Man, there's so much to love about this album, but I just can't get past Billy's voice on most of these tracks
I'm with @BeachComberRadio. I could never get into The Smashing Pumpkins because of Billy Corgan's voice. Cherub Rock, Today, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, etc. were anthems for teens, but whenever I tossed on one of their CDs I was entirely lost and annoyed by his voice. There was an angst to their music that seemed appealing, but I had no patience for the complexities of their songwriting and arrangements. This is the kind of album that I'm most excited to revisit, 30 years later with a more refined "palette".
The production on this album is so choice. Every instrument track sounds pristine. I can't get over how awesome the guitar tones are. There's a frequent juxtaposition of these bright, ringing cleans with the oversaturated, compressed wall of sound from the fuzz. So cool.
I also love that there are guitar solos throughout the album, but the fuzz pushes them further into the mix so they're not so 🤘 hardcore rock and roll guitar solo.
I agree with @William. I think this was too meaty for me as a teenager. Having a bit more patience and curiosity about music now, it's hard to argue this isn't a classic. Might just be me, but I don't think the lyrics offer a ton. A lot of it is really abstract while also being very personal to Billy. I don't really follow most of them. The songwriting is incredible, though. It sounds unlike anything else of that time period. The layers on the production are pretty mindblowing. The instrumentation is awesome. The compositions and arrangements push it way beyond the traditional indie/grunge songs of their contemporaries. Front to back, it's compelling. Definitely one that will be worth revisiting over and over again.