Smashing Pumpkins: Billy Corgan, D'Arcy, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlain.
Producers include: Butch Vig, Billy Corgan, Flood, Alan Moulder, Kerry Brown.
Compilation producer: Jennifer Quinn.
UK version includes one bonus track.
Throughout the '90s, The Smashing Pumpkins used a mixture of prog-rock, dream-pop, psychedelia and heavy metal to drag the emerging alt-rock movement kicking and screaming into the mainstream. GREATEST HITS puts these fine finest moments on display along with a pair of previously unreleased cuts. Billy Corgan's brilliant leadership mixed angst-ridden lyrics with the kind of interplay with fellow guitarist James Iha that found the duo using different shadings of distortion the way artists use paint. Opening with the controlled chaos of "Siva," the chronological path makes pit-stops at the awesome power of "Cherub Rock," sweet optimism of "Today," lush beauty of "Tonight, Tonight" and electronica shadings of "Ava Adore." Along the way, Corgan's sentimental side found him embracing Fleetwood Mac's bittersweet "Landslide" and coming up with his own brilliant pop moments like "1979" and "Bullet With Butterfly Wings."
The Limited Edition version features a second disc entitled JUDAS O, a collection of B-sides and outtakes that serves as a companion to the 1994 B-sides collection PISCES ISCARIOT. Key cuts on this bonus CD include the rumbling ruminations of "Set The Ray To Jerry" and shimmering heaviness of the previously unreleased "Slow Dawn."
Professional Reviews
Entertainment Weekly (11/16/01, p.133) - "...Smashingly comprehensive..."
Q (12/01, p.156) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A lovingly rendered career retrospective..."
NME (Magazine) (11/17/01, p.47) - 8 out of 10 - "...A collection of great songs..."
