Smashing Pumpkins: Gish
Of the ‘alternative’ bands that made up many of the most successful rock acts of the 1990s the Smashing Pumpkins are one of the most experimental and unusual. Famous for their ambitious musical arrangements, Billy Corgan’s distinctively nasal vocal delivery and range of styles from tender ballads to all-out metal with everything in between, their debut Gish is a surprisingly modest affair that has the promise of what was to come without pushing the boundaries too far.
The opener I Am One starts things off with a confident Jimmy Chamberlin drum intro, a pounding bassline and the entrance of heavily distorted guitar chords that rapidly pick up pace and make for a strong opening for the album. The most basic ingredients for a Pumpkins record are already in evidence here: the heavily overdriven guitars, catchy riffs and sharp drum beats are what fans came to expect in later years but here there is as much emphasis of ‘riffs’ as ‘melodies’ and the songs are less intricately recorded (or less overproduced, depending on your view on such things). The second track Siva is more of the same, bristling with energy and memorable hooks.
It is the Rhinoceros single that really shines and hints at the band’s diversity though. A quavering intro adds some shimmering colour before the heavy guitar lines kick in: it is clear that they are able to create tenderness as well as head-banging tributes to their heay metal heroes, even within the same song. Bury Me is a fairly average rock number that is functional as an album track but there are two delightful softer offerings at the record’s midpoint in the form of Crush and Suffer; these give a restful and pensive interlude before the joyous wall of sound of Snail really gets going.
Tristessa (released as an early promo single) picks up the pace and gives some more stadium rock riffery, a theme carried over by Window Paine which has some quieter moments in between the louder sections. For what is supposed to be a loud and proud rock album Daydream, with its delicate acoustic melody and backgound string quartet, is quite a change as is the quirky uncredited ‘hidden’ track. What this shows is that the band are able to perform more than one particular feel or mood and gives some variety.
On the other hand this aspect and the album in general is very much an attempt at the band to prove themselves. At a time when the ‘grunge’ label was being pinned to bands both within and outside the Seattle scene (the Pumpkins were originally from Chicago) an up-and-coming outfit had to make a conscious effort at individuality. Perhaps as a result of this Gish is full of showy guitar solos and psychadelic guitar effects that are interesting for fellow musicians but aspects that are less valued from a listener’s point of view. Being their debut effort the depth of the lyrics’ meanings are not on par with Corgan’s eloquent poetry of later years either, but that is fairly understandable.
In Summary
Gish is an enjoyable if not outstanding debut that is a little let down by the distinct impression that they were trying a little too hard in showcasing their own sound and style. In terms of inventiveness too it does not score as highly as their more recent albums, with little attempt at straying from the standard 90s alt-rock formula. That is not to say that it is not worth a listen, and it at least shows the earliest signs of how important the band would later become.
Tracklisting
- I Am One
- Siva
- Rhinoceros
- Bury Me
- Crush
- Suffer
- Snail
- Tristessa
- Window Paine
- Daydream
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