#483 The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death (1997)

I took a day off from the blog.  Sorry if anyone was counting on it.  I saw the 2 hour double CD, and it intimidated me.  In fact, there's a good chance I won't finish this in one sitting.  My band of over 12 years is playing its first official gig tonight, after a six month hiatus.  It was my intention to nap a few hours before, but sleep's just not coming to me.  I'll make the assumption that B.I.G. won't make me drowsy.

Rap, especially mafioso rap, is far outside my comfort zone.  I've heard of B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls, Big Poppa) I know he was shot dead and that this album was released soon thereafter, and I'm familiar with the title "Mo Money Mo Problems" but admittedly not so much the song.  This is the springboard for my dive.

CD 1  

Life After Death Intro-  Just like the TV show Lost, the CD opens with a "previously on Ready to Die"--Biggie's first album.  I'm lying if I don't think the titles are ironic, about his dying.  It's musical exposition--was B.I.G. in a coma? Did he die?  I think the mini-series is about to begin.

Somebody's Gotta Die-  This is a tough listen, only because I have such a hard time focusing on lyrics versus music.  Also Biggie's rapping, is masked with talking on the right channel.  So, I find myself looking up the words on the Internet.  And now I'm following the narrative, and it is a full story.  It's well written, and tragic.

Hypnotize-  is the first single released from the album. It made BIG the fifth artist to hit #1 posthumously.  If you grew up in the 70's, you know the sample: Rise from Herb Alpert.  Much like listening to a convo in a foreign language, I can get the vibe of what's going on by the tone, but the words aren't optional when you take B.I.G. and my A.D.D.  The gist of the song is that he and Puff are successful, and representing the east coast--was it worth the translation?

Kick in the Door-  Back to this TV theme; now it's a talk show intro.  Violence and Guns, putting down the west coast rappers, and boxing out his position as King of the East.  The music and "book" is very flat or one-dimensional.

Fuck You Tonight-  Features R.Kelly just about the same time his hit "I believe I can fly" came out.  First thing I notice is the great jazzy chord changes on the rhodes piano background.  Other than the raw subject matter, I think the song is a solid groove, complete with sweet bridge.  I realize this is the R&B fan in me, enjoying the break from the violence.

Last Day-  A young trio of rappers known as the "LOX" does most of the song.  Another song that seems one dimensional to me... it boils down to "I'm harder than you, I'm more real, and don't fuck with me."

I Love the Dough-  I like this from the beginning, it's the music, the fullness--70's like disco strings, and am I picking up on a nod to Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" with that synthesizer?  Maybe it's Jay-Z's influence on this song, but it's got me hooked.

What's Beef-  A little thicker than one dimensional, maybe one and a half.  Biggie's elaborating on the kind of crippling fear someone has when they cross him..  Beef is the metaphor for this worry i.e. "I don't want no Beef."

B.I.G. Interlude-  A throwaway transition blurb of drum machine and some lines

Mo Money Mo Problems- The second single from the album hit #1 and made Biggie the first artist to have  two number one hits posthumously.  I hear the Diana Ross sample of "I'm Coming Out" and it instantly puts me at musical ease, Puff's influence?  Note, I learned that rappers often refer to a gun as a "gat" short for Gatling gun.  I'm so white sometimes, it hurts.

Niggas Bleed-  A full narrative, it's a nice change.  It's a story of a robbery, or a hit, or the internal struggles of a man in the crime, is he admitting his fear, or is he psyching himself up? "Picture me being scared, of a nigga that breathe the same air as me"I Got a Story To Tell-  It's actually a humorous song about a close call, where Biggie uses his brains instead of his bullets.  It's funny hearing the rap, and then hearing the story told over the music.

I'll probably never understand the rap genre, or the posturing, the violence... and definitely never understand why an artist like Biggie would have to die from it.  In spite of my distance from the music, listening and reading Big Poppa, I realize what a gift he had, and what a shame it is to lose him to something as trifling as bravado.

CD 2

Notorious Thugs-  I'm finally rested and sober enough to listen to the second disc.  It's like someone turned  the treble knob down about three notches, but that's my ears, not the CD.  The first track features Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and BIG steps up his speed in a big way; he has to just to keep up with the rapid flow of Bizzy, Krayzie, and Layzie.  I think the triplet-note rapping of Krayzie was my favorite on this.

Miss U-  "Shit is real in the field"  A slower soulful song taken from Diana Ross' Missing You (about the loss of Marvin Gaye). Biggie remembers friends who were lost to the violence of the street.

Another- features Lil' Kim where she and Biggie sling insults at each other after mutual infidelity.

Going Back to Cali-  Puff and Big are going to California... the land of their rivals.  "All I got is Beef with those that violate me, I shall annihilate thee"  The talk box used is part of the West Coast hip hop sound but the feuding continues.

Ten Crack Commandments-  How to be a successful gangsta dealer, steps 1-10. "Money and Blood don't mix, like two dicks" And yes, that is Public Enemy's Chuck D you hear in the sample.

Playa Hater-  Haha, Biggie sang! I wasn't crazy, this is totally Cheech and Chong's Basketball Jones! "Please don't hate me because I'm beautiful baby"  I think this is my favorite song on CD 2.

Nasty Boy-  intro about a girl who's into something unorthodox.  It uses samples from Liquid Liquid's Cavern -famous as the origin of Grandmaster's White Lines.

Sky's the Limit-  The third single released from the album.  The song features Atlanta's 112 (also on Miss U)  It's inspirational and musically engaging, layered and dynamic.  I take it back, this is my fave on CD2.

The World Is Filled-  "with pimps and ho's but we'll just talk about those I knows"  The reverb heavy percussion on the 2 beat reminds me of the tennis ball sounding beat on Marvin Gaye's Mercy Mercy Me.

My Downfall- if that didn't remind you of Marvin Gaye, then the reference to You're All I Need To Get By should.  The song about persevering against those who pray for your downfall, features DMC.

Long Kiss Goodnight-  A song about killing someone, my least favorite on the CD, not because it's not well produced, or musically solid.. it is.  It's just fills me with anger, and in turn makes me sad that it escalated the east-coast feud; the screaming and the voices in the background, it just makes my heart hurt.

You're Nobody (till somebody kills you)- A play on Dean Martin's You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You.  The last song on the album, it makes me wonder if Biggie knew what awaited him... and then I wonder, if he could have imagined anything but.  It features Faith Evans (Biggie's widow to be)

Christopher Wallace made a name for himself as B.I.G. but also shared the fame.  On Life After Death, he truly played the Godfather role, by also featuring R.Kelly, The LOX,  Jay-Z, Kelly Price, 112, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans and more.

An old biker friend of mine once told me that there are two kinds of bikers: Those who've been in an accident, and those who will.  Perhaps Biggie knew there wasn't an If to the end-game of his lifestyle, but only a When.  I can't help question Why.  It's the hate and feuding which lead to Biggie and Tupac's murders, that makes me dislike the mafioso-rap genre, in spite of the amazing performances.  I don't hate the player, I hate the game.

Next Up- #482 Elvis Costello and the Attractions- Armed Forces (1979)

#484 Merle Haggard and the Strangers- Branded Man (1967)

Back from the SOPA inspired internet blackout.  I think it's important to bring it up in this blog, because the act could have the effect of limiting our exposure to music, art and information.  I wouldn't be listening to Merle Haggard on a cold January morning without internet freedom; let's find out if that's a blessing or a curse.

Without going back and counting, I'll bet I've been wrong more times than I was right on this blog, about my preconceived notions of an artist or genre of music that I wasn't familiar with.  I've said in the past, I'm neither a fan nor a hater of country music.  I've jokingly said over the years that I like country music, but only 15 minutes at a time.  Branded Man is one of the shortest albums I've encountered yet at just under 30 minutes.

