a commentary.......2007-07-16

"If the lyrics "don't let me say this/but you're no worse than me/its crazy/we are the real/if real ever was/and just because/we are the real/they feel we have enough" aren't enough to interpret Billy's motives, the not too subtle single cover with Paris Hilton standing in front of a mushroom cloud with a Blackberry in hand completely gives them away. The concept of the new Smashing Pumpkins album centers around America's apathy and languorous attitude concerning the political and social climate produced by our leaders and felt by people around the world. Indeed, the climate of bloggers and MySpace has led to a public more interested in Britney's Spears' haircut than more serious subjects. Although Billy admits, Paris and his listeners are no worse than him. Someone, (the internet, paparazzi, corporations?) gave us sound..."

Overall, Tarantula is a guitar driven pop track that is new and classic Pumpkins all at the same time. The more I listen to it, the more I like it. Death From Above isn't so good, and sounds like a repetitious b-side from Billy's solo project.

Unfortunately, I don't think most internet posters are as philosophical as Billy. He is commenting on social decadence and fascination of the public with celebrity, even in the face of the increasingly frightening political front. Ironically, he is also commenting on the absurdity of people gaining notoriety for nothing. Something, those posting opinions on web-forums and review sites should take note of.

One final note, Zeitgeist is an album not about politics or social issues in general. Even though it is a political album, it isn't saying one side or another is right or wrong, it is personal in that it is just Billy's feelings and thoughts about these subjects. I have seen some posts saying that the poster won't listen to an album that is against the war in Iraq. Although the album implies that Billy doesn't agree with the war, it doesn't explicitly criticize it. It more just comments on how Americans are (more interested in Paris Hilton than politics, we are all stars since the advent of the internet, blogs, and MySpace, and overall the system is broken).

I really can't see how putting Paris Hilton on an album cover as a commentary, should yield such a vehement reaction. What has she ever done to you? Did she kill your dog? She is a girl who is famous for nothing, and really hasn't contributed much positive or negative to society. Yet, many posters would make her the equivalent of Hitler.

Its a single.......2007-07-14

Let's put our thinking caps on here people. I doubt Paris being on the cover is meant to be a compliment to her. I'm not the greatest at interpreting art but I can take a stab at this one. There is what appears to be a nuclear bomb going off in the back ground, yet in the foreground is Paris Hilton. MAYBE they're pointing out how people are too obsessed with distractions like Paris Hilton to pay attention to more important things that are going on in the world. If you know what Zeitgeist means and the meaning behind its album art you'll see this fits right in.
As far as the songs go, I like them, but lets face it, singles are about as dead as vinyl these days. This ones for colletors only or people who don't believe in downloading music.

I wish I could give it Zero.......2007-07-14

2 stars get taken off for Paris Hilton being on the cover now add a crappy song & what you have is a coaster for drinks. Enjoy!

BTW:Billy took the pic of Paris himself...Retard!

Complete waste of time and $$$.......2007-07-13

For ever "reunion", there is a motive, money. And Billy Corgan the (in name only) Smashing Pumpkins have demonstrated the extreme in alienating their fans and profiting for themselves. Not only are both these tracks readily available (depending on where you purchased one of the seven (yes seven) different releases of Zeitgeist, they place none other than Paris hilton on the cover of their single. Let's give the fans a little credit....for a "band" (or...The BIlly Corgan Project)who always tried to be unique, it seems a desperate marketing attempt to get in touch with "new" fans that are just reaching the college age.

After the commercial failures of Zwan & his Adore-like solo album, Mr. Corgan learned that marketing is mearly the name yyou put out, and with only 2 of the original four pumpkins (Jimmy Chamberlain worked on Zwan & guest spotted on the Solo album...disqualifying this Pumpkins "reunion")
this is just an attempt to cash in on a new generation of fans, whilst keeping Warner Bros. happy.

