It's a Classic to me dammit: Siamese Dream

Why are little girls so creepy?

In our first installment we looked at my favorite album of all time, Stadium Arcadium. This one is a little bit lower on my list.

Siamese Dream (1993) is the second album by well known alt-rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is considered one of their best, though it is often overshadowed by the more popular Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. I firmly believe that Siamese Dream is by far the superior record.

As a second album, following the surprise hit, Gish, the Pumpkins had a lot of pressure on them. This lead to a lot of conflict and turmoil both between the band themselves and with the record label (Virgin).

Stories of the recording process are varied. Some say that the band was butting heads so often that they would barely speak to each other. It didn't help that band leader Billy Corgan tends to be somewhat of a perfectionist with the music he puts out.

The album has a very peculiar sound for the 90's. In an era where alternative was known for its gritty and raw sound, Siamese Dream was very well crafted and carefully mixed. It sounds like Corgan didn't like being labeled 'the next Nirvana' and just went in a whole other direction.

As key as sound and melody are for SD, the true star is without a doubt the writing. Siamese Dream has some of the best songs of the so called 'grunge era.' Yes, Mellon Collie has the hits, but Siamese Dream has substance, and feeling. Songs like Disarm, Today, and Mayonaise easily trump Mellon Collie's big hit Bullet With Butterfly Wings. On top of that, you have my all time favorite Pumpkins song (which should have been a single), Soma.

The album is one of those prime examples of un-rushed music. To me, the best example of the refinement of a sound that defined an era. Mellon Collie is second in my Pumpkins countdown, but Siamese Dream is head and shoulders above. You may enjoy the Infinite Sadness... But Siamese Dream is a classic to me dammit!