Zer0

Ssssshhh. I have nightmares about that song. I really don't know what possessed Billy to write that song or the record company to approve of it. I surely assume it's there to make the rest of Melon Collie sound better

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SGR

I'm not too big on it either, but the end of Mellon Collie is one of my favorite parts. You've got "By Starlight," "Beautiful," and "Farewell & Goodnight." I still don't care much for "Lily" though. I disliked "Beautiful" quite alot at one point, but it has definitely grown on me. When I listen to it on my iPod, I can hear D'arcy in one ear and Billy in the other.

There are quite a few songs that could have replaced songs on Mellon Collie. 'The Aeroplane Flies High' is full of good songs.

Yeah Machina is overproduced, still a good album though.

I hope to have the Siamese Dream review up sometime soon.

Nine Black Poppies

It is, but I dunno. Listening to them recently, I agree with most of the choices for what was put on MCIS. I'd switch out "We Only Come Out at Night" and "Cupid de Locke" or "Lily" for the two Aeroplane songs I mentioned (and maybe replace "Take Me Down" with "The Boy" as far as James goes), but other than that, Billy and Flood did a pretty good job of sorting through the songs. It's a really strong album, especially for being as long as it is.

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Like carnivores to carnal pleasures, so were we to desperate measures...

SGR

The thing with "Take Me Down," is that it ends the first disc better than any other James song could have, at least in my opinion, so I would say no on replacing "Take Me Down" with "The Boy." I would definitely keep "Cupid De Locke" but I would probably replace something on the second disc with "The Aeroplane Flies High (Turns Left, Looks Right)." That song is just too much of a monster to leave off the album.

There is also quite a few greats on the "Tonight, Tonight" single. I think Billy could have made Mellon Collie a triple album, and it still would have been incredible.

Yeah, I definitely agree.

Nine Black Poppies

Maybe. Heh. But I still would've put "Set the Ray to Jerry" or "The Last Song" in its place.

Anyway, I really like Adore for the most part. As for the Machinas though... especially between them, there's probably a great album there, but neither Machina or Machina II is all that great the way it stands. There are a few songs that work really well with the treatment they're given ("Vanity," "Wound") but as whole albums they just sound too... homogenized for me--everything's kind of fuzzed out and glossy which prevents songs from standing out the way they did on prior records (MICS especially).

Anyway, intrigued for the rest of this.

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Like carnivores to carnal pleasures, so were we to desperate measures...

Zer0

'Beautiful' is definitely a song that grows on you and it's one of my favourite songs on the second cd. It's a really nice mellow and well written song and Billy and D'arcys' dual vocals sound really well together. But I really love the ending where it fades out and you can hear Billy's voice reverberating.

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duga

Siamese Dream is the perfect example of how hard times produce great art. The whole band was a mess and what came out is one of the best albums of all time.

Good luck on your Mellon Collie review, man...that's a daunting album.

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Confusion will be my epitaph...

SGR

Thank you Duga. Yeah, Mellon Collie is going to be difficult to review. Adore will probably be a difficult review as well because of the fact that some songs would be hard to explain.

Zer0

Excellent review for Siamese Dream. I agree, 'Mayonaise' is incredible, that song and 'Hummer' are my favourite songs on the album. Ever since i got my hands on that album 6 years ago The Smashing Pumpkins have been my favourite band, and i'm still searching for an album to invoke the same feelings and have the same impact on me as Siamese Dream. I'll probably never ever find anything else like it, there really is something special going on here.

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SGR

Yeah, Mayonaise and Hummer are great. My two favorites are definitely Mayonaise and Soma. I don't know if any of you have Sirius or XM radio but they almost always play only the singles from a band, but I've seen them play Soma, Mayonaise, and Hummer. Single or not, Sirius/XM plays them anyways because the songs are too good to ignore!

Mayonaise is almost always my favorite Pumpkins tune, but man, sometimes after listening to Thru The Eyes Of Ruby, I'm not so sure.