Siamese Dream
Guitar Player-November 1993
For years, earnest rock visionaries have been pursuing an unholy grail, the perfect balance of crunchy American riff-rock and breathy British psychedelic singsong. Smashing Pumpkins are within arm's reach. Not dissimilar to 1991's Gish, Siamese Dream is simply better designed, an ambitious, sensual sonic architecture owing much to Jimmy Page's model metal by way of Jane's Addiction percussive blare. The rhythm guitar tones positively purr with perhaps the ultimate midrange scoop - not a high-end faux pas in sight - and the crankily, nitrous solo work smears control and abandon leap out, there is an underlying urgency to the wan lyrics and boyish vocal delivery, though even that's subsumed in a narcotic ambiance that favors style over substance. But it sure feels good.