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Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, Track 2 – Widow Wake My Mind

Monday, January 18th, 2010

The Smashing Pumpkins second track from Teargarden By Kaleidyscope was released today–I would like to preface my review by saying I’ve always supported the Pumpkins regardless of the direction taken. Regardless of personal preference there was some element of the song I could get behind–or at the very least I was supportive that Billy and Crew were experimenting with something new. I bought Zeitgeist the day it came out and listened to it repeatedly. I downloaded every live concert I could get my hands on and saw them three times since they’ve reformed.

I was unsure how I would like the new sound when it was announced Jimmy left the band. I’ve always felt his driving force behind the drums provided the cohesive bonds behind the songs. It was a counter-point to Billy’s guitar that evoked emotion without words. The mix of melody and drums gave a balance to some of the repetitive lyrics the Pumpkins are known for.  However, again, I’m very supportive of Billy and his work and was (am) going to give it a fair chance…

Enter the new album: as I’ve stated before this 44-track album will be released one song at a time over the course of several years. I was deadset against this idea and would much rather prefer an EP like American Gothic…it allows for the building of a framework and can be more emotionally developed than one single song. Again, this is only song 2 so I am still keeping an open mind…these are just initial opinions. The first track, Song for a Son, was a well-developed, slow building ballad that really opened up at the end. I loved the way it was developed since the tour…

Track 2: Widow Wake My Mind. I was highly disappointed in this song. The Pumpkins have almost always had repetitive lyrics but the melody and drumming could provide emotion that balanced out the repetition. Not this. Highly repetitive lyrics, underdeveloped drums with a horrid fill and a very simple guitar part. Their was a bit of piano that helped add to the development of the track but it wasn’t enough…it just seemed like a spur of the moment gesture. It actually reminded me of a stripped down version of a Zwan song. It retained enough of the “upbeat” catchy melody only without the layering and multiple guitars. Also, if it was a Zwan song it would be one of the worse ones–if it even made the cut. After listening to the song five times through I can’t help but walk away feeling like this was a work in progress released too early. I hear parts that had potential seemingly overlooked. Horribly disappointed in the second track.

This is another reason I dislike the way SP are releasing their songs…it is conducive to a track by track analysis versus the work as a whole. If I were to do a track by track analysis of any SP album, except Siamese Dream, I would have at least one review that sounded as negative as this. Holistically, the album review is always much superior. I’m afraid by the time this album is complete my opinions of these tracks will already be set.

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actingnotreacting

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

The year is starting to wind down. With two months to go I started thinking about differences between this year and last. What I’m after, interested in, yearn for, strive for…those are all internal differences. I’d have to say the biggest observable change this year has been taste in music. I dived head first into EDM and haven’t looked back. I think of the friends I talk to the most and almost all of them have been met as a result of the edm scene

But, one thing still holds true…My love for the Smashing Pumpkins hasn’t diminished! haha.

“Is it bright where you are
Have the people changed
Does it make you happy you’re so strange
And in your darkest hour, I hold secret’s flame
You can watch the world devoured in its pain”

Speaking of, Billy has decided to change his release format to individually released songs vs the typical album organization. There will be 44 songs, released individually and divided up into 11, 4 track sets. I wouldn’t mind the EP format, a la American Gothic, but individual tracks? While I’m very anxious to hear the new direction of SP–especially without Jimmy on drums–I don’t believe individual tracks with broad gaps between can demonstrate that. By the time the album is fully assembled (one to two years) one could very possibly be burned out on the early releases and unable to grasp the fully concept of the album. Oh yeah, its a concept album. Hopefully, this project will either be a little more narrow in scope than Machina or actually finished.

Admittedly, this is just early speculation. The first track isn’t scheduled to drop until mid-November. I do like the open approach Billy is taking with this release though. There is more info about studio sessions and writing, interviews, etc. Even if you’re not a SP fan…if you know anything about the band you have to give them credit. They are constantly evolving.

