Arriving several months before
Nirvana's
Nevermind,
the Smashing Pumpkins' debut album,
Gish, which was also produced by
Butch Vig, was the first shot of the alternative revolution that transformed the rock & roll landscape of the '90s. While
Nirvana was a punk band,
the Smashing Pumpkins and guitarist/vocalist
Billy Corgan are arena rockers, co-opting their metallic riffs and epic art rock song structures with self-absorbed lyrical confessions. Though
Corgan's lyrics fall apart upon close analysis, there's no denying his gift for arrangements. Like
Brian May and
Jimmy Page, he knows how to layer guitars for maximum effect, whether it's on the pounding, sub-
Sabbath rush of "I Am One" or the shimmering, psychedelic dream pop surfaces of "Rhinoceros." Such musical moments like these, as well as the rushing "Siva" and the folky "Daydream," which features D'Arcy on lead vocals, demonstrate
the Smashing Pumpkins' potential, but the rest of
Gish falls prey to undistinguished songwriting and showy instrumentation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine