SMASHING PUMPKINS, MONUMENTS TO AN ELEGY

The Smashing Pumpkins have been in my music library for a couple of years, they’re a band where I know a selection of songs inside-out but I feel as though I’ve jumped on the bandwagon too late to call myself a dedicated listener, especially seeing as the majority of their best material was released before I was even born. It’s a sad truth that they’ve only deteriorated since re-forming in 2007. Saying that, they’ve been hugely successful in previous years and when listening to the likes of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, it isn’t a challenge to see why they were once described as ‘the next Nirvana’. Nineteen years later, Monuments to an Elegy is released and, though it doesn’t live up to the high-set standards of some of their former works, it could be a lot worse.

Marilyn Manson surprises the audience when appearing in the encore of Pumpkins' gig in Koko, Camden last week
Photocreds - http://www.standard.co.uk/

Tiberius gives a promising opening track to the album, with a typical Pumpkins soft opening before bursting into heavy rock, not dissimilarly to Today; it seems to be one of the small minority of songs on the album which would blend into their old palette of rock. Being Beige is arguably the best track of the nine, with toned-down acoustics and a touch of piano. However, if I am being honest, those two tracks are the only ones that really give the album a leg to stand on. The synthetic, tin-like introduction of Monuments is almost painful to listen to, and this robotic sound has been carried on through Dorian and Run2Me. Disappointingly, the vast majority of tracks on the album make me wonder if Corgan ran out of ideas after his first two clever crafts.

Photocreds - http://www.theyoungfolks.com/

Monuments to an Elegy is an album that starts good and eventually disappoints, this track list has left me questioning whether the band should be removed of their ‘Smashing’ status. It’s not tragic, but it really could be better, it’s a shame to see two really well-written songs go to waste on a highly unimpressive album. Their hay day is clearly complete; perhaps the Pumpkins should be put away until next Halloween.

My favourite Smashing Pumpkins songs: Today, Ugly, 1979
For listeners of: Nirvana, Foo Fighters