Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
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Free Music Notes for Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness
Free Music Review: The best album of all time!
Hit: 5 Stars
I know that that's a very controversial statement but that'swhat i think: this is the best album of all time, and let me explainto you why I think that way. A while back, about a year ago, my father passed away and it was a very hard time for me, and the only album I listened to was this album, and it helped me deal with my emotions so much and I am very grateful to the Smashing Pumpkins for making this music that can help you deal with your emotions so much. Every single song on this album is breath-taking, sweeping, and genius. Another great thing about this album is that it has a wide range of music type, form a full piano song to the Metallica-influenced Zero. Here's what I think of every song:"Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" is a great piano song, it's very soothing. "Tonight, Tonight" has a great sound with great lyrics. "Jellybelly" is a great song to just rock out to. "Zero" is a song with great guitar riffs and great lyrics, one of the best songs on the album. "Here Is No Why" is a song that has a great song with a great title, don't you think? "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" is a great song with a great guitar arrangement. "To Forgive" has great lyrics and it's very soothing. "F*.. You (An Ode to No One) is a very good upbeat song. "Love" is very interesting because of the razor sounding guitars! "Cupid de Locke" is a very interesting song that you could get married to. "Galapogos" has a great climax to it. "Muzzle" is a very fun song to listen to and to play on guitar. "Porcelina of the Vast Oceans" is just plain great. "Take Me Down" is a song with wonderful lyrics. "Where the Boys Fear to Tread" has great guitar riffs. "Bodies" is a song that you can just jump around to. "Thirty-Three" is one of the best songs ever! "In the Arms of Sleep" has a great sound to it. "1979" is a song that you can just lay down on the couch and think of what Billy's saying. "Tales of the Scorched Earth" is a great rocking song. Then "Thru the Eyes of Ruby' which is, to me, the greatest song I've ever heard, I love it! "Stumbeline" has great lyrics. "X.Y.U" is another great rocking song. "We Only Come Out At Night" has a great sound to it too. "Beautiful" is a very soothing song. "Lily (My One and Only)" is another soothing song. "By Starlight" has great lyrics. And "Farewell and Goodnight" is a great song to end the album with. They're all great, you should definitely go out and get this album today! END
Free Music Review: A fantastic epic piece of songwriting
Hit: 5 Stars
Regarded and revered as one of the most influential and diverse bands of the 90's, the peak of the Pumpkin's popularity came with Mellon Collie, the critical and commercial success that expanded on the previous (and some say even better) Siamese Dream. To be true I'd never actually heard any Smashing Pumpkin songs before coming to college, but have since become one of the vast legion of people that realise them to be one of the best bands of recent years.Billy Corgan's roots and influences are so diverse to the extent that they are almost untraceable. Drawing from an impressive variety of genres including rock, metal, folk and classical there is not one track on here that seems out of place, and that is probably the album's stroke of genius. A diverse album isn't necessarily a difficult thing to produce - what's difficult is making sure it all fits together, so that the rock songs don't feel uncomfortable next to the folk numbers. This is exactly what the band manages. The classical first track easily blends into the romantic, dreamy vision of Tonight, Tonight, which doesn't seem odd sat next to the much heavier tracks Jellybelly and Zero.
Composed of two CDs, comprising of Dawn to Dusk and Twilight to Starlight this has the feel and sound of an epic, a lifetime in music as seen through the eyes of Billy Corgan, and it's this very quality that makes Mellon Collie so unique. And it's not just stylistically and musically that the songs are good, lyrically they're rich and intelligent. Several of the tracks manage to gradually seep into your consciousness because of this, namely Porcelina of the Vast Oceans, which contains the kind of poetic lyrics that attain the 'beautiful' moniker that other artists can only dream about. Others meanwhile will hit you straight away, such as the deservedly celebrated Bullet With Butterfly Wings. On the second CD the singles obviously stand out, Thirty-Three and 1979. One's a gorgeous piece that incorporates strings to brilliant effect, the other almost sounds like the universal theme that sums up your adolescense and everything you feel/felt about that time in your life. Music of this kind is rare to the point of being practically extinct. Of course, I could go on explaining why the intricacies of each song made it special but that's the job of the individual listener.
