Smashing Pumpkins - Machina: The Machines of God
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Free Music Notes for Machina: The Machines of God
Free Music Review: A Storytelling Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
I must say, I am disturbed by a lot of the other reviews. They all talk about they are not at their "top form." You're just not looking deep enough. From beginning to end, this CD tells a story. Yes, you read that right. I must say at first listen, this CD is a little awkard, with only a few songs really standing out: "The Imploding Voice," "Wound," and "This Time." Then I realized that there was a repition of the word "Glass" as a name, so I did some studying of all the artwork, and TADA! Found a story hidden within the lyrics. Immediately after that, I listened to the album from start to finish, and loved it. It is stunning the way Billy Corgan can write a song that can be stand alone (The Imploding Voice, and The Everlasting Gaze), and yet still add to an actual story line. I did some more research, and found out that I was right (if you go to smashingpumpkins.org, you can read some more about the album). There is a story there, and it really makes the album kick, if you know what I mean. Now, an analysis of the songs: The Everlasting Gaze is an explosive opening, followed by Raindrops and Sunshowers (which could have been a slow song, but is propelled smoothly and almost elegantly by Chamberlin's excellent drumming). Stand Inside Your Love is all about lyrics and a guitar solo. Nice tune. "I of the Mourning" is a little weird, but once you know to listen for a story (and you can get past the frequent use of the word "radio"), it really grows on you. Dig the guitars in the verse. Sacred and Profane is a nice tune, followed by a nostalgia pop song Try, Try, Try. "Try" is a very interesting song with thoughtful original lyrics (down in the sleep at the airplane races...I just love that line!) Heavy Metal Machine is a pivotal point in the story (we learn more about "The Machines of God), and it's got a groovy bass line. This Time is another pop-rock song, and is also a great listen. The Imploding Voice brings down the house with some head-banging (artfully done, which is odd)guitars, good lyrics, and yet more added to the story. Glass is an odd song, but don't dismiss it for the funky guitars at the beginning. After the first minute, this song is almost creepy with the lyrics, but totally awesome. Wound is a nice pop-folk song with some great lyrics (you can almost picture the "cities burning" etc.). Crying Tree of Mercury is just plain weird, but likeable. With Every Light sounds almost like a Jewel song by the drumbeat (kind of a slow jazzy beat), but it's really good. Blue Skies Bring Tears is yet another pivotal point in the story, yet another weird song, and yet another song with creepily nice lyrics (opening line: "unleash the armageddon, make all the children go to heaven..."). And finally the last song (which I can't remember the name of at the moment) is a nice angst-felt song, with a driving beat but tame guitars. Rather odd at first, but excellent after the third listen or so. Also contains the only cuss word on the album (if that's helpful), the "f" word. Hopefully that wasn't too long, and it was helpful. It's really a great album, and you can almost see it as a movie in your mind.Free Music Review: The Best Album Of The Year...
Hit: 5 Stars
...and one of the best alternative albums in a long time. The Pumpkins have ditched their gothic style of "Adore" (though not entirely) and took a more rock approach. To start off, this doesn't sound like "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" or "Siamese Dream", just because it's guitars and solos again doesn't mean they sound like previous efforts. In fact, a lot of these songs rock like the band should have been during those times. A majority of these songs have a strong alterna-pop presence, while others are 70's and 80's heavy metal, just light on the crunch and with that Pumpkins flare. Bands like Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Judas Priest come to mind for songs like "The Everlasting Gaze", "Heavy Metal Machine" and "The Imploding Voice" but, as I've said before, they still sound like The Pumpkins. The first six songs are the best, "Raindrops & Sunshowers" sounds like the sequel to "Apples & Oranges" (I can't be the only one who picked up on that) from "Adore". "Stand Inside Your Love" is the song destined for radio with it's beautiful delicate feel and spiraling solo, as well as "I Of The Mourning". "Heavy Metal Machine" is way to distorted for it's own good, but "The Imploding Voice" picks it up a bit. If one song is to be mentioned on here it's definately "Glass And The Ghost Children". Despite what some people are comparing it to (like Pink Floyd and Radiohead), it starts off like a Bauhaus tribute song, then a piano kicks in and Billy's pondering God, the song then shifts to a slow acoustic and keyboard song, it's three for the price of one. The song "Wound" is interesting but the next two sure aren't. Thankfully, it picks up again with "Blue Skies Bring Tears" which, again starts off as a Bauhaus song, but then (again) that distortion rears it's ugly head (Note to Billy: It's incredibly annoying and ruins your otherwise great songs, stop it). "Machina: The Machines Of God" ends nicely with "Age Of Innocence". Lyrically, Billy's best was "Adore" and this album's lyrics only seem to focus during the love songs, kind of annoying. This album, filled with amazing songs that have everything from easy heavy metal to Bauhaus-esque songs to The Pumpkins branded alterna-pop songs, is amazing. The booklet included is beautiful and by far and away the best booklet I've ever seen in a CD, it deserves it's own recognition, it's like a mini-book with poetry and gorgeous artwork that would cost a few bucks alone. Clocking in at over 70 minutes, this is an epic journey through love, God, cherry cola's, spiders, radio's and even clean white sheets. I don't understand why some people don't like this, some "fans" they are. But this album does grow on you, even if you don't like it at first. Years down the road "Adore" and "Machina: The Machines Of God" will have huge influences, if they don't already.Free Music Review: Probably Their 4th Best Record
Hit: 5 Stars
MACHINA is a good record. It isn't the best offering from the Pumpkins. It isn't flawless like "Siamese Dream" or mind expanding like "Mellon Collie" or hard rocking like "Gish". MACHINA was a good progression from Adore. Sure, it was a bit disappointing, but by no means is it horrible.
