Smashing Pumpkins: Billy Corgan (vocals); James Iha (guitar); D'arcy (bass, background vocals); Jimmy Chamberlin (drums).
Recorded at Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin.
The Pumpkins' debut hit the music world at the height of the grunge phenomenon of the early 90s, and exhibited most of the usual characteristics - heavy rock riffs, often reminiscent of GN'R ("Siva," in particular), thrashing guitars and brooding, self-deprecating lyrics. However, GISH rose above the bulk of the college rock bands, revealing more refined songwriting sensibilities courtesy of Billy Corgan, and presenting astonishingly touching ballads ("Crush"). Clearly much more raw and naive than the band's later work on the accomplished SIAMESE DREAM and the ambitious MELON COLLIE..., this album, nevertheless, set out the Pumpkins' agenda for rock and hinted at what was to come.
What the critics say...
Spin (12/91) - "...Without a doubt the debut album of the year..."
Q (8/94, p.129) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...Through the hail of noise and reeling Corgan diatribes, there's melody aplenty and some incisive guitar salvos from James Iha. It's perhaps not as immediate as SIAMESE DREAM, but GISH is just as rewarding..."
NME (Magazine) (5/28/94, p.34) - 7 - Very Good - "...So we're still several furlongs away from the startingly well integrated emotional blunderbuss of SIAMESE DREAM....the leap between between this and DREAM remains huge..."
