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The Smashing Pumpkins new CD Machina the Machines of God, released last February, has not sold nearly as well as I thought it would. While recently releasing explosive smashes like the brain-rattling Everlasting Gaze and Stand Inside Your Love you would think at least one alternative band out there other than Limp Bizkit could make the trek to the top of the teeny bopper world. Despite the departure of long-time band member D'Arcy, the band has been rejuvenated with the addition of Hole's Melissa Auf der Maur and the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. The CD in itself is nothing special but it is hard work from someone who should be getting the attention and appreciation. Think of all the long, hard-worked hours Billy Corgan (with the help of Flood) put into writing these tunes, learning how to play them and learning how to perfect them and not get as much following. Just because they don't suck up to millions of crying fans by dancing their untalented dancing selves around a teeny bopper filled concert. They deserve a lot more credit than mainstream-mangled bands like that stupid Kid Rock, although it seems by making three videos and releasing two in less than three months they are stooping to Will Smith and Puff Daddy's level. I don't expect that to be a problem though because television played the crap out of Bullet with Butterflywings and the radio played 1979 non-stop and I still like both. Truthfully, I listened to the CD over and over again and I can't keep attentive long enough to know where I am on the CD because most of it sounds the same. Heavy Metal Machine, This Time, Imploding Voice and Wound (as well as the previous two I mentioned) are truly taking over type of tunes. The rest of the CD is only average at the most, sounding like yet another effort by an alternative band to escape the criticism of their latest flops, and change to meet the times. But with lead singer Billy Corgan saying in the opening line of Track 1 'You know I'm not dead", you know he is not. He is a genius and he'll probably have me loving this C.D. in a few months time rather than boring me to death over time with a simple, catchy tune. The beauty of music is when someone with musical expertise writes something that will make you think and second-guess what is being said. If there is anyone left out there who can still do this, it's Corgan.
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