MACHINA was supposed to be some sort of concept album, just like Mellon Collie was. But unlike Mellon Collie, most MACHINA songs don't take you places, so to speak. For example listening to 1979 could take you to the great video that accompanied that single. I'm sure hardcore Pumpkinheads know what I mean.
MACHINA was also supposed to be a rock comeback for the Pumpkins, the end of their Adore days. And in many ways it was (ex. "The Everlasting Gaze") but in many other ways, it was more like Adore, except with live drums. Adore was a moody and dark record, and the same applies with MACHINA. Listen to the first half of "Glass and the Ghost Children" and "The Crying Tree of Mercury". If you toned down the guitars and put in a drum machine, those songs could have been on Adore. I'm not saying that bad, especially if you loved Adore. I'm just pointing out that the Pumpkins didn't abondon their Adore days. Another song that sounds like a B-side to Adore is "Raindrops and Sunshine". In fact, it reminds me a lot of "Appels and Oranjes", the best song from Adore.
Some of the brighter songs were less moody and more straight foward. "The Everlasting Gaze", "The Imploding Voice", "With Every Light" and "Wound" fit this category. The less dark but still emotional songs like "Age of Innocence" and "I of the Mourning" actually do give off that Mellon Collie type vibe that you would want. Had the Pumpkins released one of those songs as a second single, I'm sure this record would've sold much more than it did.
"The Everlasting Gaze"- 10/10
"Raindrops and Sunshine"- 10/10
"Stand Inside Your Love"- 9/10
"I of the Mourning"- 10/10
"The Sacred and Profane"- 9/10
"Try, Try, Try"- 8/10
"Heavy Metal Machine"- 8/10
"This Time"- 10/10
"The Imploding Voice"- 10/10
"Ghost and the Glass Children"- 6/10
"Wound"- 10/10
"The Crying Tree of Mercury"- 6/10
"With Every Light"- 10/10
"Blue Skies Bring Tears"- 7/10
"Age of Innocence"- 10/10
MACHINA is a very good record. Of course it has its problems and some may not be able get past that. Let me put it this way; if you were looking for MACHINA to be another Mellon Collie or Siamese Dream, you will be sorely disappointed. It comes off more like Adore with a touch of Mellon Collie. But if you were looking for a good, solid rock record in this day and age of "metalcore", "indie rock", and "pop-punk", you've found it. I'd also reccommend anyother Pumpkins' record, because in my humble opinion, the Pumpkins never released a bad record.
Free Music Review: Fitting Farewell
Hit: 5 Stars
Machina/The Machines Of God has to be one of the most under-rated and neglected albums of all time. This was actually the first pumpkins album that I bought and it is still probably my favourite.There is a big difference from this and Siamese Dream, Gish, Pisces Iscariot and Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.
But it's still brilliant. It starts off with The Everlasting Gaze, which I think is one of their best ever songs. Raindrops + Sunshowers is a wierd Electro-Feeling song, which doesn't reallt fit in with the album. Stand Inside YOur Love deserves the reviews that it got, that song is brilliant. I of the morning is also really good, although Sacred and Profane doesn't really fit.
