The Smashing Pumpkins
Pisces Iscariot

THE REVIEW

"Pisces Iscariot" represents, in the Pumpkins' discography, the transitional moment between two great albums, the much-celebrated "Siamese Dream" and the monumental "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness".

In reality, it is a collection of outtakes and B-sides from previous years, the "Gish" and "Siamese Dream" era, tracks that, for one reason or another, did not make it into the official albums but reveal, in my opinion, Corgan's extremely high compositional level of those years, capable of producing very diverse and (almost) always convincing pieces.

It opens quietly with "Soothe," just voice and guitar, a melancholic song that foreshadows the "Stumbleine" atmosphere. In "Frail & Bedazzled," Jimmy Chamberlin's powerful drums come into play, along with the typical fuzz sound of the electric guitars. "Plume" slows down again and features two excellent solos in the central and final parts. Pure compositional freedom, in short, a Corgan not yet trapped in the limiting pop formula of many subsequent albums (from Adore onward, I would say).

"Whir" is a beautiful acoustic piece, light and sweet like a summer day. "Blew Away" is James Iha's contribution, with an almost whispered and dreamy melody; "Pissant" and "Hello Kitty Kat" reignite spirits, with pounding drums, distorted guitars, and vocals alternating between anger and caresses.

We come to what I consider the most satisfying part of the album. "Obscured" is a dreamy ballad that would not have been out of place in "Mellon Collie," a true gem. "Landslide," a cover of Fleetwood Mac, showcases Corgan's most intimate and troubled side, as he makes a poetic text about the stages of life and the inevitable growth/change that we all face sooner or later his own. "Starla" is an over 10-minute ride (too long, in my opinion) built on a mantra-like riff that then explodes into distortion.

"Blue" starts with a bass riff and plays on the slowing down/speeding up, a typical solution of many pieces from the Gish era. "A Girl Named Sandoz," a cover of the Animals, is as acid as the "girl" described in the lyrics, a clear allusion to a pharmaceutical company.

"La Dolly Vita" (title inspired by Fellini?) is another well-crafted acoustic ballad (especially considering what Corgan has written since 2000...) "Spaced" closes the album with an almost instrumental piece in orbit, with confused lyrics in the background that I believe no one has ever tried to understand/translate.

In short, 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; Corgan in pure form, Chamberlin and Iha by his side, plenty of substance, and a desire to amaze, reinvent, stick together, that rage which would soon bring them to the top of the world.