RAW magazine - November 1995
Review by Cathi Unsworth
(Sent to us by Tim Robinson)
Long-awaited follow-up to 1993's platinum-selling 'Siamese Dream' from the American art rock four-piece. The Pumpkins promised a mammoth 28-track double 'concept' album to take you through a day in the life...
BUT DOESN'T 'CONCEPT' MEAN BORING?
The 'concept' going on here is a bad love trip, so that even when the Pumpkins are at their most ethereal ('By Starlight','Farewell and Goodnight') there's a warp in Billy Corgan's lyrics.
SO, DO THEY STILL ROCK?
Yes, even harder than ever. 'Jellybelly', 'Zero', 'Where Boys Fear To Tread' and 'XYU' are the heavily-tattooed and strung-out older brothers of 'Gish's 'Siva'.
AH, AREN'T THEY ALL SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT COURTNEY?
If 'Love' is about the person rather than the emotion, it's brilliant. As for the rest, who knows? There are lots of songs about hate and madness, like 'Tales Of A Scorched Earth' - 'The dye is cast / The bitch is back'.
ISN'T BILLY CORGAN JUST AN OVER-PRIVILEGED, POMPOUS WHINEBAG?
Well, he's the most creative and exhilarating whinebag I've ever heard.
IS THIS PROG ROCK?
Not like Pink Floyd. 'Mellon Collie...' contains traces of Queen, Neil Diamond, The Sex Pistols, The Clash and Black Sabbath. There are also some ambient doodlings, a nod to a David Bowie song, 'Kooks', and '30s music hall with 'Lily (My One and Only)'.
SO A MEANDERING DISASTER, THEN?
It may not win converts to the cause but the Pumpkins have upped their ante again. 'Mellon Collie...' might weigh in just under a staggering two hours but considering that at least one hour 20 minutes of it is top rate stuff, this is the equivalent of another band releasing three great albums on the same day.
4 out of 5