THE SMASHING
PUMPKINS
MACHINA/THE
MACHINES OF GOD
ALBUM VIRGIN RELEASE: FEBRUARY 28, 2000 REVIEW: MARCH 3, 2000
The Smashing Pumpkins have had a fairly consequent career. Deviations
from their melodic post-grunge oeuvre have been minimal and if such discontinuance
do occur, it does in a rather gothic form. This is not least evident in their
visual approach.
And on the current album surprises are as rare as ever. The
typical Pumpkin-sound is this time mixed with traces of The Cure's melodic structures
and some pretty cool Sabbath-riffs. But above these features everything stays
within the boundaries of the all-American form of college rock. And that is
something that has never really got me going.
But "Machina/the machines of
God" is of course very competent and impeccably produced (by Flood). And
although the music leaves me rather indifferent, I eagerly applaud their strong
predilection for expressionistic silent movies. This is most evident in their
always remarkable videos. So when it comes to the artistic abilities of The Smashing
Pumpkins I guess I listen with my eyes…
ERIK ALMGREN
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