Branded Man-  The title track of the album, seems autobiographical.  Merle had multiple run-ins with the law since the age of 13 that concluded with a 3 year stay in San Quentin for attempting to rob a tavern.  In today's world, this might be called "street-cred".  The single hit #1 on country charts.  Decent three part harmonies, but nothing else about the song impresses me; no payoff.  That last major 7th note ends the song is very Debbie Downerish.

Loneliness is Eating Me Alive-  I immediately like this, and no it's not just the piano.  This sounds an awful lot like Willie Nelson.  It's a slow shuffle and bluesy, and while it has absolutely nothing to do with Christmas, I can't get that image out of my mind as it plays.  Weird.

Don't Get Married-  Another autobiography prison song, with a Latin feel.  Ha, sucker, he tried stealing a diamond ring for the girl he wanted to marry.  Now he's asking her to wait for him.  Nice harmonies, nice book and nice feel... but it seems cut short.  Someone get these poor fellas a bridge and maybe a story twist?

Somewhere Between-  Again, loving the harmonies, but I'm realizing what's been the rock in my shoe with each of the songs thus far.  It's the constant soloing guitar.  It just doesn't seem to fit: sound, playing, and note choices.  Replace each of the solos and phrase-work with a fiddle, and it would be much improved.

You Don't Have Very Far to Go-  The awkward intro chord changes remind me of Roy Orbison's "You Got It". The whole song actually does come to think of it.  Damnit!  If that guitarists throws in that weird major 7th note resolution one more time..he's fired!  If that's his signature note, then I want him to print from now on.

Gone Crazy-  Steel-guitar.  A little too much of it, almost seems to compete with Merle's singing.

I Threw Away the Rose-  A song about losing love and control to the bottle.

My Hands are Tied-  Another Latin inspired song in 3/4 time.  A song about prison but maybe not the iron bars type?  No, it is about the iron bars type... not a lot of symbolism on this album.

Some of Us Never Learn-  OK THAT GUITARIST IS FIRED.  Another song about alcohol.  Oh wait, is that Merle's playing?  That sour-note must be his idea, why else would it be almost featured on each song?  Maybe he never learned.

Long Black Limousine-  Somebody died.  His old lover.  Ah, there's that spoken middle part that always remind me of Boys to Men.  At least this song has a little ironic twist.  Finally something literary.

Go Home-  More Latin 3/4 time.  A tale of love and Texas racism.  Well, maybe a half-tale, a story with no point.  Maybe Del Griffith co-wrote these ditties.

Well this time I'm putting the W down in my column.  I thought this album wasn't going to appeal to me, and it didn't.  I'm giving every album the same fair objective shake.  Are these songs without merit?  Well, the title song hit #1, and a bunch of qualified people voted it on this list, so perhaps the merit is just lost on me.  Merle's got a solid country voice, but if that's his guitar style, it just plain old sucks on this album.  The harmonies and backup singing is a joy to listen to, but hardly groundbreaking or relevant in some way.

A half an hour poorly spent?  Even a bad day of listening to music is better than a good day in prison.

Next up #483  The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death (1997)

#485 Loretta Lynn- Greatest Hits (1982)

I need to call foul on this.  It's called the "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time."  An album to me is a singular piece of work, a book written by an artist with a beginning and an end--not a compilation of great moments, not a "mix-tape of pure awesome", or even a nod to an amazing artist.  By this standard, each artist on this list should have their greatest hits compiled, and then rated.  I start this blog in protest; I realize it's not Loretta's fault but rather the voters, and so I'll err on the side of the coal-miner's daughter.

Wine, Women and Song- was one of her first hits from 1964 released on Decca records.  The song isn't anything special, but her voice couldn't be more adorable.

Happy Birthday- the hit from her first solo album in 1965, it's another song of self-respect--leaving her man after being mistreated.

You Ain't a Woman Enough (To Take My Man)- from the 1966 album of the same name, it was her highest charting single up to this point, hitting #2.  Sounds like she's found a good man now, one worth fighting for.

Don't Come Home a Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)- from the 1967 album of the same name (a pattern?)  She finally hits #1 with this song, and the album itself is the first by a female country singer to be certified gold selling over 500,000 copies.  The song--it's more man trouble.

