The Depths · All albums

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins · 1993

• Zone: Surface (level 1 of 5)
• Genre: Rock, Alternative rock
• Mood: yearning, soaring, turbulent
• Sound: layered guitars, wall of sound, shoegaze influence, heavy riffs, orchestral touches, multitracked overdubs

Siamese Dream turned alternative rock into something closer to progressive rock, with arrangements far more elaborate than most early-1990s grunge. Billy Corgan and producer Butch Vig recorded it at Triclops Studios in Georgia, with Corgan playing much of the guitar and bass himself and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin playing all the drums. The guitars are overdubbed in huge numbers, with Corgan saying “Soma” alone has up to 40 parts, and Vig described aiming for activity in both ears at all times. The sound relies on dense layers of tone. Orchestral strings, Mellotron and piano sit alongside the heavy guitars, and the songs range from the soft “Disarm” to the eight-minute “Silverfuck”.

Track list

1. Cherub Rock
2. Quiet
3. Today
4. Hummer
5. Rocket
6. Disarm
7. Soma
8. Geek U.S.A.
9. Mayonaise
10. Spaceboy
11. Silverfuck
12. Sweet Sweet
13. Luna