Smashing Pumpkins: Lull (1/28/2024)

Smashing Pumpkins: Lull [Caroline EP, 1991] Now, before all you Corganists out there start jumping down my throat, let me state my case. Smashing Pumpkins have been in my holy trinity of rock bands for a long time. And why not? They wrote more songs in a day than anyone else did in a year, their b-sides and rarities are astoundingly good, and albums like Gish and Adore are consistently flawless. So, why does this obscure outing of Gish-era music merit such a mediocre rating? The answer is that where Gish was overwhelming, Lull is underwhelming. Corgan could play quiet ballads like "Crush" and "Suffer" and still get you to pay attention. And for the short time that Lull runs, you pay attention. However, despite occupying virtually no time, the songs don't do much with it. The Mudhoney-style scuzz-rock of "Slunk" and the bedroom-recording feel of "Bye June" (the EP's liner notes even stated that it was a demo), may impress on the first or second listen, but are largely inferior to the songs on Gish. I write the following rating with the greatest sorrow: [5.8/10]