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Rating:
THE REVIEW
I have always been deeply connected to the Pumpkins and, particularly, to Billy. They were my first love, the starting point from which I built my (thank God) vast musical culture. And I am especially attached to this album. "Siamese Dream" and "Mellon Collie" are two albums worthy of standing ovation, no doubt about it. But "Pisces Iscariot" for me is the ultimate of the pumpkins, it has something magical that captivates me every time I listen to it.
There's something for every taste: from the warm and soft atmospheres of "Soothe" and "Whir", to the energy and assertiveness of "Frail And Bedazzled" and "Plume". A blazing start. After the good "Blew Away" signed by James Iha, we continue with two more intense tracks like "Pissant" and (especially) "Hello Kitty Kat", absolutely one of the most beautiful tracks of the entire album. Needless to say, in the future Billy will declare that it was the last song to be excluded from "Siamese Dream" and that the decision was really difficult. With the following "Obscured" and "Landslide" (cover of the original by Stevie Nicks) we come back down to dry and flat land, bucolic the former, poignant the latter.
We move towards the final and therefore more experimental part of the album, as is customary for all productions by Corgan and associates. "Starla" is a piece in continuous crescendo that explodes in the finale, "Blue" is a wild (but very sweet) ride that slowly fades in the end. "A Girl Named Sandoz" is perhaps the most intriguing track of the album, with its very acid guitars (more than usual) and its captivating pace. Then comes "La Dolly Vita", a song labeled by many as bland and useless. For me, it remains one of the best of the bunch: acoustic guitar in great form, Billy's voice "polished" as never before, and a finale with a Jimmy Chamberlin in a state of grace. It closes with "Spaced", an unpretentious track that cradles a very violent and distorted text in an incredibly stretched atmosphere.
At first glance, a simple collection of b-sides. For me, it is the episode where the best of pumpkin production can be found.
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Summary by Bot
The reviewer expresses a deep, personal connection to The Smashing Pumpkins and praises Pisces Iscariot as the quintessential album in their discography. Highlighting the album's range from soft atmospheres to energetic tracks, they celebrate the diversity and emotional impact of each song. Special attention is given to standout tracks like "Hello Kitty Kat" and "La Dolly Vita." The album, though a b-sides collection, is described as containing some of the band's best work.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
The Smashing Pumpkins
American alternative rock band formed in Chicago and led by Billy Corgan, famed for 1990s albums such as Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.50 Reviews
Other reviews
By Dune Buggy
Songs without promises and without pretensions. In other words: remembering to start again.
A handful of songs made to be with you just a little during a velvet morning...
By bellycorgan
"Pisces Iscariot represents the transitional moment between two great albums, Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness."
"A collection of outtakes/B-sides that testify to an unrepeatable phase of grace of a band not yet overwhelmed by the negative effects of popularity and commercial logic."
