The Smashing Pumpkins are busy these days. Earlier this week, they announced plans for a massive arena tour with Jane’s Addiction. Last night, the band was on James Corden, and Billy Corgan talked about the plans for a new record that Billy Corgan described as “a 33-song triple-album concept.” But the coolest Pumpkins-related thing that I’ve heard lately doesn’t have anything to do with the present-day band. Instead, it’s a grimy-ass cover of a 29-year-old Pumpkins deep cut.
Today, the Denver sludge-monster power trio Primitive Man has released Insurmountable, a new EP that stretches four songs over nearly 40 minutes. We’ve already posted the 11-minute zone-out “Cage Intimacy,” but the track that will probably interest the most people is Primitive Man’s version of the Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream oldie “Quiet” — which, it’s worth noting, is not even remotely quiet.
With their version of the song, Primitive Man have pushed “Quiet” out to nearly eight minutes, removed all traces of melody and momentum, and basically made it unrecognizable. In its original form, “Quiet” had a big riff, a quick tempo, and a bunch of hooks. That’s all gone now. Instead, Primitive Man have made it sound like a bulldozer getting sucked into a black hole — which is to say, they made it sound like a Primitive Man song. Listen to the Primitive Man cover and the Smashing Pumpkins original below.
While you’re at it, stream Primitive Man’s Insurmountable EP below.
Insurmountable is out now on Closed Casket Activities.
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