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Smashing Pumpkins 20th anniversary show in Cleveland

Sunday, November 2nd, 2008

I want to show this first

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..I know this is cliche but, where do I begin? Literally. So much happened this weekend that it’s still a whirlwind inside my head. Well, I’m going to attempt to put it down. Friday night was horrible, Sarah was going to meet me at my apartment at 4:30 am and I couldn’t sleep. It’s safe to say I got about 3 hours of sleep and then we were on the road towards Cleveland. I’ll skip the banter and go right to arriving in Cleveland on Saturday. The Wyndham was a beautiful hotel with exceptional staff. The lounge was top-notch and they definitely didn’t water down the drinks. lol

I had to be at the box office by 4:45 to pick up my gift bag, tickets etc. I was surprised to see that by the end of it there was only about 25-30 VIPs tops. In addition to a 20th anniversary t-shirt that said, “SP VIP” on the back we were handed a VIP card to wear around our neck. Immediately I sensed the anticipation of our group. Everyone was incredibly friendly and we were sharing our favorite SP moments when we were interrupted by our host. He informed us that we were invited to watch the band do their soundcheck. This was pretty much a completely private mini-show. We heard a couple of new songs that they had been working on (well, they were performed once at the charity event but they’re still unreleased) when I heard an old favorite… They took Suffer from Gish and put a completely new spin on it. Loved it. After the soundcheck, Billy and Jimmy came down and started BSing with our group. Everything was organized and our group was well behaved. I was expecting at least one fan to freak out…We were allowed one item to have autographed and I brought along the lyric book to MCIS. Afterwords was a quick photo shoot, sadly those were professionally done and we won’t receive the pictures for two weeks or so. I did however get a fan behind me to take a pic with my iphone. The photo shoot was orginially supposed to have been on on the stage but logistical issues forced us to take it directly in front. Ooh, what a shame *sarcasm*
We got to talk for a bit and ask some questions before we were led by our host down to a locked room in the basement. It was a “party room” with private bartenders. You really can’t go wrong with free drinks!

The show hadn’t even started yet and I’ve already experienced so much. I could have left happy at this point. After the drinks we all took our seats. I ran into Sarah and gave her her ticket (second row) while mine was literally front row center. I was directly in front of Billy.

The set list is as follows:

1. 99 Floors
2. Owata
3. Sunkissed
4. A Song For a Son
5. Mayonaise
6. Tonight, Tonight
7. Tarantula
8. G.L.O.W.
9. Siva
10. Speed Kills
11. Superchrist
12. The Sounds of Silence
13. That’s The Way (My Love Is) – acoustic
14. Disarm
15. Today
16. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
17. As Rome Burns
18. Heavy Metal Machine
19. Glass’ Theme
20. The March Hare
21. Suffer

Encore
22. We Only Come Out at Night
23. Everything is Beautiful

This was an incredible setlist.. Suffer was an unexpected treat. Being this close was a completely different experience. I could witness the unspoken communication between Billy and Jimmy… the crazy grins and laughs when Jeff missed a note in Mayonaise. Someone close to the front kept yelling 1979 over again. This led Billy to stare at the guy and say:

“Do you know what year it is? 2008.”
“I’m sorry but we will NOT be playing that song for I am the song monster. Yes, Yes. I ignore all of your requests” and then he started growling and running around the stage.

Towards the end of the set there was some awesome crowd interaction were Billy alluded to some serious issues wrapped in the illusion of humor. I think this will expand fully during the two night shows but I believe this is an attempt to show the metamorphosis of SP. How they are evolving as a band and hope their fans come with them. This was demonstrated by Jimmy doing drumbeats to Silverfuck and I am One before starting off on new songs…I can’t recall exactly what song it was so if any VIP can help me out I’d appreciate it…Could have been Superchrist? But they did the Ted Nugent beat from Window Paine. A rant during Heavy Metal Machine also suggested this. Being so close, the lyrics were hard to make out but he made a specific reference to an evolution…same during the Set the Controls cover. “We are the new SP…same as the old SP.” During The Sounds of Silence and That’s the Way he mentioned how the show has not started and went into three old huge singles without stopping… The crowd freaked out and he let us sing the first verse of Today. The funny part was, the front rows actually calmed down during this time. Retire those singles. We freaked out and jammed for the new stuffs and the old surprises like Glass Theme and Suffer.

The acoustic version of That’s the Way sent chills down my spine. It was only Lisa and Billy playing…It was so intense and full of raw emotion. You could feel the love and hurt… Speaking of hurt he did reference how we were hurting his feelings.. To paraphrase/quote Billy.

