Any record called
MACHINA/The Machines of God
couldn't be a pure
rock
album. The title suggests this is a concept album, which are at least a little progressive. As it happens,
MACHINA
is a lot progressive. Though it's damn near impossible to figure out the story line, the album plays like a concept album, with each track floating into the next, winding up with an album artier than
Adore
. That's not a liability, since
the Smashing Pumpkins
were always arty, yet
Billy Corgan
was very clever in camouflaging his artiness.
"The Everlasting Gaze"
rocks more overtly than anything on
, and the storybook-styled artwork deliberately evokes memories of
Mellon Collie
. Enthusiasts will find moments to admire throughout
, but ultimately, they might be disappointed with a record that crosses
with
without relying on the strengths of either.
appears to be ornately straightforward, yet as it progresses, it becomes increasingly insular. By the time it gets to
"Heavy Metal Machine,"
designed as the record's crushing centerpiece, its weaknesses become apparent.
"Heavy Metal Machine"
should be a brutal, bruising experience, yet it's toothless, processed within an inch of its life. It becomes clear that the chief strength of the album is production. Not once does
ever feel like the work of a band; it feels as if it was painstakingly assembled by
Corgan
and
Flood
.
The Smashing Pumpkins
have always been
's band, but they've never sounded like a solo vehicle the way that they do here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine