Pisces Iscariot

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Pisces Iscariot
Compilation album by
The Smashing Pumpkins
ReleasedOctober 4, 1994
Studio sessionsSpring 1992 – Soundworks
GenreAlternative rock
Length57:26
LabelVirgin
ProducerKerry Brown, Billy Corgan, Ted de Bono, Dale Griffin, James Iha, Butch Vig
The Smashing Pumpkins chronology
Siamese Singles
(1994) 		Pisces Iscariot
(1994) 		Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
(1995)
Alternative covers
12" vinyl cover
12" vinyl cover
Alternative cover
Cassette cover
Cassette cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk79%[1]
AllMusic3.5/5 stars[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
NME8/10[4]
Pitchfork8.1/10[5]
PopMatters8/10 stars (Rating)
7/10 stars (Extras Rating)[6]
Q4/5 stars[4]
The Quietus(favorable)[7]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars[8]

Pisces Iscariot is a compilation album by The Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1994 through Virgin Records, consisting of B-sides and outtakes. Reaching number 4 in the US upon its 1994 release,[9] Pisces Iscariot was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 23, 1994.[10] The album was initially to be called Neptulius.[11]

The album was re-released by EMI as deluxe-edition CD and LP on July 17, 2012.

Packaging[edit | edit source]

The CD, LP, and cassette issues were each released with unique cover artwork. The compact disc cover is a blurry Polaroid photo of Billy Corgan's ex-wife, Chris Fabian.[12] The US vinyl release was pressed on amber vinyl, and the first 2,000 copies included a bonus 7" single with "Not Worth Asking" from the original "I Am One" 7", backed with "Honeyspider II". The UK LP has identical artwork to its US counterpart, although the printing is much lighter and the inner sleeve is a heavier stock.

Reception[edit | edit source]

According to a December 1, 1994 review by Al Weisel, writing for Rolling Stone, "Pisces Iscariot doesn't really sound like the compilation of rejects it actually is. In fact, it's better than a lot of albums that bands labored hard to put together. Although definitely not the Pumpkins' best album, it's more varied, if less cohesive, than Gish or Siamese Dream."[13]

Deluxe release[edit | edit source]

In 2012, EMI released a "Deluxe Edition" that included a cassette tape with the first Smashing Pumpkins demo tape on it.[14] This version was a remaster of one of the original demo cassettes, since the band apparently had lost the original master reels from the Early 1989 – Schwa Productions sessions, from which they could do a proper remaster.

The deluxe version of Pisces Iscariot is listed by Spotify under the band's main "album" section (along with its studio albums), rather than in the "compilations" section.[15] According to Ian Cohen, writing for Pitchfork, "Pisces Iscariot is painstakingly sequenced to maintain a concept record's sonic peaks and valleys, favoring stylistic cohesion over protracted diversity. Its ratio of sweet acoustic strummers, barnstorming riff-rockers, and expansive guitar freakouts is balanced almost exactly akin to that of Siamese Dream or Gish. It still works as an album if you want it to, meaning it's not exactly Incesticide or Masterplan as far as alt-rock cash-ins go."[16]

Legacy[edit | edit source]

In July 2014, Guitar World placed Pisces Iscariot among its "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[17] For the 20th anniversary of the album, Ryan Leas, writing for Stereogum, commented that "[e]very now and then, a band releases a collection of B-sides and outtakes and otherwise semi-available material that transcends the notion of an artist emptying the vaults to buy a bit of time between full-fledged albums, or simply trying to cash in a bit.... Of the already anomalous nature of these odds-and-ends turned important touchstones in an artist’s catalog, Pisces Iscariot is amongst an even rarer category: the very early vault emptying that results in a shockingly strong collection of lesser or entirely unknown songs. So shockingly strong, in fact, that an album like Pisces Iscariot is often placed head and shoulders above almost anything Billy Corgan did after, save the following year’s monolithic Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness."[18]

Track listing[edit | edit source]

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan, unless stated otherwise.

Main release
No.TitleWriter(s)SingleLength
1."Soothe" "Disarm"2:36
2."Frail and Bedazzled" Siamese Dream outtake3:17
3."Plume"Billy Corgan, James Iha"I Am One" 1992 single release3:37
4."Whir" Siamese Dream outtake4:10
5."Blew Away"James Iha"Disarm"3:32
6."Pissant" "Cherub Rock"2:31
7."Hello Kitty Kat" "Today"4:32
8."Obscured" Gish outtake, "Today"5:22
9."Landslide" (Fleetwood Mac cover)Stevie Nicks"Disarm"3:10
10."Starla" "I Am One" 1992 single release11:01
11."Blue" Lull EP3:19
12."Girl Named Sandoz" (The Animals cover)Eric Burdon, Vic Briggs, John Weider, Barry Jenkins, Danny McCullochPeel Sessions EP3:34
13."La Dolly Vita" "Tristessa"4:16
14."Spaced" Siamese Dream outtake2:24

A limited pressing of 2,000 copies of Pisces Iscariot included a free 7" single.