As for the single....completely avoid....the only good song on Zeitgeist is the 10 minute epic United States...which sounds like it would have fit on MCIS-Adore or even Machina

Average customer rating:

Solid debut from the alt-rock legends
Smashing Pumpkins' Best Album
Sometimes the first is the best...
Absolutely beautiful
SP - early on

Gish
Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pisces Iscariot
Siamese Dream
Adore
MACHINA/The Machines of God
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

ASIN: B000000W6F
Release Date: 1994-10-04

Tracks:

I Am One
Siva
Rhinoceros
Bury Me
Crush
Suffer
Snail
Tristessa
Window Paine
Daydream

Amazon.com essential recording

Upon the release of Gish--the group's debut--in the summer of 1991, more than one rock aficionado hailed the Smashing Pumpkins as the best band to come out of Chicago since Ministry. A bold statement, yes, but one backed up by Billy Corgan's Hendrix-like riffs and searing signature guitar tone. Intriguing songwriting is evidenced from the start as well, with the driving, amped-up rock of "I Am One," "Siva," and "Tristessa" contrasted with the soothingly eerie psychedelic flavor of "Rhinoceros" and "Window Paine." Gish predates the band's movement toward the loop-based electronic sounds heard in their late-'90s works, yet the seeds for this transition are definitely apparent. Electro guru Tricky even sampled the backbeat from "Suffer" in the tributary "Pumpkin" on his sex-soaked Maxinquaye. Butch Vig shows off his chops as producer and cultivates signature dramatic moods on Gish, which helped put the Smashing Pumpkins on the map as one of the most important alt-rock bands of the '90s--much to the delight of the decade's disenfranchised youth. --Brad Zinser

Customer Reviews:

Solid debut from the alt-rock legends.......2007-07-18

Gish (1991.) Smashing Pumpkins' first studio album.

INTRODUCTION:
In the late eighties, the Smashing Pumpkins were in their early formative period and slowly gaining fame. After several failed ventures with other bands, Billy Corgan had found a group of musicians with which he would ultimately achieve success. After being on several supporting tours for other, more popular acts of the day, and recording several demos, the band released its first full-length studio album, Gish, in 1991.

OVERVIEW:
Gish was the Smashing Pumpkins' first album. It was released in May 28, 1991. The band consisted of the "classic" lineup of Billy Corgan (rhythm guitar and lead vocals), Jimmy Chamberlain (drums), D'arcy (bass) and James Iha (lead guitar.) This lineup would be featured on nearly all of the band's recordings. Butch Vig co-produced and engineered the album. Guest musicians include Chris Wagner (violin and viola) and Mary Gaines (cello.)

REVIEW:
This is where it all began for the Pumpkins, as far as their album-releasing career goes. Gish lacks the polish of later albums. It has a raw, distortion-laden sound that draws its influences everywhere from heavy metal to psychedelic sixties rock, right down to eighties post-punk and new wave (the former two genres clearly being the dominant of the three.) Despite it lacking the maturity and artistic nature of later releases, it's still a fine debut.

-I Am One:
Straightforward psychedelia-tinged hard rock. Iha's riffs here are excellent. There's not a whole lot to say about this one, the band rocks hard and they never stop rocking on it. A solid starting track.

-Siva:
More hard and heavy rock. But here the band throws in two slow-paced, melodic interludes, one about halfway through the song, and one not far from the end. When the band goes back to rocking hard after these interludes, they totally catch you off guard. An awesome song that keeps you on your toes from start to finish.

-Rhinoceros:
For the first half, this is slow, beautiful melodic rock - a prelude of sorts to the band's later, more melodic pop hits. For the second half, the band goes right back into rocking hard, never looking back. There's even a thirty-second-or-so dragged-out distortion ending. Probably the most popular song on the album and it's not hard to see why.

-Bury Me:
After toying around with melodic stuff on the last two tracks, the band throws out all the stops and goes back to rocking hard and rocking fast. Once again, Iha is on fire (this guy is SO underrated.) Awesome song. If fast-paced hard rock is your cup of tea, this is the song for you.

