The Great Pumpkin returns to the patch
Herald Entertainment Editor 10-24-95
The Smashing Pumpkins are back on the scene with a double album
By Rob England
(Transcribed by Eric Agnew)
Back in 1991, a little known band out of Chicago released one of the years best albums on independent Caroline Records. Odds are, you didn't even notice. After a year on the road and constant bickering between band members, they almost called it quits. Odds are if this happened, you never would have heard of them.
The band was hailed as one of the greatest Chicago has ever produced, but not many outside the Midwest had ever even heard of the Smashing Pumpkins. In fact they were so big in Chicago they once had an up-and-coming band out of Seattle led by Eddie Vedder opening for them.
But with the release of 1993's Siamese Dream the once obscure band on the brink was catapulted into the mainstream. The album debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard album chart, the songs "Cherub Rock," "Today" and "Disarm" became hit singles, and the band headlined Lollapalooza.
Now full-blown rockstars, what was left for the Pumpkins to do? The answer is easy - join the ranks of Guns 'N Roses and Bruce Springsteen by releasing a double album of all-new material.
A small portion of the world was given the chance to hear songs of the Pumpkins latest album way back in February when the band played four sold-out nights of mostly new music at the Double Door in Chicago. At a maximum capacity of 500, the few who did get in got to hear what the rest of the world had to wait until now to hear.
In a manner fitting to their new double album, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the band premiered their new material to a national audience last night with a show broadcast live from the empty just like me." And, of Riviera in Chicago. The show consisted of an even mix of both old and new songs, highlighted by a performance with opening act Cheap Trick to close out the show.
As for the album itself, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness consists of two albums with 28 songs, and runs exactly two-hours in length.
Disc one of their grandiose new offering, "Dawn to Dusk," begins in most unconventional fashion. The piano-based instrumental "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" kicks of the album and leads into the string-heavy "Tonight, Tonight."
The first stand-out is the fast paced "Zero." The song rages on, fast and furious and then slows to a brief halt with Billy screaming "Emptiness is loneliness, and loneliness is cleanliness/ and god is empty just like me." And, of course, in classic Pumpkins fashion it then explodes with Corgan's plea "Intoxicated with the madness, I'm in love with my sadness." It is angst-filled lyrics such as these that have been a key to the Pumpkins success, and they are abundant here.
Mellon Collie's first single, "Bullet with Butterfly Wings," is the obvious choice for the album's finest song. The track shows the change (albeit slight) in the band's style, while maintaining the spirit of past Pumpkin's offerings.
Both this song and "Fuck You (an Ode to No One)" display the start/stop, fast/slow music the Pumpkins have patented as their style. Though there are many bands out there that try to copy this style, the Pumpkins use these songs to remind us who started the trend.
The song "Galapogos" is one that will remind most listeners of Siamese Dream's "Disarm." It contains the same mixture of touching, painfully delivered lyrics and equally powerful music that made "Disarm" a hit. Lyrics such as, "I won't deny the pain/ I won't deny the change/ and should I fall from grace here with you/ Will you leave me too?" allow the song to grasp its own identity, separating it from "Disarm."
he second CD, "Twilight to Starlight," attempts to capture the brilliance and ferocity of the first CD. Many of the songs are quiet, often acoustic ballads, showcasing Corgan's lyrics and delivery. Too often, though, musical gimmicks such as drum machines or unorthodox arrangement take away from the emotion that Corgan is trying to convey. This is largely due to the production by Flood, the well-known producer who was brought in for the album.
Despite the evident gimmickry and the abundant filler, there are a few stand-out tracks.
"The Eyes of Ruby" is a classic Pumpkin epic, holding its own to greats like "Drown" and "Silverfuck."
Other worthwhile songs on disc two are "Bodies," "In The Arms of Sleep" and "By Starlight."
The album's closer, "Farewell and Goodnight," brings the band together for a sweet lullaby in which everyone sings. This group effort is evident throughout Mellon Collie, as the band was able to contribute more than they have on past albums.
On the last quarter of the album, Corgan seems to soften up, as his songs take on a positive tone. This is a side of him not often seen, as he strays from his often reclusive persona.
This stripped-down honesty saves disc two, making it as powerful, though in a different way, than the first disc.