lambchops's Full Review: Cherub Rock [Maxi Single] by Smashing Pumpkins
A few weeks ago, I asked a very serious question of my readers…
“Who the hell would get rid of Smashing Pumpkins singles?”
My quest for an answer continues with the 1993 single for the hard rockin’ classic Pumpkins song Cherub Rock. That’s right—I got this at a used CD store. The insanity of it all is incomprehensible.
In any case, Cherub Rock represents the first notes on the band’s second (highly successful) album Siamese Dream. The songs it contained as written and recorded by none other than Billy Corgan while D’Arcy, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlain were relegated to touring musicians during this time of particular unrest. In any case, the album is widely touted as a masterpiece and single Cherub Rock certainly has at least something to do with that critical and commercial success.
The single for Cherub Rock is a brief little piece containing but three songs. First, of course and as expected, is the title track. Rounding the listing out are Pissant and French Movie Theme. The latter two songs are relatively unknown, but can be dug up on respective subsequent albums Pisces Iscariot [1994] and Earphoria [2002].
But the real question is whether or not this single CD is worth the effort to track down. In simple terms, probably not—unless of course you happen to be a collector of Smashing Pumpkins works in which case I suppose it is a necessary evil. The reason I advise against owning the three-track single is that the disc isn’t in print and can only be gotten at online outlets and could cost more used than it did new. But with that said, I also have to advise against owning the single because it is so very brief.
Yeah, yeah, yeah…it’s a single so what I was I expecting? Honestly, not much for $2 but there’s just a special spark lacking from both Pissant and French Movie Theme. Of course, some of that lack of entertainment value is made up by the excellent Cherub Rock, but not all.
In any case, I would be lying to myself if I said I didn’t like the single that the disc is built around. The opening sequence is classic. It begins modestly enough, but Corgan’s distorted waiting guitars break the song wide open. This is really, truly great hard rock and some of the best work from the Pumpkins. I adore the song, the chorus, and Corgan’s light yet uber-intense vocals. And the words…well…they too resonate wonderfully:
Tell me all of your secrets
Cannot help but believe this is true
Tell me all of your secrets
I know, I know, I know
Should have listened when I was told
Neither Pissant nor French Movie Theme do much for me. The former is thick and difficult and sounds like a sort of space/punk/heavy metal piece. I find it incredibly difficult to stomach. On the entirely other end of the spectrum rests the minimalist conceptual piece French Movie Theme. It has very little to it and is almost entirely instrumental. It sounds fine enough but isn’t at all memorable and is little if any more than background noise. Toward the end of the track, it breaks into a weird scratchy and possibly drunken recording of the Star Spangled Banner. Just consider me confused as hell.
In any case, I like Cherub Rock but enjoy it even more so in the context of Siamese Dream. If you happen to stumble upon this single for a buck or two pick it up. Otherwise, it’s not at all a necessary recording.
But I’m still a fan of Smashing Pumpkins and I still wonder who in the hell gets rid of singles (especially decade-old singles) from the band…
Rating: 2/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Cherub Rock
02. Pissant
03. French Movie Theme
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