-Crush:
Back to the slow and melodic stuff. Sounds like an Ozzy Osbourne ballad in many places. Very slow-paced and peaceful, this song is one of those that, once again, serves as a prelude to the band's later big hits from the classic era. Honestly, this is a song that would not have been out of place on Siamese Dream. Great song, should have been more popular.

-Suffer:
Once again, it's a slower track. And a melodic one, too. The instrumentation in this song is definitely more bizarre than that on most of the album, but that's not a bad thing. The bad shows off their experimental side on this track, and that's one of the things that would ultimately make this band so popular. Great song.

-Snail:
Yet another slower track, but this one isn't like the last two. Here the band manages to maintain a slow, melodic pace - but at the same time they manage to rock hard. It's the best of the melodic and hard rocking worlds alike. Another one of the oh-so-many underrated songs the band serves up on their debut.

-Tristessa:
Another hard rock tune with melodic elements thrown in to keep things interesting. It's one of those songs that foreshadows a number of the band's future successes. This is one of those songs that should have been a hit, but never got properly recognized.

-Window Paine:
Slow and peaceful once again, but with the occasional electric guitar riff thrown in for good measure. With its drawn-out pacing, this is one of those songs that shows off the best elements of all of the band's numerous musical roots. A great song. Like so many, a premonition of their future success.

-Daydream:
Slow and acoustic, with classical style string instrumentation thrown in, this short-but-sweet track will bring the late-era Beatles and Electric Light Orchestra to mind. The latter half of the song has an almost "medieval" sound to it, with flute playing thrown in. Not only does song end the album on a high note, it also shows off just how diverse the group could be when they wanted to.

OVERALL:
Sure, Gish lacks the artful, mature alternative sound that made later Pumpkins albums so excellent and memorable, but it's far from being bad. I'd recommend newcomers to the band skip this one and go directly to Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, but if you're a die-hard fan of the group who wants to see how it all began, give it a listen.

EDITION NOTES:
Over the years, the Smashing Pumpkins have remained consistently popular. As such, all of their albums remain readily available in most major record/electronic stores.

Smashing Pumpkins' Best Album.......2007-07-16

Unpretentious, rocking and mind blowing psychedelic guitars. Everything after this was a disappointment in one way or another in comparison.

Sometimes the first is the best..........2007-07-14

This record has to be taken in the context of its time. A grim era in rock music. REM was sinking into the quagmire of commerical schmaltz. Elvis Costello had completed his transformation into the "balladeer." There was a glimmer of hope when Neil Young put out Ragged Glory, but that was.....Neil Young, for Chrissakes! Sonic Youth? Maybe, but no air play. Otherwise, nothing. It looked like it was all over.

Then..out of nowhere, comes this record! Wailing guitars..big bass..wallshaking drums..huge chords, psychedelia, loud, loud, loud....most importantly, COOL TUNES! I didn't think anyone knew about this stuff anymore.

This record was the first in the glorious year of 1991 that also saw Pearl Jam, Nirvana and others literally save rock and roll.

Others can argue the merits of this record against the ones that followed, but not me. This will always be the best Pumpkins record, and one of my desert island favorites, because it is the one that dragged rock music out of bed, slapped its face and shouted "Wake Up!"

For that reason alone it is 5 stars.

Absolutely beautiful.......2007-05-14

This is easily The Smashing Pumpkins' best album, and possibly one of the best albums of all time. All cylinders are firing on this one; Jimmy Chamberlin's furious drumming and deft snare work is nothing short of brilliant. It's no wonder why Corgan decided to later take on all instruments EXCEPT the drums. Even with his growing ego, Corgan was wise enough to acknowledge that NOBODY could handle the kit (and still be musical as all hell) like Chamberlin. Every drummer should be forced to listen to this in order to learn the true meaning of "tasty playing"...