“Ohh, you’re hurting me. That’s okay though. The more I hurt the better my songs are. You’ve been feeding off my pain for the last twenty years though. It’s okay though. Because of you I live in a Big HOUSE!”

The evolution was also referenced in the humourous take of Everything is Beautiful. The entire band, including the accompanying musicians were out with kazoo for “Everyone is beautiful in your own way…”

He mentioned how he loved all of us regardless and how he “knows” that we love them. No matter what direction they go in, the new songs they perform etc. I for one, am a true fan of SP. I was more excited by their new songs than hearing Today for the millionth time. While there are those old songs I’d love to hear live, the evolution of the band have been the primary source for my enjoyment. I know their next album isn’t going to be another Zeitgeist. Just like Adore wasn’t another MCIS. It’s how a band can be gathering new fans after 20 years. I just hope enough others think this way….

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I met Billy Corgan

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

8_12_08_palace

I would like to take this moment to say I met Billy Corgan…and have witnesses to back it up.

Let’s start with a set list

Good show with a GREAT start.. GLOW is a new track and it was seriously rocking…heavy drums, catchy lyrics. They played a HARDCORE Machinaesque version of Siva that left me with my jaw dropped. Getting to hear Mayonnaise  FINALLY played live made the show for me. While the rest of the show was quality, knowing exactly what songs they were going to play took some of the fun out of it.

I met up with Tim Smith after the show and we decided to go out back and see if we could catch the band coming out. We were taking our cues from this lady we met, Elizabeth. She seemed to definitely be “in the know” and achieved a level of stalker-craziness far surpassing both myself, Tim and Angela combined. After pointing out which was the roadie bus, which was the tech bus we made our way to the band tour bus. Around 20 minutes go by… ZZ Top comes out. Yes, ZZ top… I got a picture of two of them and shook hands and briefly chatted with the lead singer and guitarist.

They go away. It’s myself, Tim and Elizabeth on the front line with a crowd of 20 behind us…Jeff comes by.. Waves. Gets in the van. Bummer…I really wish he would have came to say hello

Billy comes out and he’s talking to some fans on the other side by the door.. 15 minutes later he’s standing directly in front of me having a conversation with the “front line” After thanking him for everything and BSing about the cubs, how shitty Kentucky is and me commenting how great it was to hear Transformer he looked me in the eyes and said, “Anything else you wanna ask?” So of course I froze up and kinda stammered out “I hope you come back by here soon!”

Meeting Billy Corgan definitely made tonight awesome

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Sunday, July 20th, 2008

I have tickets to see the Smashing Pumpkins at the Louisville Palace August 12th!!!

I’m stoked!

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!!!!

Monday, July 14th, 2008

I feel like I’m in a trance…my only concerns have been doing all my hw to make good grades and working. Not that it’s a bad thing.

Oh, wait.. Smashing Pumpkins are playing the Palace Theatre in Louisville August 11th!!! Tickets go on sale July 11th! Must.. Go.

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It’s a white hot soul they want to sing for

Friday, January 25th, 2008

I wish I had something interesting to write about but lately things have just been school and work…and i’m pretty happy about that. It’s definitely eating almost all of my time and I’m having to focus on keeping my agenda up to date so I can stay on top of homework assignments..

Oh, and I’m FINALLY going to have to break down and buy a printer. In HS I had Mrs. Purdy’s room, At Murray I had CTLT, at UK I worked in the lab, even at OCC the first year I had the laser at Computers Plus. Alas, my freeloading of printing is at an end. I think I can swing the 30 bucks, what do you think? ;)

I still like my classes so far, I finished training last Sunday at work so I’ve been on my own this week. Things haven’t been bad there and most of my co-workers are pretty cool. Went out with a few of them to Bdubs after closing and just BSed around. Another co-worker of mine was blarring out some Pumpkins tunes from the jukebox. It’s nice to have another Pumpkin Fan to sing with. haha.

That’s really all that’s been going on. A couple of random things here and there…dropping my cell phone in the middle of a field at OCC (oh yeah. My english class is in a TRAILER you all) but luckily I managed to find it…and Fridays I don’t have any class so I get to sleep in!

Still needing a new car.. lol, having no heat in my truck absolutely sucks…

Above all– current events have been making me quite happy.

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