I've been doing this blog for nearly a year now. And I simply cannot believe some of the albums I haven't reviewed. This is certainly one of them. I LOVE, adore this record. I bought it immediately when it dropped in 1995. I had already bought Siamese Dream and loved that one - so this was a natural progression. This is the Pumpkins best selling album at a delightful 9x platinum. For good reason too. Not only were there a TON of hits off this double album, but they're mind blowing. And the span of hits is hard rock, alt rock, piano ballads. I mean, this runs the gambit of EVERYTHING. When I reviewed 'Dream' a while back, it got very high praise. I think I gave it a 4 and conveyed how much you should listen to it. Well, this is going to be a very similar review. There is no reason not to listen to this today, and listen hard. It'll take you a while, as it's nearly 30 tracks, but it's all worth it. It's very unusual for a double album to debut at number 1 on the Billboard Top 200. But this did it. It's also rare that one album has 7 grammy nominations. But yeah, this did it. It's again rare that any album would be compared to 'The Wall' in terms of greatest albums in history. And yeah, this album has been widely compared to that in terms of identification of a band and in impact to the music business. I can't say enough good things about this. It's a piece of true music art. Hearing it again today is just making me happy. Happy to own it and happy to remember to play these older alt rock albums every now and again. I'll give you a top 5 since it's a doubler, and at least check out those tracks. When you have time, listen to the whole thing. Well worth your two hours.
TRACK LISTING:
Disc One - From Dawn To Dusk
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Tonight, Tonight
Jellybelly
Zero
Here Is No Why
Bullet with Butterfly Wings
To Forgive
An Ode to No One
Love
Cupid de Locke
Galapogos
Muzzle
Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Take Me Down (Iha)
Disc Two - Twilight To Starlight
Where Boys Fear to Tread
Bodies
Thirty-Three
In the Arms of Sleep
1979
Tales of a Scorched Earth
Thru the Eyes of Ruby
Stumbleine
X.Y.U.
We Only Come Out at Night
Beautiful
Lily (My One and Only)
By Starlight
Farewell and Goodnight
Listen To Samples
Top 5 Tracks:
1. Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
2. Thirty-Three
3. 1979
4. Muzzle
5. Tonight, Tonight
FINAL RATING:
4.75 out of 5 stars
i am pretty sure 'tonight tonight' is the best video of all time (or one of the best). i am also glad you enjoy 'thirty three' as much as i do. that seems to be one people overlook. that and 'rocket' from siamese dream.
ReplyDeletei am a little surprised it didn't get a solid 5er. but i will accept your score.
Love that songs. It's such a contrast from say, Bullet with Butterfly Wings that I think people were expecting something different. Personally, that's one of my least favorite tracks. I prefer Pumpkins on the piano ballad.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to go 5...I really did. If this was a single album with a few of the songs I don't like stripped off, it'd have been a signature 5+.