The guitars hit you like a wall of bricks, and do it with a tone sent straight from the gods. Nice and fuzzy, super thick, and clear as a bell; Corgan's layering of guitar tracks here is a technique that every recording musician, producer, or engineer should experience and remember. In addition to the incredible performances and songwriting here, Butch Vig's production on this album is top notch and only serves to intensify the effect on the listener without getting in the way (as great production should).

Forgive the expression, but this is balls-out gypsy rock and roll. Buy this album even if you are not a Smashing Pumpkins fan. In fact, buy this album ESPECIALLY if you are not a fan, because it hardly represents the albums that would follow, and those who came to learn of this band later on have no idea of what they're missing.

10 stars across the board. Don't even think about it. Buy this masterpiece, and thank me later...

SP - early on.......2007-02-15

I really enjoyed this album. I have a lot of other SP albums and it was great listening to this one after hearing all the other ones. This album definitely has their early on signature licks. "rhinoceros" really stands out as one of the best songs of this album.

Average customer rating:

Not the Pumpkins, and too one-dimentional
The Smashing Pumpkins ....Adore.....5 stars masterpiece album!
Getting the evolution
My Favorite Pumpkins Album
A beautiful, underrated and misunderstood attempt by the Pumpkins

Adore
The Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

MACHINA/The Machines of God
Pisces Iscariot
Siamese Dream
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Gish

ASIN: B000006NPY
Release Date: 1998-06-02

Tracks:

To Sheila
Ava Adore
Perfect
Daphne Descends
Once Upon A Time
Tear
Crestfallen
Appels + Oranjes
Pug
The Tale Of Dusty And Pistol Pete
Annie-Dog
Shame
Behold! The Night Mare
For Martha
Blank Page
17

Amazon.com

With Adore, Smashing Pumpkins return to the forefront of rock to do a dance with a new partner. Trading white-noise vocals and guitars for caramel crooning and dense synthesizers, frontman Billy Corgan drives bandmates James Iha and D'Arcy to a lush aural plateau. The darkness is still there--evidenced in the techno throb of the single "Ava Adore"--but the Pumpkins also tinker with Lennonesque lullabyes ("Behold! The Night Mare"), midtempo electronica ("Appels and Oranjes"), and tender calliope music ("Once Upon a Time"). Smartly, Corgan rarely upstages the watery sounds going on behind him; the trademark midsong blowouts are almost completely absent. Adore will strike your ears and heart in a way you didn't think the Smashing Pumpkins could. --Jason Josephes

Customer Reviews:

Not the Pumpkins, and too one-dimentional.......2007-07-19

I am a big pumpkins fan, but let's face it, this is not a good CD. The only catchy songs are Ava Adore and Daphne Descends, and maybe Perfect. other than that, all the songs sound the same, too electronic and uncreative, and pretty much a Billy Corgan solo album. I do not consider it a Pumpkins album for the reason that Billy Corgan is the only member of the new SP line up that participated on the album. I consider Zeitgeist a Pumpkins album because the two core original members of the band created it. D'arcy and James Iha are a dime a dozen, and hardly participated in the recording process, only Jimmy and Billy.

This album is not good, and the terrible sales prove it.

