Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream
As soon as you press the ‘play’ button you know that this album is something special. While many alternative rock bands in the early 1990s, especially those of the Seattle ‘grunge’ scene, were producing raw, loud and low-fi rock that took elements of 70s stadium rock of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, early punk and 60s acid rock, the Chicago-based quartet the Smashing Pumpkins were drawing inspiration from similar influences but creating a sound that outstripped its contemporaries in terms of originality, ambition and sheer nerve to experiment with the rock/pop formula.
The memorable intro to the first track, Cherub Rock, sets the scene for the rest of the album: it’s unusual, seemingly out-of-place but somehow works to create a mindblowing experience. After the drum roll, the jangly electric guitars and bass kick in, followed by the sudden appearance of a solid wall of distorted guitar noise that seems to jump out of the speakers. The following five songs follow in the same vein, with layers of overdubbed fuzz guitars and singer/songwriter/lead guitarist Billy Corgan’s distinctive nasal vocals. It is not all heavy, distortion-driven rock, however. The haunting single Disarm is driven entirely by an acoustic guitar and vocals with string quartet accompaniment; the two closing tracks, Sweet, Sweet and Luna owe more to the Cure and the Beatles than 70s and 80s stadium metal. Nevertheless, this IS a heavy rock album. There are more quiet moments, such as the beautiful intro to Mayonaise or the quirky Spaceboy but the crashing riffs of Geek USA and the blistering solos in Quiet and Soma show where Corgan’s main influences lie.
What makes Siamese Dream a classic among more mainstream music fans as well as metalheads is the constant presence of pop-inspired tunes, such as the catchy single Today. The best way of describing the general sound of this record is that of Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Queen and Pink Floyd thrown into a blender, with a 90s twist. Despite this, the effort made to make the songs sound fresh and original is clear, as is the influence of Sonic Youth/Nirvana producer, Butch Vig (who also worked on the Pumpkins’ first album, Gish). The amount of studio time that was used was staggering, rivalling the likes of My Bloody Valentine in terms of inventive guitar recording. That is one fact that shines through: there are LOTS of guitars. Even on the first listen, the songs appear meticulously crafted, and there is always another melody buried in the mix to make subsequent listens rewarding.
In Summary
Much more ambitious than their first album but more accessible than their follow-up Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Siamese Dream has a magical quality that has to be heard to be believed. There is also an air of buoyancy and happiness to the whole affair, which makes it a joy to listen to and possibly earns it the title of the ultimate 90s guitar rock album.
Tracklisting
- Cherub Rock
- Quiet
- Today
- Hummer
- Rocket
- Disarm
- Soma
- Geek USA
- Mayonaise
- Spaceboy
- Silverfuck
- Sweet, Sweet
- Luna
Leave a Reply