February 29, 2000 - Machina/The Machines Of God

A day after my last release and a little under two years since "Adore", The Smashing Pumpkins released their fifth album "Machina/The Machines Of God" on February 29, 2000. I am very happy to report that Jimmy Chamberlin has re-joined the band on drums and so the original line-up is back together (briefly)! Although the Pumpkins went into this album saying that it would be their final album and final tour before breaking up, oh no! Billy Corgan wanted to record another double album, but the record label refused after the poor sales of "Adore". This new album is less electronic than it's predecessor and more guitar/rock driven, but there are still lots of synthesizers and acoustic guitars throughout. Let's check out the "final" album by the Smashing Pumpkins!

The album kicks off with it's lead single "The Everlasting Gaze" and it's driven by a decently heavy main guitar riff that sounds pretty cool and D'arcy Wretzky plays some dirty bass as well. Billy Corgan sounds like his usual solid self singing overtop and things glow right into a similarly solid chorus. Chamberlin plays some solid drums as well and this is way better than most of the stuff on "Adore"! The music stops and Corgan sings a verse by himself that sounds epic and things sound even better when the music comes crashing back in. This was a very fine and refreshing way to open the album! Up next is "Raindrops + Sunshowers" and Corgan dives right in to a quieter but smooth main riff and he holds lots of long notes in the chorus. The verse is even quieter and things sound alright, but definitely nothing too special or energetic. This song is a little long and pretty repetitive; it's ok but it definitely could've been better. Track 3 is another single titled "Stand Inside Your Love" and one of Corgan or James Iha plays a light lead guitar riff while the other plays some droning rhythm guitar in a quiet but interesting verse. Things get louder in the chorus as we hear some computer-y keyboards alog with a louder guitar riff and it's a pretty catchy chorus. They don't stray far from this, but it's a solid dynamic and a pretty good single. The next track is "I Of The Mourning" and Bully is gonna sing "radio" a lot on this one. The lead guitar riff is pretty light and fluffy but the bass is solid and Corgan sounds pretty good singing the verse. Out of nowhere we get the album's first guitar solo and it's a pretty good one that definitely spices things up. The verse is decent but just too light for me and the chorus is better musically, but Corgan's constant "radio" gets very repetitive. All in all it's a good but not great song. Track 5 is "The Sacred And Profane" and Corgan and Iha play different guitar riffs that go together really nicely for a smooth verse. Things smoothly flow into the chorus as well and everything sounds pretty solid here as well. It's nothing too flashy, but it's all very smooth and very tight. Up next is the album's final single "Try, Try, Try" and it's driven by a fairly light but also pretty smooth main riff with Corgan playing some piano and Iha playing some decent light guitar. It flows right into a similar chorus that has the same vibe and I can see why this was chosen as a single as it's pretty accessible, but the lack of any real bite makes this just a good, not a great song for me. Track 7 is "Heavy Metal Machine" and as the name suggests things are heavier for sure with a pretty cool guitar riff leading the way while the other guitarist adds some cool higher guitar as well. This is definitely more like what I want from the Pumpkins and everything sounds pretty good in the verse and the slightly lighter chorus. The chorus isn't as heavy as the verse, but it's still solid and Corgan sounds pretty good singing in both. They don't really stray from this formula, but it's a pretty good formula and it only starts to drag just a little at the end which means it's probably a good length at just under six minutes. The next track is "This Time" and it's got a light and dreamy vibe to it with Wretzky and Chamberlin playing a cool rhythm section to back a light lead guitar riff. Corgan sounds good in the verse and the other guitarist joins in for a nice slightly heavier chorus as Corgan holds some nice long notes. For such a dreamy song, it's pretty catchy and cool and certainly a good one. Track 9 is "The Imploding Voice" and it's got a pretty catchy guitar riff keeping the pace as Corgan sings a catchy verse overtop as well. The chorus is similarly catchy and solid and this is just a really solid main guitar riff driving things that is amplified with two guitars and the bass. My head is banging back and forth for the whole song as everything sounds pretty cool and this song, and album, are definitely a nice throwback to the good days before "Adore". Up next is the ten minute "Glass And The Ghost Children" and Chamberlin starts us off with a cool drum beat, Wretzky plays a solid bass riff, and then some pretty crazy and trippy guitars take over! It's some psychedelic greatness before Corgan finally comes in to sing a nice verse overtop some lighter, smoother guitars. After the first chorus we hear some more coop.distorted guitar and then after another verse and chorus things seem to die out and we hear a voice start talking overtop a haunting piano riff by Corgan. The voice talks about hearing the voice of God and believing they must be important and it's an interesting little bit that eventually takes us to a new acoustic guitar riff and Corgan singing a nice soft new verse. Eventually the bass and drums join in as this slow new verse continues right until the end of the song. This song was an interesting ten minute offering that had some great moments. Track 11 is "Wound" and it's got a pretty light and breezy main riff with Corgan sounding pretty good singing overtop. One guitarist plays acoustic while the other plays a light electric riff and everything sounds decently catchy and smooth. They don't really stray from this main riff which makes things a little dull, but it's still alright. The next track is "The Crying Tree Of Mercury" and Corgan plays an interesting synth riff that sounds somehow in the background but also leading the way. Everyone else builds around it to complete a slow and space-y but cool main riff and Corgan sounds solid singing overtop. After a couple rounds we get some really distorted guitar that sounds pretty good and it stays to add an extra layer to the final verse and chorus that makes things sound slow but solid. Track 13 is "With Every Light" and it has a very light and fluffy but also uplifting feeling to it driven by a catchy drum beat and acoustic guitar riff and Corgan sounds pretty great singing overtop too. For such a soft song, they execute it really nicely and I can't help but lightly bob my head along. Corgan adds some piano as well and the things are very smooth and solid the whole way through. Up next is "Blue Skies Bring Tears" and Corgan plays some high, dreamy keyboards that sound cool with the low main riff of guitar and bass as Iha, Wretzky and Chamberlin slowly jam along. A loud electric guitar comes in and out of the verse and chorus and it sounds loud and good whenever it does, although things are quiet most of the time. At almost six minutes it's a little long as it gets repetitive towards the end. This long album finally wraps up with "Age Of Innocence" and it's driven by a fast-paced acoustic guitar riff with a solid rhythm section backing it and Corgan sounding solid singing overtop while also adding some synths that aren't my favourite but are ok. This is a decent song, but not a great one and a bit of a disappointing finish to the album.

That is the end of "Machina/The Machines Of God" and I thought it was a good album that definitely had some above average songs, but not a great album because it also had some more average songs, which is bound to happen when the album is 15 full tracks (no filler at all). It was definitely better than "Adore", but also nowhere close to "Gish". That leaves us with "Pisces Iscariot" and these two albums are really quite different and good in their own ways. I like "Pisces" better so 5th out of 6 will have to do. They're not done yet though!