Back catalogue: Indie/Alternative

Review: The Pumpkins' sophomore effort, originally released in 1993, remains a masterclass in balancing raw emotion with lush, layered production. Opening with the iconic 'Cherub Rock', the album immediately asserts its originality, blending Billy Corgan's searing guitar work with Butch Vig's pristine production. The track's dynamic shifts and explosive energy still sounds like nothing since. 'Today', with its deceptively upbeat melody and darker lyrical undertones, became a radio and MTV staple, while 'Disarm' showcased the band's range, swapping distortion for orchestral strings and highlighting Corgan's vulnerable songwriting. For longtime fans, 'Mayonnaise' often emerges as the album's hidden gemia track that marries melancholic melodies with cathartic, crashing crescendos. Throughout the album, Jimmy Chamberlin's drumming is nothing short of phenomenal, adding weight and complexity to tracks like 'Geek U.S.A.' and 'Soma'. Siamese Dream still resonates with the same potency, blending anthems of adolescent angst and shimmering beauty. A reissue that reaffirms the album's enduring legacy as a cornerstone of its genre.

Review: Grunge was already dominating the world by July 1993, when Chicago's Smashing Pumpkins released their second album, but Siamese Dream would point the way forward for the sound, and, racking up six million sales, it would also prove to be one of its most successful landmarks after Nirvana's Nevermind. It was that album's producer - Butch Vig - who took the helm on this album, and his trademark crunchy and compressed take on the loud/quiet light and shade of 'Today' and the gloriously sludgy 'Mayonnaise' had a lot to do with its success. That and, of course, Bill Corgan's distinctive and vulnerable vocal performances, which make this the missing evolutionary step between the Pixies and the next generation of emo kings like My Chemical Romance.