Try, Try, Try has to be one of the best, most beautiful songs of all time. It's soothing piano, sweet vocals and lovely lyrics makes this album unmisable.
People say from track 7 onwards the album goes downhill, i'd say the other way. Heavy Metal Machine is a little overproduced, but it's a great rocking song with a great chorus. This Time is one of my favourites from Machina. Glass and the ghost children - would a pumpkins album be complete without an epic 'long' song, i think not. THis song is really good. its strange but still reccomended.s Imploding Voice is a rocky song that is another favourite with wierd guitars.
Wound, With every light, and blue skies bring tears are really nice songs. BSBT is a wierder more electro song, which i like, until it goes repetitive. Crying Tree Of Mercury is a song you either like or hate. its one of the worst on the album, but is still pretty decent.
Age Of Innocence is a brilliant way to end the album. It's mix of acoustic and distorted guitars make this classic song a great end to pumpkins' albums you can buy.
Despite about 3 songs, this is a brilliant album
End.
Machina II - Available for download, Has great songs like Glass, Cash Car Star, Dross, Real Love, Go, Let Me Give The World To You, If There is a god, here's to the atom bomb, slow dawn and Home.
The first half of that whole ablum is more-or-less (...) (the first 3 vinyls). There is a terrible remix of Heavy Metal Machine, well Demo anyway. Try, Try, Try alt.version is quite nice along with Slow Dawn and If there is a god alt.
Machina II/The Friends And Enemies Of Modern Music:
Glass' Theme
Cash Car Star
Dross
Real Love
Go
Let Me Give The World To You
Innosense
Home
Blue Skies Bring Tears (Alt.)
Whyte Spider
In My Body
If There Is A God (Full Band)
Le Deux Machina (Synth)
Here's To The Atom Bomb (Alt.)
JUST DOWNLOAD THIS ANY WHERE
(...) MACHINA RULES!
I'd give that 4/5 stars.
BOth Machina and Machina II are fabulous. i think they're as good as the Pumpkin's have ever done. If you like Stand Inside Your Love, you'll love Real Love.
Both are heavily recommended.
End.
Free Music Review: It's all about the music...and this is great music
Hit: 5 Stars
You know we could all sit here and debate for hours on end about what Billy Corgan is about; what he wants, what he pretends to be, how he view himself in the real of modern pop music...but it's all just so petty and pointless. The bottom line is that this is a GREAT piece of work. The songwriting is the best of the band's career. For those who accuse the band of selling out commercially, where are your ears? If anything the band was much more "chart" acceptable with Mellon Collie and Siamese Dream. What I hear on Machina is a band that only cares about being true to itself, and writing great songs, as well as a band that is totally passionate about those songs. Why do so many people not hear this? This CD is great for so many reasons. The heavier songs drive away with an unrelenting cathartic push and pull the same way Sugar's awesome Beaster CD did. The more subdued songs have the same elegant masterful grace as Fleetood Mac or the Eagles (we're not talking sound here of course, just attitude, flow, and mastery of great rock music).In some ways this record is just like Hole's last one. Long time Hole fans just mauled the thing to pieces, but the truth was that the album was a classic piece of work, with songwriting that most other bands would give their eye-teeth for. Machina does demand your time and effort to understand and enjoy fully, however. Expend the effort and you will see results. Raindrops is a great 80's like Duran Duran influenced pop gem, Everlasting Gem is alternately viscious and expansive. Glass and the Ghost Children is passionate and sensusuous (try driving around with this one blasting on a hot spring day and feel the erotic push and pull flow of the chorus). Age of Innocence is a glorious, light airy masterpiece that only a handful of bands that are in total command of their craft can pull off with such elegance.
So..all you aging early 90's Nirvana, Soundgarden and OLD Smashing Pumpkins fans, time to wake up. Music is moving fast, and while I'm not saying this music does not have relevance any more, or it cannot be enjoyed anymore, those that are stuck up in their rooms listening to Siamese Dream over and over are destined to become casualties. As Courtney Love so brilliantly puts it on Playing Your Song..those days are over, they've taken the money and built a mall, any true authenticity it once had is today's commercialism. The only hope is not a trendy band that fits nicely into some little fascist alterna-punk world, a world where bitter grunge fans hang their little hopes and dreams on, but instead great bands that last the test of time..Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, U2, etc. These bands last because they are expansive, and follow their instincts and desires. Smashing Pumpkins can now join this elite group.