The Smashing Pumpkins ....Adore.....5 stars masterpiece album!.......2007-07-18

Adore is my personal favorite album by The Smashing Pumpkins. An album that has TRUE feelings of dispair, dark , memories, and love. Adore has 3 original members that were in The Smashing Pumpkins at the time. They include Billy Corgan, D'Arcy Wretzky , and James Iha. Minus Jimmy Chamberlin the original drummer was fired from the the band for drug abuse a year and half or so before Adore was released. Billy, D'Arcy , and James do an awesome unique musicial experience and take the listener on a dark journey into a quiter electronic sound that incorporates drum machines and synthesizers. The band itself changed their look as well to represent the feeling of the album to a gothic-like look . This album to me is so moving ,powerful, and the overall feel of dark /gothic is simply awesome to me. Ava Adore the first single is a dark/love influenece of a song. For Martha is a song to Billy Corgan's mother Martha who sadly past away shortly before Adore was released. Crestfallen is an extremely sad and powerful song of love questioning. To Shelia and Once Upon A Time are sad poetic/storylike songs in themselves.While Annie-Dog is a song of a person named Annie who is drug stricken to amphetamines. Adore is a masterpiece of album and is a TOTAL must have for Smashing Pumpkin fans. Get it now !

Getting the evolution.......2007-05-20

When a originally purchased this album back in 1998, nobody really wanted the sound of it, they said that it was to sweet, well yes indeed, but it was the natural evolution of the sound of a band such as The Smashing Pumpkins.
The Adore takes you by different atmospheres, from the depressing thing to the meloso. bye the end of the album you want some more, but that's it, and it's a good thing becouse if you're depressed the next thing that you may do it's get a knife and cut your vains. Well i'ts not that strong but still it's a good album and if you're reading this, well my most sincere opinion it's that you should get it.

My Favorite Pumpkins Album.......2007-04-25

I am a huge pumpkins fan and have been so for years. Adore is my favorite album. I think Adore is largely underappreciated because it is very much about emotions. This album takes on an entirely new dimension when your mood matches that of the album.

I think this album can only really be appreciated if you're horribly down and depressed. I'm not talking about an angry type of depressed found in a lot of other music. This album is more about just being plain down and out sad.

My favorite song is Behold! The Nightmare. It's hauntingly beautiful and possesses many layers. It's easy to identify with when you're pretty down.

Mellon Collie also has a lot of beautifully sad songs (some are better), but it is interspersed with a lot of angsty angry ones. I like these, but I'm usually not in that kind of angsty mood when I'm down and out.

Mix this album with stuff like Take me Down, Farewell and Goodnight, By Starlight, Galapagos, Porcelina, Thru the Eyes of Ruby (mellon collie songs) and you'll get pure pumpkin melancholic bliss.

Adore is my favorite, but least listened to pumpkins album. As a whole the album is brilliant in capturing a very specific type of ambiance.

I really can only appreciate the album when my mood is matching that targeted ambiance.

A beautiful, underrated and misunderstood attempt by the Pumpkins.......2007-04-17

This album has to be one of the most dissappointingly underrated albums of the 90's. It is true that it doesn't quite rock like Gish, Siamese Dream, and Mellon Collie, but the beauty you will find in this drastic turn for the Pumpkins is every bit as thrilling and gorgeous.

Like most fans, once I got into the Smashing Pumpkins I didn't explore Adore like I did with the earlier records. All I knew was that looking at the track listing there are much fewer recognizable songs and that the album was seen as a commercial disappointment. However, one day at college I asked my roomate what his favorite Pumpkins record was, commenting that I "was a 'Siamese Dream' guy." He said he wasn't. I immediately responded "Oh you prefer 'Mellon Collie'", and he shook his head again saying, "Actually I'm an Adore guy". Shortly afterwards I ordered this album and gave it a few spins and found that it is amazing.

In my opinion, Adore stands beside the Pumpkin's previous efforts in quality and beauty. All the tracks are good, and some standouts include: "Pug", "Ava Adore", "To Sheila", "For Martha", "Crestfallen", and "Annie-Dog". Buy this album and give it a chance-you won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Great leftovers!
Forget the rest
Not the best, but it's still SP.
Songs besides "Landslide" should have been on the Greatest Hits
Speaks to Billy Corgan's lack of priority

Pisces Iscariot
Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Gish
Adore
Siamese Dream
MACHINA/The Machines of God
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

ASIN: B000000W6R
Release Date: 1994-10-04

Tracks:

Soothe
Frail And Bedazzled
Plume
Whir
Blew Away
Pissant
Hello Kitty Kat
Obscured
Landslide
Starla
Blue
Girl Named Sandoz
La Dolly Vita
Spaced

Amazon.com

The Smashing Pumpkins are a big rock band, molded by leader Billy Corgan after stadium and progressive rock giants from the Seventies. As such it's only fitting that after only two albums they would release a collection of B-sides. The result, Pisces Iscariot, is not only a good compendium to their other work, but it's a very good record in its own right. Most of the 14 tracks follow the Pumpkins' blueprint, traveling sonically from soft to loud and back again. Among the slew of originals previously available on singles and imports is a hauntingly beautiful cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide." Surprisingly there's less fat here than on 1995's bloated Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. --Greg Emmanuel

Customer Reviews:

Great leftovers!.......2007-05-30

I first heard the Smashing Pumpkins on the Singles Soundtrack, the song was called Drown and, even thought it didn't make it to a SP album, it is as good as the best the band has produced.
A collection of b-sides which are, mostly, the leftovers from the astounding Siamese Dream (which may be my favourite cd of all time), Pisces Iscariot shows the great moment billy was having as a songwriter (though he certainly didn't feel so). It opens, quietly, with the incredibly beautiful soothe (recorded in billy's apartment, or in a hotel room, i don't quite remember), and follows with the energetic Frail and Bedazzled. There, you get the impression that these songs didn't quite fit Siamese Dream (which is a very tight album). They are great, but not in the same mood, or maybe there were songs on SD that already fulfilled the purpose of these material.
Anyway, the rest of the cd is just first class material, I particularly love the nice guitar work of Whir, the tender and surprisingly enchanting interpretation of Landslide, the sonic bliss of Starla, and the slow builder, La Dolly Vita. This cd is one of the best samples of alternative rock, if such a thing ever existed. oh, don't forget to check out Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie and Adore, which are also great pumpkins cds (even better than this one)

Forget the rest.......2007-01-25

These B-sides sound better than 95% of the band's other output. Maybe it's because these songs don't suffer from the over-production of the band's other output (eg, "Melancholy..."??? Give me a break. What an over-blown, over-produced, snooze-fest). "Pisces Iscariot" is by far the best CD the band ever put out.

From the pummeling "Frail and Bedazzled" to the lilting "Obscured" to the majestic "Starla", there isn't a single weak moment on this CD. It's amazing these songs didn't make the cut for SP's prior CD's. The fact that "Starla" was a show-stopper whenever it was performed speaks for itself.

In fact, if you want a top-quality SP collection, buy this CD and download "Cherub Rock" (from Siamese Dream) and the full-length version of "Drown" from the "Singles" soundtrack (with complete feedback solo at the end). You can skip the rest and you won't miss much of anything.

Not the best, but it's still SP........2006-11-05

I'll just say it's not their best album, but it's still good, as it is still Smashing Pumpkins after all. However, any fan of SP should still get this album.

Songs besides "Landslide" should have been on the Greatest Hits.......2006-08-16

It's the truth...this album is amazing...I listened to The Greatest Hits first, and when I listened to Pisces Iscariot, I was somewhat surprised that great songs such as "Obscured" and "Starla" were not on the Greatest Hits. Those were two of my favorites on this album.

Anyway....I think Pisces Iscariot is not as heavy as the other Pumpkins albums. I got this feeling from songs like Soothe, Whir, Blew Away, Obscured, and La Dolly Vita. However, songs such as Frail & Bedazzled, Pissant, and Hello Kitty Kat are there to offer more variety besides the softness of most of the tracks.

Soothe and Frail & Bedazzled are great opening songs...Soothe is an amazing solo, and Frail & Bedazzled is a great song to bring the listener out of the daydream-like softness of Soothe. I think Plume is a great song because it describes a day full of boredom...and the tone of the guitars illustrates this too.

