IFLTS: 'Tristessa,' Smashing Pumpkins

Posted on Jan 29th 2007 3:06PM by James Sullivan
Comments

'Tristessa,' Smashing Pumpkins
From 1991's 'Gish'

The pressers of those old platters that goaded listeners to "Play this record loud" couldn't begin to imagine the deluge Butch Vig helped the young Pumpkins unleash on their debut album, 'Gish.' After releasing their first single on the ironically named Limited Potential label, the band became the hot topic in grungeland with the pre-album release of the demonic 'Tristessa' single on Sub Pop. The band (which is to say its grandiose frontman) would quickly become unavoidable; by their third CD, 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,' it wasn't just the title that was comically overheated. Yet a decade after the onset of diminishing returns, 'Tristessa' remains an absolute monster. Bring it along the next time you're auditioning for a new pair of speakers.

Hear the song after the jump.

Buy it on iTunes

Read Yesterday's IFLTS