Mellon Collie is close to impossible to dislike and whilst some say it's not as good as Siamese Dream (personally I'd say they were about the same), there's no denying its immensity, the work that's obviously gone into it and the wide scope of Billy Corgan's vision. This truly is an album of epic proportions, and a must for everyone's record collection.
Free Music Review: "No one's asking for the truth..."
Hit: 5 Stars
...so let me tell you." I'm going to try to write a simple, objective review of this album, since I've seen so many subjective ones on here.
Many people do not believe Billy Corgan's voice is pleasant. If you can tolerate his voice, you can tolerate this album. He took singing lessons very soon after this album was finished, therefore he sounds much more rich and in tune on Adore (1998) and Machina (2000). This album is very bombastic, raw, and loud. I feel that his voice adds to the raw aspect and complements it nicely. This record sounds good if you are angry. There are also a few songs thrown in between which are quiet and laid back. I really appreciate this kind of variety. The lyrics are frequently (over-)dramatic, whiney, and depressing; they portray lost love (lots of it), love in general, anger at love...you get the point. The lyrics though, to me, are very objective and can be interpreted in many ways. I also like this aspect of this album. Michael Stipe of REM once said that 3/4 of his lyrics were sentences he overheard people saying on the street. I think Corgan uses this method as well somewhat, as he works many different lines into a song to portray a common theme.
Other people who reviewed this one (mostly the 1-star ones) often suggest another band to listen to instead of SP. The bottom line is that if you are a Pumpkins fan, this is it. Their magnum opus, trump card, masterpiece. This is the apex of the Smashing Pumpkins, as a group. Sure, they went on to explore electronica on Adore and mixed the two styles of hard rock and electronic quite nicely on Machina, but I think Mellon Collie was what they were gunning for since they came together. Although, during the Adore period, the Pumpkins were nominated for a Grammy for their contribution to the Batman Soundtrack, everything after Mellon Collie was not even close to being as successful (in record sales) as this album.
I could say, like others, that this album is objectively awesome. But instead, I'll say that this is one of MY favorite albums of all time. People who write reviews such as "You call this a concept album? Dream Theater rocks!" piss me off. Comparing DT to Pumpkins is apples to oranges. It's very funny, though, how similar DT's concept albums are to this one: a commentary, whining about love and death and everything in between. 'Oh Nicholas...'
If you are just getting into Pumpkins, I don't know where to tell you to start. It doesn't really matter. But I believe that this album is their best, and record sales would agree with me on that one.
Selah.
Free Music Review: A cornerstone of '90s alternative rock
Hit: 5 Stars
To start off, I will restate what is already obvious about this album...it defined a generation. Like Nirvana's Nevermind before it, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is one of those albums that managed to perfectly articulate every feeling and experience of Gen X adolescence. Of course, that wouldn't mean nearly as much as it does if the songs weren't great, too, and surprise, they are brilliant. Despite the album's near epic length, Billy Corgan's songs never seem to meander. Even the longer songs like "X.Y.U." and "Thru the Eyes of Ruby" manage to remain interesting throughout. Of course, it was the immediacy of the singles "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "1979" that gave this album its initial success, but deeper listening reveals that these two singles weren't just flukes. There are many great alternative guitar-based songs throughout, but the most beautiful moments come on emotional ballads like "Galapagos" and the demo-like acoustic song "Stumbleline." The two discs really don't flow in any particular order, the songs are kind of mixed around, but it all plays together well. Nothing really seems out of place.