Now you're all probably wondering, "Why is Obscured your favorite song on the album?" I think it sounds great...I actually listen to Obscured when I'm tired...it's a great mellow song. And as for Starla, I love how it alternates between heavy and soft sounds over the course of 11 minutes. Girl Named Sandoz is actually a funny little story about a girl (named Sandoz, obviously...) that turns out to be a little too old...

Blue is another of those alternating songs (like Starla)...one thing I noticed about Spaced, however, was that it sounds exactly like a dream...an atmospheric background with ringing echoes...

Overall, the album was great. I highly recommend it.

Speaks to Billy Corgan's lack of priority.......2006-01-28

This, without a doubt, is one of the best alternative albums of the era, nevermind that it's a b-sides collection of sorts. All of the songs are good, and it's very listenable. billy corgan obviously doesn't know when he's written a good song.
lol.
hilights include - "frail & bedazzled," "whir," "hello kitty kat," and "starla," which is classic.

Average customer rating:

"For every chemical, you trade a piece of your soul - with no return."
SP at their best...
GORGEOUS!!!!!
If you truely LOVE music, you will very much appreciate this album!!!!
Disappointing

MACHINA/The Machines of God
The Smashing Pumpkins
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Adore
Pisces Iscariot
Gish
Siamese Dream
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

ASIN: B000042OI4
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Tracks:

Everlasting Gaze
Raindrops + Sunshowers
Stand Inside Your Love
I Of The Mourning
The Sacred And Profane
Try, Try, Try
Heavy Metal Machine
This Time
The Imploding Voice
Glass And The Ghost Children
Wound
The Crying Tree Of Mercury
With Every Light
Blue Skies Bring Tears
Age Of Innocence

Amazon.com

With the doubters hovering round his band following the rock-is-dead pronouncement that preceded the flawed electronic dabblings of Adore, Machina finds Billy Corgan desperate to prove everyone, not least himself, wrong. On their fifth album, the Pumpkins attempt to reclaim the higher ground they dominated with the peerless Siamese Dream and the sprawling 28-track opus Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. As a result, they hit the ground running on Machina, exploding into life with "The Everlasting Gaze" and its firestorm of guitars and heavy metaphysical thunder. There are some quintessential Pumpkins moments here, notably "Stand Inside Your Love," which soars away on a spiraling guitar solo, and "Try, Try, Try," which taps into Corgan's ever-present melancholy. At 73 minutes long, Machina overstays its welcome, beginning to flag, ironically, at the self-aggrandizing "Heavy Metal Machine." No matter--the Pumpkins have made their point with brutal grace. --Mike Pattenden

Customer Reviews:

"For every chemical, you trade a piece of your soul - with no return.".......2007-06-13

Contrary to popular belief, The Smashing Pumpkins have never (as of June 13th 2007 ;P) released a poor album. Even their three outtakes albums, Pisces Iscariot (1994), The Aeroplane Flies High (1996) and MACHINA II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music (2000) stand up favourably against most of their contemporaries' strongest work.

MACHINA however, is deemed by many to be their worst. Not so. The album's opening six tracks surpass even Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness' (1995) as both a demonstration of their versatility and a signal of intent.

From the incendiary opener 'The Everlasting Gaze' mad-genius singer/guitarist/songwriter Billy Corgan and incomparable skinsman Jimmy Chamberlin bulldoze their way through eight of MACHINA's fifteen tracks, dissecting affecting ballads ('Raindrops & Sunshowers' and the breathtaking 'Stand Inside Your Love'), existential threnodies ('Glass & the Ghost Children' and 'The Crying Tree of Mercury') and plaintive odes ('Try, Try, Try' and 'With Every Light').

MACHINA is also deeply conceptual, even when compared to previous albums, with the album's extraordinary artwork and prose conjuring a phantasmic, seemingly post-apocalyptic alternate reality that puts Nine Inch Nails' dystopian Year Zero (2007) concept to shame. The cryptic story of 'Glass and the Machines of God' is more difficult to engage with than Mellon Collie...'s upon cursory inspection, but further investigation into MACHINA's numerous ancilliary forms is rewarding for those keen to determine a fraction of Corgan's apparent psychosis.

