Review of SMASHING PUMPKINS - Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness: Deluxe, Remastered & Expanded

Released in 1995, "Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness" is an incredible double album that showcases the band's range and creativity. The album features a mix of hard rock, pop, and psychedelic influences, and includes some of the band's most popular songs, such as "1979," "Tonight, Tonight," and "Bullet With Butterfly Wings."

After the 13-month tour in support of the Smashing Pumpkins' second album Siamese Dream (1993), Billy Corgan immediately began writing songs for the band's next record. From the outset, the band intended the new record to be a double album, partly inspired by the Beatles' self-titled album. Corgan said, "We almost had enough material to make Siamese Dream a double album. With this new album, I really liked the notion that we would create a wider scope in which to put other kinds of material we were writing. Corgan felt that the band's musical approach was running its course, and wanted the band to approach the album as if it were its last. Corgan described the album at the time to the music press as "The Wall for Generation X", a comparison with Pink Floyd's 1979 album, one of the highest-selling and best-known concept albums of all time.

The songs on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness are intended to work together conceptually, with the two halves of the album representing day and night
The album's production is top-notch, with layers of guitars, keyboards, and strings creating a rich, dense sound. Billy Corgan's songwriting is at its peak on this album, with lyrics that are both personal and universal, touching on themes of love, loss, and alienation.

All but two songs on the album were written by Corgan. The closing track from the first disc, "Take Me Down", was written and sung by Iha, while the album's final track, "Farewell and Goodnight", features lead vocals by all four band members and, according to the BMI database, was written solely by Iha, despite being credited on the album liner notes as being written by both Iha and Corgan. Iha wrote additional songs during the making of the album that did not make the final cut.

The remastered version of the original album has been praised for its improved sound quality, with many fans noting that it brings out the full dynamic range of the songs. The additional material on the third and forth disc includes some great B-sides and alternate versions of songs that provide insight into the band's creative process during the recording of the album.

Overall, "Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness" is a masterpiece of '90s alternative rock, and one of the best albums of its era. Its mix of styles and moods keeps it fresh and engaging from start to finish, and its emotional depth and musical richness have helped it stand the test of time.

This LP Box set contains 4 x 180 gram vinyl records housed in 12 x 12 rigid slipcases with 2 books containing notes, new collage artwork, lyrics and more.

For fans of Smashing Pumpkins or '90s alternative rock in general, this album is essential listening.