Fist City-  Yep, title track from the 1968 album of the same name(aotsn), that also hit #1.  Lynn had proven herself a successful writer by this point, and was able to use more of her own songs on each album--this was her twelfth album in a scant 5 years.  I'd liked to have met the man in her life, that was the inspiration for all this drama (in this song she confronts a woman who's after her man)

You've Just Stepped In (From Stepping Out On Me)- The #2 charting hit song of 1969 appeared on her album "Your Squaw Is on the Warpath" who's cover has been on politically incorrect lists for years.  Until I say otherwise, assume all songs are about man-trouble.

Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)- Her third #1 single, and on her second 1969 aotsn.  If she's not mad at her man, she's out fighting with other women.  In this case she defending her man against a city slicker devil hoochie that is awkwardly described in the lyric "I wear more in swimming, than you wear to parties, where you go."

Coal Miner's Daughter-  The autobiographical #1 hit (1970 aotsn) was unlike all the man-trouble songs prior.   It was her first to cross over from the country charts to the pop charts peaking at #83. Do I really need to reference the Sissy Spacek movie?  I will however mention the 2 modulations common in country music.  It starts in D and ends in E and changing keys at the 1 and 2 minute marks almost perfectly... good thing the song lasts exactly 3.

After the Fire is Gone-  Loretta teams up for the first time with Conway Twitty on their 1971 album.  They would release a duet album each year for the next 10 years.  Sounds like these two, both frustrated with their spouses, have finally found solace in each other.  I'll admit, this one reminds me a little of Hee Haw.

Lead Me On-  The second #1 single for the duet.  This pair that found solace in ATFIG, is now taking it to the next step on their second duet album released in 1972.

One's on the Way- A lighter whimsical song about a domestic goddess in Kansas who's frantically juggling responsibilities, children and pregnancy.  The song was written by renaissance man Shel Silverstein,  famous for writing songs like Johnny Cash's "A Boy Named Sue", and Dr. Hook's "Cover of a Rolling Stone".  The song mentions "the pill".

I'm going off script for a brief minute.  The Pill was one of Loretta's biggest and most controversial hits, and is conspicuously left off of this compilation.  She recorded it in 1972, her record label suppressed it until 1975, and many country radio stations also banned it from play.  I feel this song, along with her advocacy for ordinary women belongs in her "greatest hits".

Rated "X"- also controversial in it's exposing of the double standards applied to divorced men vs divorced women during that time.

Love is the Foundation-  was Loretta's 7th #1 single, and can be found on her 1973 aotsn.  Did I catch that right, I think she's actually content in this song.

Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man- An uptempo duet with Conway on the 1973 aotsn.  The first that I have heard electric guitar in the intro, although it quickly downshifts to steel guitar.  Also the first I've heard so far that is flat out happy - a nice change of pace.  I was beginning to worry about that poor Kentucky girl.

As Soon As I Hang Up the Phone-  The phone call makes me laugh -- I want to hear Conway Twitty say "Hello Darlin'"  The song is a little gimmicky, it's a pseudo-duet.  Conway interjects spoken word on the phone, while Loretta sings this 1974 hit.  Have the duet pair finally broken up?

Trouble in Paradise-  Her eighth #1 hit as a solo artist.  She's sticking with her man "till the devil goes away"

When the Tingle Becomes a Chill- from the 1976 aotsn.  A song about losing love for someone.

Feelin's- Conway duet from 1975 aotsn.

Out Of My Head and Back In My Bed-  1978 aotsn.  Sounds like she's done being victim, and now out going after what she wants.

Somebody Somewhere (Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight) - 1976 aotsn.  These last four all seem like throwaway songs.

She's Got You-  Hit #1 for Lynn in 1977, on a tribute album to Patsy Cline who originally recorded it.  It's seems a little too straight forward for me.  I prefer Elvis Costello's cover of it personally.

I Can't Feel You Anymore-  maybe it's the late 70's disco strings, but this song makes me feel icky.  It all feels a little forced.

