Ned Raggett reviewing "Gish (deluxe edition)" in P4k today

I mean, no one is going to really defend Billy Corgan's voice in terms of strength or pleasant on the ear, but I saw them during the Adore tour and he's kind of another animal live; his voice WORKS in a live setting in a way I don't think they ever managed to capture on record.

I think Billy's voice is legitimately pleasant on some of those early quiet songs ("Obscured," "Rhinoceros," etc)

One of the problems with having a super-idiosyncratic voice like his is how polarizing it is; I also think it works really, really well on those quieter songs but I can also see how it could easily throw someone out of the music's mood.

oh I definitely prefer his voice on the quieter stuff, it's when he starts trying to raise the volume/tension in his voice that problems set in.

totally disagree about the live thing, one of the worst, most contemptible bands I have ever seen.

... how about every singer whose band even came close to being described as "grunge"

Cobain's voice is amazing. and I am hardly a Soundgarden fan but Cornell's vocal range is remarkably wide and is one of the things that made them stand out to begin with.

I don't disagree with either of those statements, but both of them (ESPECIALLY Cornell) are as guilty of "emoting thru constipation" as Corgan

and really calling him "whiny" is a pretty accurate description of the timbre and texture of his voice, no matter what he's singing about. when I revisited this period of the Pumpkins' stuff recently, the biggest problem I had with the material were with his incredibly thin and limited vocal range

Yep. I do need to relisten to the first two albums though.

Corgan's the only one of those three who sings almost entirely through his nose, tho. It worked when Butch Vig camouflaged it in layers of MBV swirl on the first two records. It's no coincidence that the quality of their records fell off big time after Corgan decided his lyrics needed to be heard and started mixing his voice way up front. Sublimated, his angst and his melodrama was easy enough to ignore.

oh wow, the old "hello kitty kat" chorus is totally awful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYfLuZefGDQ

lol I meant "reedy"

right the first time

And as a final ET bonus:

http://www.collapseboard.com/reviews/albums-reviews/reviewed-in-words-smashing-pumpkins-siamese-dream-deluxe-edition/

...and as noted, I found and transcribed the review for him.

I had forgotten how MONSTROUS the drums on Gish are

Gish really is the only time you hear the band as an actual band rather than the Billy Corgan Experience, however supplemented. Having Butch Vig record that was very fortunate (if you watch the live DVD, the album captures not only the live show but nearly all the arrangements to the note).

Ned's second piece on Pitchfork about This Mortal Coil was excellent, probably has been discussed elsewhere...been away for awhile

Talked about it a bit on the Pitchfork thread.

thanks for the direction

love that you are on Pitchfork now Ned, their audience is in for a treat

based on your first two pieces and the ILM history

ect all...

Hey I have no idea what will happen, that's part of what makes it fun!

Ned, I read your review of Bongwater - Power of Pussy today -- it was appended to the album in Spotify. Good stuff.

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan is launching an unlikely new venture - he's opening a tea house in his native Illinois.

The rocker spent his Thursday taste-testing different brews for his Chicago cafe and he can't wait to officially open the shop.

In a Twitter.com post, he writes, "had my first meeting today to prepare for opening a tea house on the north shore here in the Chicago area. lots of teas to try!"

"Tea house" may also be used synonymously (or confused) with "tea room", a gay slang term referring to a venue where public sex occurs.

The Tea House on the North Shore: A Memoir by Billy Corgan.

Hahah thanks Mordy (looking back a few days) -- had almost forgotten I'd done that!

Marlon Brando playing Billy Corgan. Could happen. Even after Brando's dead.

Teagarden by Baldydope

tea silaviver

https://www.facebook.com/eman.tea