Pisces Iscariot

Pisces Iscariot is a compilation album by American alternative rock band 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]

Pisces Iscariot
Compilation album of B-side singles and outtakes by
ReleasedOctober 4, 1994 (1994-10-04)
GenreAlternative rock
Length57:26
LabelVirgin
ProducerKerry Brown, Billy Corgan, Ted de Bono, Dale "Buffin" Griffin, James Iha, and Butch Vig
The Smashing Pumpkins chronology
Siamese Dream
(1993)
Pisces Iscariot
(1994)
Vieuphoria
(1994)
Alternative covers
12-inch vinyl cover
Alternative cover
Cassette cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk79%[1]
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
NME8/10[4]
Pitchfork8.1/10[5]
PopMatters (Rating)
(Extras Rating)[6]
Q[4]
The Quietus(favorable)[7]
Rolling Stone[8]

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

Packaging

The CD, LP, and cassette issues were each released with unique cover artwork. The US vinyl release was pressed on amber vinyl, and the first 2,000 copies included a bonus 7-inch single with "Not Worth Asking" from the original "I Am One" 7-inch, 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

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." Rolling Stone gave 3 out of 5 stars to the album.[12]

Deluxe release

In 2012, EMI released a "Deluxe Edition" that included a cassette tape with the first Smashing Pumpkins demo tape on it.[13] 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.[14] 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."[15]

Legacy

In July 2014, Guitar World placed Pisces Iscariot among its "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[16] 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."[17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan, unless stated otherwise

Pisces Iscariot track listing
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 release3:38
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"4:33
8."Obscured" Gish outtake, "Today"5:22
9."Landslide" (Fleetwood Mac cover)Stevie Nicks"Disarm"3:11
10."Starla" "I Am One" 1992 single release11:01
11."Blue" Lull EP3:20
12."Girl Named Sandoz" (The Animals cover)Eric Burdon, Vic Briggs, John Weider, Barry Jenkins, Danny McCulloch (The Animals)Peel Sessions EP3:35
13."La Dolly Vita" "Tristessa"4:16
14."Spaced" Siamese Dream outtake2:25

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

Bonus single
No.TitleSingleLength
1."Not Worth Asking""I Am One" 1989 7-inch4:01
2."Honey Spider II"Moon demo tape2:29
2012 Reissue bonus CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."By 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
2012 Reissue bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Intro by Billy Corgan" 
2."Pulse Cable Show Introduction by Lou Hinkhouse" 
3."There It Goes" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
4."She" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
5."Under Your Spell" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
6."My Eternity" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
7."Bleed" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
8."Nothing and Everything" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
9."Jennifer Ever" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
10."Death of a Mind" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
11."Spiteface" (Pulse Basement Jam – Chicago) 
12."Blue" 
13."Offer Up" 
14."The Joker" 
15."Slunk" 
16."Dancing in the Moonlight" 
17."Snap" 
18."Hello Kitty Kat" 
2012 Reissue bonus tape
No.TitleLength
1."A1: Jennifer Ever"3:44
2."A2: East"4:11
3."A3: Nothing and Everything"6:04
4."B1: Sun" (remix)5:30
5."B2: She" (live)4:16
6."B3: Spiteface"4:39

Personnel

The Smashing Pumpkins

Production

  • Kerry Brown – production and drums on "Blew Away"
  • Dale "Buffin" Griffin – production
  • Ted de Bono – production
  • Rachel Gutek – design assistant
  • Michael Meister – photography, packaging
  • Butch Vig – production

Charts

Single

Chart performance of singles from Pisces Iscariot
Single Chart (1994) Peak
position
"Landslide" Modern Rock Tracks[23] 3

Certifications

Certifications for Pisces Iscariot
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[25] Gold 7,500^
United States (RIAA)[10] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States October 4, 1994 Caroline LP 1767
United States October 4, 1994 Virgin Cassette tape 39834
Compact disc 7243 8 39834 2 1
United Kingdom October 21, 1996 Hut Compact disc CDHUT 41

References

  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'". EW.com. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  4. "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 (December 1, 1994). "Pisces Iscariot". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  9. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  10. "American album certifications – Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  11. Corgan, Billy. Twitter: Billy Corgan. 2011-04-07.
  12. "Pisces Iscariot". Rolling Stone. December 1, 1994. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  13. "The Smashing Pumpkins: Pisces Iscariot (Deluxe Edition)". PopMatters. August 1, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  14. "Spotify - The Smashing Pumpkins". Spotify. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  15. "The Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot". Pitchfork. July 19, 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  16. "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  17. "Pisces Iscariot Turns 20". Stereogum. October 3, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
  18. "Australiancharts.com – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  19. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2633". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  20. "Charts.nz – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  21. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  22. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  23. Allmusic "Charts and Awards (singles)
  24. "Canadian album certifications – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Music Canada. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  25. "New Zealand album certifications – The Smashing Pumpkins – Pisces Iscariot". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
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