The Aeroplane Flies High [BOX SET] [LIMITED EDITION] [CD-SINGLE]
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This is a surprisingly good collection of the singles and their respective b-sides from the Mellon Collie sessions, with many terrific tunes that aren't nearly as over-the-top as some of Mellon Collie's more silly moments. It's...
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This is a surprisingly good collection of the singles and their respective b-sides from the Mellon Collie sessions, with many terrific tunes that aren't nearly as over-the-top as some of Mellon Collie's more silly moments. It's amazing that such good songs were relegated to b-side status. Though the format makes for a difficult listen, and a couple of the singles aren't that great, it's still a worthwhile set for anyone interested in delving into the Pumpkins further. Disc 1- Bullet with Butterfly Wings is probably the weakest of the five, being mostly a collection of pretty mediocare cover songs. The second track, "Said Sadly", is the exception, a bouncingly sad original piece sung by James Iha and D'Arcy (I believe). Very heartfelt and sweet. I wish this were placed on one of the other discs instead. The Cars cover is pretty much the only other one worth listening to on the disc. Disc 2- 1979 is where things pick up quite a bit. All of the b-sides here are exceptional, and combined with what follows, you wonder why they didn't even make a 3-disc album with Mellon Collie. "Ugly" is a simple plaintive tune the kind that Corgan is (or at least used to) be able to churn out by the handful. Despite his grating whine, he puts feeling and emotion into the melody. "The Boy" comes next, one of my favorite Iha-penned tunes, a rollicking number in the spirit of 1979, yet remove the generational context and replace it with simple longing. "Cherry" and "Believe", by Corgan and Iha respectively, continue the same great midtempo vein, and although samey, are rousing songs of loss and hope. "Set the Ray to Jerry"'s probably the sexiest (yes, sexiest) songs the Pumpkins ever wrote, with a lustful bass and rhythm section backing Corgan's almost cooing vocals. Good stuff all around. Disc 3- Zero is again a mixed bag of sorts. "God" probably comes closest to the silliness of Mellon Collie with its over-the-top, quasi-cliched vocals. The lyrics could almost make a good NIN song (as good as NIN songs are considered to be, which isn't much). "Mouths of Babes" I believe was a song oringinally from the Siamese Dream era, and it shows with the same kind of grungy thundering pace of that material. One of the highlights, along with the almost-funky "Tribute to Johnny" (I think its a dedication to their deceased keyboardist). "Marquis in Spades" is so overblown, you can't help but like it. Probably the meanest vocal Corgan's ever done, and it comes off as convincing. For once the angst of the music is matched pound for pound with Corgan's own, and it doesn't come off so forced. He even pulls off a couple of great primal screams during the track. "Pennies" kind of clashes with the rest of the material on the disc, but it's still a jolly little listen with a great chorus. The last track, though, could really be done without. "Pisctachio Medley" is a 26 minute useless hodge-podge of bits and pieces from various outtakes. Though some of the melodies seem interesting, and you want to know what the whole song was like, in the end it's just trying. Disc 4- Tonight Tonight is the most depressing fare of all the discs. All mostly acoustic guitar and little else, most of these tunes are genuinely affecting. "Maladori Magpie" has the gentlest rhythm to it that it becomes nicely catchy and bordering on the edge of depressing all at the same time. "Rotten Apples", on the other hand, is quite depressing, though a fairly good sad song. "Jupiter's Lament" is by far my favorite, a whistful tune about wanting to leave the world behind while holding onto the tinge of hope that remains. Short and very sweet. "Medellia of the Grey Skies" is unbearably dark though, and just might be the most depressing song ever. Sad and echoey, I can't stand to listen to it because of the plain moroseness of it all. "Blank" kind of relieves that, being a small simple acoustic song with a simple plaintive message. Very good, but quite a downer. Disc 5- Thirty-Three rounds out the package nicely. The first 3 b-sides on the disc are absolute essentials. "The Last Song" is as affecting as
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