Bonus 7" single
No.TitleSingleLength
1."Not Worth Asking""I Am One" 1989 7"4:01
2."Honeyspider II"Moon demo tape2:29
2012 deluxe reissue bonus CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bye June" (Ignoffo Sessions/2012 Mix) 2:08
2."My Dahlia" (Ignoffo Sessions/2012 Mix) 3:46
3."Jesus Loves His Babies" (Gish Sessions Rough Mix) 2:57
4."Cinnamon Girl" (Ignoffo Sessions/2012 Mix)Neil Young2:40
5."Glynis" (2012 Mix) 4:54
6."Crawl" (Gish Sessions outtake) 6:54
7."Cinder Open" (Eddy St. demo/2012 Mix) 3:36
8."Blissed" (Sadlands demo/2012 Mix) 3:12
9."Slunk" (live) (2012 remaster) 2:36
10."Jackie Blue"Steve Cash, Larry Lee (Ozark Mountain Daredevils)3:55
11."Venus in Furs" (live)Lou Reed (The Velvet Underground)4:35
12."Translucent" (Sadlands demo/2012 mix) 3:46
13."French Movie Theme" (Siamese Sessions outtake) 1:55
14."Purr Snickety" (Gish B-sides session outtake) 2:49
15."There It Goes" (demo/2012 Mix) 5:17
16."Vanilla" (Ignoffo Sessions) 2:49
17."Why Am I So Tired" (live in studio demo) 15:13
Total length:73:02
2012 deluxe reissue bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Intro by Billy Corgan"0:19
2."Pulse Cable Show Introduction by Lou Hinkhouse"1:27
3."There It Goes" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)5:48
4."She" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)0:21
5."She" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)4:09
6."Under Your Spell" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)4:04
7."My Eternity" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)0:24
8."My Eternity" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)0:49
9."My Eternity" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)2:37
10."My Eternity" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)6:59
11."Bleed" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)5:26
12."Nothing and Everything" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)7:17
13."Jennifer Ever" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)2:45
14."Jennifer Ever" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)1:44
15."Jennifer Ever" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)0:06
16."Jennifer Ever" (abandoned) (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)0:37
17."Jennifer Ever" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)4:21
18."Death of a Mind" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)6:41
19."Spiteface" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago)4:45
20."Blue" (10/22/1991 - Atomic Records - Milwaukee)4:35
21."Offer Up" (6/9/1992 - The Unicorn - Milwaukee)4:15
22."The Joker" (6/10/1992 - The Unicorn - Milwaukee)3:39
23."Slunk" (6/10/1992 - The Unicorn - Milwaukee)3:49
24."Dancing in the Moonlight" (7/4/1993 - Raymond Revue Bar - London)4:14
25."Snap" (8/11/1989 - Avalon - Chicago)3:31
26."Hello Kitty Kat" (8/21/1994 - Starplex Amphitheater - Dallas (Lollapalooza 2nd stage))5:32
Total length:90:00
2012 deluxe reissue bonus cassette
No.TitleLength
1."Jennifer Ever"3:44
2."East"4:11
3."Nothing and Everything"6:04
4."Sun" (remix)5:30
5."She" (live)4:16
6."Spiteface"4:39

Release history[edit | edit source]

Released Label Catalog ID Format Country External sites
October 4, 1994 Virgin • Caroline CAROL 1767-1 LP • 7" US Discogs MusicBrainz [1][2]
October 4, 1994 Virgin 7243 8 39834 2 1 CD • Cassette US Discogs MusicBrainz [1]
October 4, 1994 Virgin 724383983421 • 8398342 CD Europe Discogs MusicBrainz [1]
October 21, 1996 Hut HUTLP 41 • CDHUT 41 • HUTLP 41 LP • CD • Cassette UK Discogs MusicBrainz [1]
January 16, 1997 Virgin VJCP-25282 CD Japan Discogs MusicBrainz [1]
July 17, 2012 Virgin 5099962374026 2×CD • DVD • Cassette US Discogs MusicBrainz [1][3][4][5]

More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz

Personnel[edit | edit source]

The Smashing Pumpkins[edit | edit source]

Production[edit | edit source]

Charts[edit | edit source]

Single[edit | edit source]

Single Chart (1994) Peak
position
"Landslide" US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[26] 3

Certifications[edit | edit source]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[27] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[29] Platinum 1,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "chorus.fm". chorus.fm. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Pisces Iscariot - The Smashing Pumpkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Album Review: 'Pisces Iscariot'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot CD Album Remastered". www.cduniverse.com. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  5. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  6. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot (Deluxe Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Quietus | Reviews | Smashing Pumpkins". The Quietus. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  8. ↑ Weisel, Al; Weisel, Al (December 1, 1994). "Pisces Iscariot". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  9. ↑ Allmusic "Charts and Awards"
  10. ↑ "Gold and Platinum Database Search". Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  11. ↑ Corgan, Billy. Twitter: Billy Corgan. 2011-04-07.
  12. ↑ Billy Corgan. Pisces Iscariot 2012 re-issue liner notes
  13. ↑ "Pisces Iscariot". Rolling Stone. December 1, 1994. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  14. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot (Deluxe Edition)". PopMatters. August 1, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Spotify - The Smashing Pumpkins". Spotify. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  16. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot". Pitchfork. July 19, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Pisces Iscariot Turns 20". Stereogum. October 3, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Hung Medien.
  20. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2661". RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  21. ↑ "Charts.nz – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  22. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  23. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  24. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard.
  25. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  26. ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
  27. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Music Canada. 1995-01-13. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  28. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Recorded Music NZ. 1994-11-27. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  29. ↑ "American album certifications – Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". RIAA. 1994-09-22. Retrieved October 4, 2020. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

External links[edit | edit source]

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