This album also represents a moment in which the Pumpkins evolved again. Gone is the epic psychedelia of Gish and the My Bloody Valentine-like guitar swirl of Siamese Dream. Here the guitar sounds are harder and more immediate, giving the grungier songs a lot more kick. The Pumpkins also try many new sounds out too, such as the gothic dance dirge of "Love," the Cure-like alternative pop of "1979," and the fuzzed out bombast of "Tales of a Scorched Earth." Also, unlike Siamese Dream, the Pumpkins play here as a band (yes, D'arcy and James Iha are present this time around), making this feel like the work of a collective band. This album may be the Pumpkins' best selling album, but it is no accident that it is arguably their best. It feels like the band put everything they had into it.
I know I said it before, but this album defined the '90s. 1996 would have been nothing without seeing bald-headed Billy wearing that infamous ZERO shirt (remember?) and watching the Pumpkins breathe new life into the alternative genre, which was nearly derailed two years before. In fact, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness has stood the test of time. Its feelings and emotions are just as true in 2004 as they were in the mid '90s, making this truly one of the crowning statements in all of alternative rock. If you're looking to get into this, I recommend that you do so ASAP, because you're missing out on a truly great album if you don't.
Free Music Review: If Not The Best Album Of All Time It Certanly Comes Close!
Hit: 5 Stars
Let me just say that this is the Smashing Pumpkins best album; regardless of what anyone else tells you. Yes! It's even better than Siames Dream. The entire album clocks around 2 hours and it never gets dull. Billy Corgan is by far one the best songwriters, and the rest of the band is brillant as well. The smashing pumpkins are easily the best band of the 90's. Here is my take on the album.Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - 5/5 - Great soft piano song. It is very sad as well.
Tonight, Tonight - 5/5 - A little louder than mellon collie but still a great song.
Jellybelly - 4/5 - Probubly the weakest song on the cd. It has a great chorus though.
Zero - 5/5 - A pumpkins classic. Great beat.
Here Is No Why - 5/5 - Awsome lyrics and music "May the king of gloom be forever doomed".
Bullet With Butterfly Wings - 5/5- The music is better than the lyrics but it still rocks.
To Forgive - 5/5 - Another soft song like Mellon Collie.
An Ode To No One - 5/5 - It has a great drive and rebellious lyrics.
Love - 4/5 - Not too bad. The second weakest but its still good.
Galapogs - 5/5 - This is one of the best songs on the cd. Great lyrics. You can just feel the pain in Corgans voice.
Muzzle - 5/5 - Another great song on CD 1. Probubly the best.
Pocelina Of Vast Oceans - 5/5 - Great chorus!
Take Me Down - 5/5 - This is a song you won't like the first time you hear it but once you hear it a few times you will realizes its a classic!
Where Boys Fear To Tread - 5/5 - Good Song! Its a loud one!
Bodies - 5/5 - Probubly my favorite song on CD 2 besides 1979. Another great loud song!
Thirty - Three - 5/5 - I love this song but I have no clue what it means.
In The Arms Of Sleep - 5/5 - A sad song but it is probubly Corgans best songwriting.
1979 - Ah! At Last the best song on CD 2. A True Rock Classic.
Tales Of A Scorched Earth - 2/5 - I don't really like this song that much. This is probubly there worst song.
Thru The Eyes Of Ruby - 5/5 - One of my all time favorite songs not just Pumpkins songs.
Stumbline - 4/5 - Its the calm before the storm!!!
X.Y.U. - 5/5 - Sense this is the loudest song besides Tales of a scorched earth. I think Marilyn Manson did this in concert with them???
We Only Come Out At Night - 5/5 - One of the best on CD 2.
Beautiful - 5/5 - Good Song!
Lily (My One And Only) - 5/5 - A cool intro on the drums. I like the lyrics too.
By Starlight - 5/5 - This is one of my favoirte Pumpkins songs.
Farwell and Goodnight - 5/5 - A great soft closing song.
Well there you have it. If you don't own this cd you really need to get it. It blows Siamese Dream right out of the water.