I feel like I just finished an entire Whitman's sampler box of candies.  Twenty-two candies to be exact, in under an hour.  Quick math reveals each song averaged only 2.5 minutes.  I think my metaphor fits, because at first I was furiously trying one bite sized morsel after another and they were delish, but by the end of the box, they started making me ill.

One thing I will attest to, is her work-ethic.  Loretta recorded thirty-seven albums in a span of about fourteen years--further math reveals she was popping out 2.5 albums per year (coincidence?)  Married at the age of 13, she even popped out four kids before she was 19; six by the time she hit 25.

I'll give her loads of credit for all her achievements, but this is a greatest hits album.  And I'll bet dimes to donuts that these aren't the songs she'd have picked.  Maybe I'd have conceded if she wrote a song especially for this collection entitled "Greatest Hits".

Next Up- #484 Merle Haggard and the Strangers- Branded Man (1967)

#486 Funkadelic- Maggot Brain (1971)

I have a hard time discerning between Funkadelic, Parliment and P-Funk...suffice to say all are brain-child to George Clinton.  Maggot Brain was the third album released by the Funkadelic line-up.  What makes it distinguishable enough to be on the list?  Let's find out.

Maggot Brain - "Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time, for y'all have knocked her up"  I enjoy the "street poetry" that opens up this 10+ minute acid-waltz guitar solo instrumental that comprises one third of the album.  Clinton directed guitarist Eddie Hazel's to play the one take guitar solo as if someone told him his mother was dead, but then he found out it wasn't true.  For me, it's like going to see an epic 3D movie, but no one gave me the glasses, ya dig?

Can You Get to That-  An acoustic guitar groove that at first reminds me of a mix of the Black Crowes "She Talks to Angels" and The Band's "Up On Cripple Creek"... but quickly becomes a celebration of gang singing. "I once had a life, or rather,  it once had me" an allusion to the Beatles Norwegian Wood or am stretching?

Hit it and Quit it-  Could this possibly be the first time the Hammond B-3 Organ has made a prominent appearance on the blog?  Another classic sound of rock that never sounds dated to me.  Normally paired with the Leslie Rotating Cabinet, it made the keyboard player's weighty gear the most despised by touring band's road crew for years until lighter synthesizers could better emulate the unmistakable sound.

You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks-  I'm sure it sounded funky and all back in the day, but that ring modulator or maybe it's a pipe-reverb on the drums, I find it hard to listen to, and it ruins the song for me.

Super Stupid-  A marriage of Jimi Hendrix, organ, and Rare Earth's "I Just Wanna Celebrate".  Lenny Kravitz sounds like this when he's dreaming, and Audioslave has often covered this gem.

Back in our Minds-  It's hard not to laugh at the Jaw Harp (Jew's Harp) bouncing back and forth in this song.  It disarms you, and I think that's the point in this song about brotherhood and reconciliation.

Wars of Armageddon-  Crying babies, protesting crowds, sirens and more color the backing funk music.  This almost 10 minute experimental bookend to Maggot Brain makes up another third of the album.  I did laugh at the "more power to the people, more pussy to the power, more pussy to the people, more power to the pussy" sequence.

With the first and last track totaling 20 minutes, there's only about 17 minutes of music in-between.  Look, after two hours of Smashing Pumpkins, I'm not complaining, but does this album belong on the list?  My vote is no.  Eddie Hazel's guitar work is phenomenal, yes.  The 4-5 songs in-between are funky, but maybe I missed what was so groundbreaking or relevant about Maggot Brain.  It's short enough that I could re-listen to it twice more to seek enlightenment and still have 9 minutes left over from yesterday's double disc marathon, but I think this album was meant to Hit it and Quit it.

Next up-  #485  Loretta Lynn- All Time Greatest Hits (2002)

#487 The Smashing Pumpkins- Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness

I realized at some point I'd encounter the intimidating double-album.  Up until now, all of the reviews I've done were for albums whose length averaged between 45 to 50 minutes--LP records have a practical maximum capacity of 25 minutes a side.  When compact discs became the standard the musical canvas expanded to 74 and then 80 minutes.