The problem many fans have with MACHINA however, lies in its 'wall of sound' production, as opposed to the Pumpkins' infamous, painstaking multitracking of guitar parts. Nevertheless, as with Mellon Collie..., it was proved that the heavier the involvement of second guitarist James Iha in the recording process, the stronger the album sounds. Additionally, Iha also played many of MACHINA's bass parts, following the resignation toward the end of the sessions of original bassist D'arcy Wretzky after a series of confrontations with Corgan.

Whilst considered the Pumpkins' final studio album for close to five years, Corgan and Chamberlin have been hard at work for the past 18 months readying the band's sixth album, Zeitgeist, due for release on July 9th. Neither D'arcy, Iha (who Corgan publicly blamed for the band's original dissolution) nor Melissa auf der Maur (who took over bass duties for MACHINA's subsequent live dates) are involved in the new project, with newcomers Jeff Schroeder and Ginger Reyes taking on guitar and bass respectively for the Pumpkins' new live incarnation.

SP at their best..........2006-12-15

A thoroughly enjoyable prog-rock CD. Especially those last 2 tracks...!

GORGEOUS!!!!!.......2006-11-09

Stand inside your love.. one of the greatest songs i ever heard.. one of the greatest songs ever made..

If you truely LOVE music, you will very much appreciate this album!!!!.......2006-09-10

"I blow the dust off my guitar, in the attic with the stars..I read your letters, to feel better, the tears upon my faded ink."

You can sense all the emotion in Billy Corgans lyrics here, from "I of the Mourning", as in many other of the songs. This album is surely underrated in the commercial view. There are a lot of great songs here. The first single, "The Everlasting Gaze", brings out the hard riffs that pumpkins fans of past albums love. Then into a softer mellow mood with "Raindrops and Sunshowers". These songs are all great when the sound is turned up loud. Sing to it, you will enjoy it.
"Stand Inside Your Love", the 2nd single, and probably best recieved, is an awsome love song. The words are beautiful and well written.
Well my favorite tracks, and probably most hardcore pumpkins fans favorites include:
"I of the Mourning", "This Time", "Age of Innocence" a wonderful closer to the album. I even enjoy the 10 minute haunting "Glass and the Ghost Children".
All in all people tend to think this album was over produced, but I love it to death. One of my favorite albums all time. I cant tell you how many times I've listened to this one. Most bands evolve when it comes to the style of their music. The Smashing Pumpkins Sure have. You can definetely see the maturity in this album, as well as the poorly recieved yet excellent, "Adore" album.
And the rumors have now become reality of a new album by the pumpkins. Most likely early 2007 for this album. I'm waiting with anticipation.

Disappointing.......2006-08-08

After their last full-length album, Adore, which featured techno-like songs and no drummer, people really didn't know what to expect from the Pumpkins. Well, they tried reverting back to their Mellon Collie days, but, overall, the record comes off as tired, and just doesn't yield many good songs.

Highlights:
"Stand Inside Your Love"- Almost justifies the buying of the album. The true highlight of the album, it is a very beautiful song, and features some true lyrical mastery from Corgan. The ending is very memorable, and is one of the Pumpkins' finest moments.

"The Everlasting Gaze"- The similarities to "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" is striking, but doesn't take away from the song. While the Pumpkins may sound like they're trying too hard to convince people they could still rock with the best of 'em, the song is nevertheless a highlight and features some great lyrics by Corgan (Although I think he over-sings this one; his voice makes the song unique).

Those two songs are staples on my iPod, but nothing else on the album really strikes you. "Heavy Metal Machine" is a flop, and I think that Corgan is trying too hard to be a poet, forcing some of these "love thoughts" upon listeners.

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