I have this post in my other blog but that was more than a year ago and more personal. Seeing that I always miss listening to them even though I've got three of their albums ripped into my laptop and synced to my iPod, I thought of giving them this post since they deserve it as well as they are one of my favorite bands of the 90's.
To kick start the new year, I've got The Smashing Pumpkins as my first (long-delayed) post.
To kick start the new year, I've got The Smashing Pumpkins as my first (long-delayed) post.
I was lucky that I found three of their albums in this place. I had a hard time searching for it in the Philippines back then, so I had to resort to another option. So you can just imagine my happiness and excitement when I saw three of their albums in one of the music stores on this area.
Why do I like the Smashing Pumpkins? Well, first off, the lyrics. I think Billy Corgan is one of the best songwriters I've known, for he writes it like a poem, with deep and meaningful words behind them. And I think poets understand their fellow poets. Afterall, poets' minds think alike. Okay, don't listen to me, I made that up. His lyrics can also be used as a topic in English class where the students talk about the form and content of one song, say, Mayonnaise from Siamese Dream, and how the content and form work together to create meaning for the song. And when he and James Iha collaborate on a song (or with Jimmy Chamberlain and D'arcy Wretzky), they create beautiful lyrics that define Smashing Pumpkins.
As for the music, you can't go wrong with Billy's smooth and husky vocals with backgrounds from the womanly voice of D'arcy. James does his solos too in some songs, and his low voice adds depth and (should I say it?) melancholy to the song. Their genre is mainly alternative rock, and judging on their singles it is not surprising that some of them are as heavy as the rock music of the late 80's. What I love about the Smashing Pumpkins is that some of their songs are really, really mellow and sweet, it sounds (and feels) like a love song. Well, I categorize them as one because that's what I feel when I listen to their music. Especially if its written by Billy and James.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness pretty much says it all. It has some 'loud' songs as well (an SP trademark), but the ''love and slow'' songs stand out too. Which, in my opinion, is really nice. And soothing to the ears. This 2-disc album was released in 1995 has around 28 songs. I love the Siamese Dream album as well, and I got nothing bad to say about it, since this was the first album that I listened to back then. Siamese Dream was the first album that introduced me to the world of SP, and it didn't stop me to just listen to their songs in that album. It piqued my curiosity because of the melodies and the lyrics that that I sought for their old albums. Adore didn't have much impact on me, I guess being the third album that I bought, for it did not have the "life" that Siamese Dream had, nor the nostalgic and melancholic feeling like in Mellon Collie. There are some songs that are worth listening to, while the others can be marked as average SP music.
I'm not forcing anyone to listen to their music because they are the best artists in the world. However, if you ever become interested, I suggest that you try listening from their old albums first, because first of all, I haven't listened to their new albums yet and second, I personally like their old albums better. Which... doesn't really prove my point that didn't even make sense to begin with. I mean, it's your choice. Listen to what you want to listen.
As for the music, you can't go wrong with Billy's smooth and husky vocals with backgrounds from the womanly voice of D'arcy. James does his solos too in some songs, and his low voice adds depth and (should I say it?) melancholy to the song. Their genre is mainly alternative rock, and judging on their singles it is not surprising that some of them are as heavy as the rock music of the late 80's. What I love about the Smashing Pumpkins is that some of their songs are really, really mellow and sweet, it sounds (and feels) like a love song. Well, I categorize them as one because that's what I feel when I listen to their music. Especially if its written by Billy and James.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness pretty much says it all. It has some 'loud' songs as well (an SP trademark), but the ''love and slow'' songs stand out too. Which, in my opinion, is really nice. And soothing to the ears. This 2-disc album was released in 1995 has around 28 songs. I love the Siamese Dream album as well, and I got nothing bad to say about it, since this was the first album that I listened to back then. Siamese Dream was the first album that introduced me to the world of SP, and it didn't stop me to just listen to their songs in that album. It piqued my curiosity because of the melodies and the lyrics that that I sought for their old albums. Adore didn't have much impact on me, I guess being the third album that I bought, for it did not have the "life" that Siamese Dream had, nor the nostalgic and melancholic feeling like in Mellon Collie. There are some songs that are worth listening to, while the others can be marked as average SP music.
I'm not forcing anyone to listen to their music because they are the best artists in the world. However, if you ever become interested, I suggest that you try listening from their old albums first, because first of all, I haven't listened to their new albums yet and second, I personally like their old albums better. Which... doesn't really prove my point that didn't even make sense to begin with. I mean, it's your choice. Listen to what you want to listen.
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