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smashingpumpkins monumentstoanelegy
Artist: Smashing Pumpkins
Title: Monuments To An Elegy
Genre: Alternative Rock
Release Date: 5th December 2014
Label: Martha’s Music


Album Review

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS have been nibbling the edges of the mainstream since 1988, releasing some flawed classics – see the wonderfully overblown ‘Melon Collie And The Infinite Sadness’ or the gothic-rock dramatics of ‘Adore’ – while always retaining a unique sound and alternative approach to their craft. The problem has often being that messiah-like mainstay Billy Corgan believes his ubiquitous and vital input into musical history is as salt to food. This has allowed for a woeful lack of quality control along the way, potentially good albums riddled with rot, bloated ideas and head-scratching awkward decisions.

‘Monuments To An Elegy’ seems to be an attempt to right wrongs – although it’s doubtful Mr Corgan would recognise this – by returning to the taut and tight guitar sound of breakthrough album ‘Siamese Dreams’. With nine songs, all clocking in under four minutes, it feels focussed, hungry even, trimmed of flab and pretentiousness. The pretty piano intro to ‘Tiberius’ is soon swamped with swooping guitars and a deliciously odd melody, the various parts of this album-opener somehow just staying together to complete the job. The single, ‘Being Beige’, follows on, a more radio-friendly verse and chorus structure detracting nothing from its charm, and ‘Anaise!’ comes strutting out of the shadows like some warped disco workout. At times the songs hurtle by at such a rate that there’s hardly chance to take stock. Was ‘One And All’ any good? Dunno, I think so. ‘Run2Me’? Yeh, that was the one with the big eighties drum breaks and the synths, right? ‘Drum And Fife’ does make its mark though, recalling the classic early sound of the band, crisp, powerful and playful. It stands out here spectacularly.

The remaining trio of songs take in the mini-epic (‘Monuments’), pop-rock (‘Dorian’) and the Billy Corgan default setting of punchy, catchy and spiky (‘Anti-hero’). And that’s that. Gone is the bluster and the bragging, the concepts and the conceits, gone is the grumpy and garrulous… you get the picture. ‘Monuments To An Elegy’ is a delight to listen to, not because it will change the shape of modern rock music, but precisely because it’s not trying to.


Tracklist

01. Tiberius
02. Being Beige
03. Anaise!
04. One And All
05. Run2Me
06. Drum And Fife
07. Monuments
08. Dorian
09. Anti-hero


Line-up

Billy Corgan – Vocals, Guitar
Jeff Schroeder – Guitar
Nicole Fiorentino – Bass


Website

http://www.smashingpumpkinsnexus.com / https://www.facebook.com/smashingpumpkins


Cover Picture

smashingpumpkins monumentstoanelegy


Rating

Music: 8
Sound: 8
Total: 8 / 10





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