Billy Corgan referred to their double disc album as "The Wall" for Generation X'ers.  At almost 40 minutes longer than Pink Floyd's masterpiece, Mellon Collie compels me to change the format of my blog.  Do I review each disc individually, do I only talk about songs of special merit, and can I carve 2 hours out of my day all at once to give this a solid listen?  I could spend my time comparing and contrasting blog formats, or I could just follow the advice of the Greek Goddess of Victory and  "Just Do It."

Disc 1

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness: The piano instrumental intro to the album.  My wife always says what people first see when they walk through your front door, sets the tone for the rest of your home.  While I wish the fake sounding digitally sampled string section that accompanies the piano were live musicians, I  understand the tone of sadness this song sets for the album ahead (oh yeah, and sadness is right up there in the track and album title too in case you missed it).

Tonight, Tonight- The first thing that strikes me ironically, are how powerful the strings sound.  They should, they are not fake now but rather the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 30 piece string section.  I'm a sucker for the marriage of rock and classical, and equally a sucker for dynamics--the varying of degrees of loud and soft, gentle and furious-- and this song is flush with it.  Was Billy Corgan inspired by West Side Story?

Jellybelly-  If grunge was a teddy-bear, I'd hug the shit outta this warm fuzzy guitar tone.

Zero- Again, I love the guitar tone on this the third single released (Tonight Tonight was #4)  Great angst, great dynamics, great production by studio heavyweights Flood and Alan Moulder.

Here Is No Why-  Reminds me of David Bowie with its change of meter and guitar-forward sound.

Bullet With Butterfly Wings- The lead single earned the band a Grammy in '97 for best hard rock performance.  Listen to the build up and release of tension between verse and chorus.

To Forgive- It's best to follow a song where you cash in all your chips of rage and fury, with something slow and quiet.  The album represents the loneliness and sadness of Billy's adolescence- "empty party afternoons won't come back"

Fuck You (An Ode to No One)- a hard driving rhythmically intense train that rolls to a stop? Nope!

Love- Phaser and crunch heavy.  It's a grilled cheese sandwich on acid.

Cupid De Locke- doesn't lead with guitars, it's all layered with looped keyboard sequences; it's dreamy.  I keep waiting for Björk to emerge in this slight homage to Romeo and Juliet (maybe Billy was watching West Side Story after all).  Björk doesn't emerge, nor do the guitars.

Galapogos-  sounds like a companion piece to Tonight Tonight.  I've noticed on many of the songs thus far, that Billy refers to himself as a "fool".  An ongoing theme?  Just when I think the song is winding down, the bridge turns it up a notch.  To me, it's a song about growing up, or changing, perhaps adapting. I'd never heard this song, but it's definitely the disc's hidden gem to me.

Muzzle-  while this song got passed over for the fifth released single (33) it still charted on Billboard mainstream and modern rock charts.  Frankly the song doesn't impress me--maybe it's because of the dynamic tapestry I've heard so far on the album-- comparatively speaking, it just seems to go nowhere.

Porcelina of the Vast Oceans-  fades in eerily, with nice use of pulsing synths to color the background of this instrumental?  Surprise, it's got a hard edge part, and finally singing.  This song to me, is about a teenager who finds escape in some type of drug.  Maybe "Porcelina" is his companion in the bathroom while shooting up or getting high?

Take me Down- one of only two songs on the album written by guitarist James Iha.  It's a great contrast to Billy's voice.  It's soft and smooth. It sounds to me like it's written from the perspective of someone who just died, or maybe it's just the relationship that died.  This whole CD has been an exercise in dynamics, contrast and pendulum swings.  If it is indeed intended to represent a teenager's life, then it hit the bullseye.

Disc one of the album is entitled "Dawn to Dusk"  I didn't pay much attention to that before listening to it this morning, but now I think I'll follow it as advice.  I'll return later tonight to listen to disc two: "Twilight to Starlight"

Disc Two

Where Boys Fear to Tread-  Long noisy and angry intro to disc two.  Is this setting the tone?  It's full of resent and it's cut short.

