Before “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” existed, there was a Smashing Pumpkins record of searing guitar tones and lingering vocals, psychic contemplations and root-heavy rhythms.
“Siamese Dream” was groundbreaking and plush when it was released in 1993, a sterling example of the Chicago band’s rich legacy and powerful imprint. That remains true even now that the Pumpkins have regrouped under singer-guitarist Billy Corgan for a reunion tour that brings them to Red Rocks on Sunday.
The Smashing Pumpkins were one of many alt-rock groups to top the charts and fill arenas in the mid-’90s. But there was something different about the Pumpkins, and it was obvious from the start, their debut “Gish.” That record demonstrated Corgan’s unique voice and the band’s promise. Music geeks loved them, and critics were curious.
It wasn’t until “Siamese Dream” that the band achieved greatness, with heaps of help from producer Butch Vig. Its sophomore outing was one of those rare records that spawned a plethora of FM radio hits and maintained critical legitimacy regardless of its overwhelming, ubiquitous popularity. And as is the case with so many other bands, some of the Pumpkins’ most fascinating compositions were the least-celebrated songs.
But let’s start with the titles and melodies you know.
The record’s masterpiece is the chilling “Disarm,” a wistful reflection that is innocently bitter. This orchestral epic employs timpani, chimes and a healthy string section to act as the foil to Corgan’s conversation with himself, alternating between frail half-whispers and guttural wails.
The undeniable melody combined with the self-reflective lyrics – including the decade’s most natural sing-along, “The killer in meee is the killer in you” – made the single an easy modern-rock hit. Gloriously produced, it’s basically a standard of ’90s alternative rock. And the meaningful track – alongside “Today,” “Rocket” and “Cherub Rock” – was also the driving force that propelled “Siamese Dream” to sell more than 4 million copies in less than three years.
“Siamese Dream” actually achieved quadruple-platinum status, as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America, in January 1996, a few months after the release of the Pumpkins’ double-album follow-up “Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness,” which made the group a household name in every home with a teenager and MTV. But as sprawling as “Mellon Collie’s” scope was, it was never as potent or substantial as its predecessor.
“Today” was the natural sunny FM single from “Siamese Dream,” and its alternating guitar work – switching between twine-thin lines and fudge- thick dirges – was smart and addictive. “Cherub Rock” is what happens when a talented young band with a developing catalog teams up with a maverick producer who had already, by that time, helped create the other masterwork of the ’90s, Nirvana’s “Nevermind.”
There’s a popular story that Vig convinced Nirvana singer-guitarist Kurt Cobain to allow overdubs on his record by noting that John Lennon used them. His production on “Nevermind” is often credited with breaking Nirvana to the mainstream, and Corgan embraced Vig’s elaborate, glossy approach to recording.
You can hear it in “Cherub Rock,” which would have fallen flat without the production values that hold it up and celebrate its complexities. The same could be said about “Rocket,” the album’s final and least interesting single.
There are other moments amid “Siamese Dream’s” many folds that are far more rewarding, including the rich intensity of “Mayonaise,” one of two songs on the record for which Corgan shared songwriting credits with guitarist James Iha. Perfecting the art of the build, Corgan and Vig took their time with “Mayonaise,” allowing for a slow boil and a steady hold. It’s the ideal transition song in a concert set – grand and pretty, methodical and heady.
The aggressive “Quiet” hinted at the force that was on its way with “Mellon Collie,” borrowing slightly from industrial music’s penchant for grinding guitars and pummeling percussion. “Spaceboy” was the opposite, starting with an unadorned acoustic guitar and Corgan’s plainspoken fragility. It’s a sweet, optimistic song, and it’s also the ideal companion piece for those David Bowie and Peter Schilling songs on a space-themed mix tape.
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.
Smashing Pumpkins
ALT-ROCK|Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison; 7:30 p.m Sunday | $49.50-$54.50| , 303-830-8497
