From The Archives: 90s Vol 6 – Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Album Breakdown

Released in the middle of the decade, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was The Smashing Pumpkins boldest and easily their most ambitious release. A massive double album that blends alt rock, ballads and interesting gothic textures. A success that defined their career and cemented their place in rock history!

The greatest strength of this album is its wide range, from brutal riffs, delicate tracks and real emotional ballads. Throughout Jimmy Chamberlain is excellent on the drum kit, while the song writing really is top notch!

If I were to point however to one stumbling block for some listeners it would be the fact it is over 2 hrs in length! Not every track is a hit and sometimes that change in style is quite jarring.

Highlight Tracks

Corgan’s vulnerable vocals on this track creates cinematic tension that belongs in the alt rock history books! It’s full of hope, something you can replay on loop and genuinely beautiful.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight (All Rights Are Retained By The Smashing Pumpkins)

A complete contrast to the song above, this is the band at their most explosive. A huge, instantly recognisable riff and a chorus that is not only iconic but also catchy! This is an anthem if you are feeling frustrated or alienated by daily life. Heavy both in instrumentation and lyrics.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet With Butterfly Wings (All Rights Are Retained By The Smashing Pumpkins)

Revisiting the softer side of the band here, this is much more accessible for radio and general listeners. Reflective lyrics and a cool atmosphere making this one of the bands biggest hits!

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 (All Rights Are Retained By The Smashing Pumpkins)

Other Notable Albums From The Band

Siamese Dream

Gish

Adore

All rights to the songs used in this post are retained by the band/artist. This site claims no rights over them.


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18 responses to “From The Archives: 90s Vol 6 – Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness”

  1. Sambuca (✿◠‿◠) avatar

    I didn’t like 1979 like others did. My SP era was Siamese Twins. ^^ My ex fiancé looked a lot like Billy did back then. Every time I see the video for Today, I get the feels bc my ex and I were forcibly broken up by my evil foster mum. 😦

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      Sorry to hear that 😞 You have good taste in music though I also prefer Siamese Twins

      Like

  2. Kit avatar

    Such an awesome album; I think of 1979 every time I think of my birthday or it makes me remember Clerks 2.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      It’s an album that I have to stick on once a month!

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Author Ellie Potts avatar

    It’s one of my favorite albums. It is my comfort album. When I’m feeling down or blue it always makes me feel better. Muzzle, Porcelina, By Starlight ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      It’s got a bit of everything for sure!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. PDXvagabond(Brian Hardie) avatar

    bullet with butterfly wings is by far my favorite track. When he screams”got” and “cage” (“what do you GOT?” …… “I’m still just a rat in a… CAGE!”) yes!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      I.con.ic! Love Love Love that song

      Like

  5. writinstuff avatar

    This album! It’s one of my comfort albums that gets constant rotation even today. I’d be hard-pressed to name my favorite but Adore and Tonight, Tonight are definitely up there. I’m showing my age but as a 15 year old who had just made the jump from classic rock to alt rock, this album was…everything to me. Still is and maybe doubly so b/c they were a hometown band. I think I found this album and then went backwards for more SP. okay that’s enough of my life story hahaha

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      Insanely jealous that they are a hometown band for you! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. writinstuff avatar

        Yeah, there are/were some pretty great music venues in the 90s. The Double Door had a lot of 18+ events but I was 15ish when I slipped in to see them the first time.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

          Haha naughty! But nicely done 😀

          Liked by 1 person

  6. robjtriggs avatar

    I can’t make up my mind about this band. I love Bullet With Butterfly Wings but the only actual album I’ve heard is Machina 1. I love that too, but I really bounce off Rotten Apples, the best of. It’s just… hard work. The ballads don’t really move me (don’t tell my wife who was, once upon a time, a gnat’s whisker away from a Mellon Collie tattoo) and the early stuff seems like interchangeable noise. Also not impressed by some of the things I’ve heard about Billy, like sneaking into the studio to re-record the others’ parts.

    Quite prepared to accept that it’s me, and I’m just a tone-deaf philistine. But I’ve never had the motivation to dig deeper.

    Also probably doesn’t help that I’ve been known to confuse BWBW with Soul Asylum’s Caged Rat

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      We can’t all like the same stuff 🙂 But yeah probably don’t tell your wife that! haha

      Liked by 1 person

  7. mixerrreviewsatxn avatar

    That’s a classic alternative rock album favored by many.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. grooves or grammar avatar

    I love Tonight Tonight in particular as well. As a vinyl addict who gets upset by any album running under 40 minutes (I don’t feel like I’ve got value for money…!), my next statement is a bit controversial: is this album a bit TOO long? There are some absolute killer tracks in here, but some less strong ones as well that could, perhaps, have been left for the late-career ‘Rareties’ compilation…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Fox Reviews Rock avatar

      You know , too long is something I have occasionally thought too

      Like

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