Gish (1991)
I had almost completely forgotten about this album, just like ‘Siamese Dream’ Unlike ‘Siamese Dream’, however, this one does let up a bit after the first two songs.
The rest is basically filler…very good filler, but filler nevertheless. That being said, I can listen to the entire album without pain and without falling asleep.
(“I Am One”, “Siva”)
Grade: B
2012: Very good filler…hmmm…if it’s very good, how can I call it filler? I can’t. STUPID STUPID!
Grade: B+
Siamese Dream (1993)
Wow…I had almost completely forgotten about this group for a long time…I used to play this almost every day, but I grew sick of it, and my liking of it plummeted.
Listening to it now, I realize how good, nay great, an album this really was/is. It begins with a flourish, and unlike ‘Gish’, it never lets up after that.
(“Today”, “Cherub Rock”, “Luna”)
Grade: A
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness (1995)
A great album to impress your girlfriend with if you don’t have a “sensitive” side but want to pretend you do. Or, the Luther Vandross of Alt-Rock. Otherwise it’s spotty.
(“1979”)
Grade: C+
2012: Two things…I ripped the riff from Tom Servo, and “1979” is very good.
Grade: B-
Adore (1998)
A promising beginning to the album, but the excitement of that quickly fades as the songs go on, sixteen of them total. The “sound” of the Pumpkins is there, this is not a failed departure. This is a failed Pumpkins album. This would appear to be the end…a pity, because I believe from the sound of the album and all the usual layers of music that Billy Corgan really tried this time out. D’Arcy and James Iha cannot be blamed for this failure, as Corgan goes to pains to label each and every song as his. Note to Billy: when the album is weak, don’t prove it’s your fault of your own free will.
Grade: C
2012: “Perfect” is the ultimate ITunes grab.
Grade: C-