Bodies- Another aggressive angry song of resentment, the adjustment from denial to anger or disillusionment. "love is suicide"  Stage two on the Kubler-Ross model of grief.

33- The fifth and final single from the album, and first released after firing of drummer Chamberlain related to touring keyboardist Melvoin's heroin overdose.  The song to me is a more mature adjustment to break up than Bodies.  Billy's working his way past depression and into acceptance. "deep in thought I forgive everyone, as the cluttered streets greet me once again"  Is it a song about growing up, or his divorce?

In the Arms of Sleep-  Another slower quieter shuffle, classic unrequited love.  If you are still tracking the Kubler-Ross model, perhaps this should have appeared between Bodies and 33, because it's the movement from bargaining into depression.

1979-  probably my favorite song on the album, and the second single released.  It's pure nostalgia. Without inspection, I think it's the first song on the album where Billy remembers his difficult childhood, in a positive way.  I guess it wasn't all bad.  I never realized how much this sounds like the Cure.  It's the loops and sequenced electronic-future bookend of the album, where BulletWBW was the hard-rock-past bookend.

Tales of a Scorched Earth-  "I lie just to be real, I die just to feel"  I don't think there's a harder more thrashed song on the album.  It's as if the Pumpkins keep daring you to pigeonhole them into a sound, luring you down a narrow path just to make you realize you need to completely turn around.

Thru the Eyes of Ruby-  Swirling and phaser-lush, it's dreamy, and lyrically it's heavy.  I thought I had an idea of what it's about, but the disjointed acoustic guitar outro just made me doubt.  Anyone have a read on this?

Stumbleine-  Just Billy alone with acoustic guitar.  A song about feeling alone, misunderstood, and flawed... hoping somewhere there's someone out there "Stumbleine" just as flawed that's meant for him.  The lyrics seem much in the rhythmic style of Lennon's I Am the Walrus.  Listen to it with headphones and tell me if it's just my recording of it, that has his voice "twitching" on/off in stereo.

X.Y.U.- After the soft acoustic, I now have come to expect an all off face smasher.  This song is rage, rage, and insanity.  It's a tough listen, not because it's not good, it's tough because it's painful to admit or imagine feeling this destructive.  (OK yeah, musically it's pretty dissonant and dark too)

We Only Come Out at Night-  And back to electronic, calm, sequenced.  It's starting to feel a little manic depressive now, the swings between rage and sweetness.  Chill out Twilight fans, it's not about vampires, but rather people who feel misunderstood, freaks.  I think night is more of a metaphor for not wanting attention.

Beautiful-  Another slow electronic song that could have easily pulled from a Cure or Bjork album.  "You just can't tell who you'll love and who you won't"  Is this Billy trying to give hope to kids that might have felt lost like he did?

Lily (my one and only)- whimsical ditty about a crazy peeping tom, in hopeless denial.

By Starlight-  The fourth song in a row, void of the rage and anger of the rest of the album.  It's as if by this point in his growing up, he's tired of the blaming and able to put it behind him; he's at last found someone; or perhaps he's finally on meds and stable?  

Farewell and Goodnight- All four members of the SP sing on this lullaby which Corgan and Iha wrote together. It puts to sleep disc two and the album, but more so says farewell and goodnight to the tumultuous melancholy and seemingly infinite sadness of adolescence.

I was well beyond my teen years when this album was released in 1995.  After listening to this full through, I can see the catharsis it must have provided for so many younger than I.  It runs a gamut of emotions: loneliness, anger, resent, withdrawal and hope--just another stereotypical day in the life of a teenager.

Disc two was a much more conceptual listen than was the first, but it dealt more with resolution and healing; and consequently was not as entertainingly destructive.  Because at the end of the day, whether it's Pink Floyd or Smashing Pumpkins, who doesn't love insanity, provided it's someone else?

Next up-  #486 Funkadelic- Maggot Brain (1971)