While Billy Corgan’s propensity for, putting it mildly, aiming to get attention for himself wasn’t quite as pronounced on the Smashing Pumpkins‘ debut album, Gish did benefit from a combination of his evident drive and the fact that the band actually felt and sounded like a band during that moment. If slightly monochromatic compared to what came next, Gish has a roiling intense chug that established their glazed, volcanic guitar sound on striking singles like “I Am One” and “Siva” as well as deeper cuts like the majestic “Bury Me” and, in contrast, the quiet loping groove of “Suffer.”

– Ned Raggett