here's something to think about (well maybe not but I'm bored at the moment) If the Pumpkins had promoted pisces more and spawned singles, which two songs would have chosen, besides landslide (I know it wasn't an actual single)

I would do:
Hello Kitty Kat followed by Whir.

Well Pisces was a b-sides and outtakes album, so they never would have had singles for it. "Landslide" got some radio play to promote the release, but that was about it.

Landslide got significant radio play and ended up on Rotten Apples with all the other singles, so one could consider it a single from PI.

I always hate it when people say PI is not an album.

Well yes, "Landslide" was a radio single, but did not have a video or anything like that. It's in the same realm as "Muzzle", "To Sheila", "Crestfallen", and "I of the Mourning". Well I am not sure how much radio play each of those got, but they did have promo CD with a call out hooks to play on the radio.

Well Pisces Iscariot is an album, but it's not a standard studio album, there is a distinction. It includes b-sides, and outtakes from two eras of the band, recorded for two different albums, and in some cases recorded in between albums.

Would you consider Judas O an album? It's a follow-up to Pisces Iscariot but it's even clearer there that all those songs on there don't cohesively work as a standalone album.

but judas o was never commercially sold, it went along with the greatest hits.

I seem to recall Frail and Bedazzled getting some air time on radio in Cincinnati.

And yes, I would consider Judas O an album.

I think that techniclly speaking PI is an album in that it is an oficial release of songs, but its not a proper album by the band in that it did not represent a progression of the band or its music; more of a collection of songs. Hence, Zeitgeist was referred to as the bands 6th (or was it 7th - depending if you consider Machina 2 as a whole new album, or just a continuation/other half of Machina) album.

However, PI is as good a record as most other's A side collections; a testament to Their songwriting and if 2 singles were to be released Id pick Frailed and Bedazzled and Whir, but my fave is obscured!

The thing about PI that takes it off the album list for me is the fact that many (if not most) of the songs were not new material. They were collected from b sides (hence b sides and outtakes). A full studio album primarily new material, which is why greatest hits and odds and sods collections don’t count. Not to say that PI doesn’t have great music on it, but you can get those songs elsewhere.

For two singles off PI i would choose....

Hello Kitty Kat & Frail and Bedazzled

Whereas I love the songs off PI, and fully consider it a cohesive album (wonderful how that worked out!) none of the songs are radio-friendly enough to ever have been a proper single.

most definately plume... "my boredom has outshined the sun, its so dumb, i just want to have some little fun" how many of you can honestly say you didnt hear that song for the first time and completely relate? also, the guitar riffs and distortion are a big plus
my 2nd single would be frail and bedazzled, that song just plain rocks. ill never forget my daughters reaction when i played it for her the first time, she was moving so fast i thought she would explode. i think if a child automatically dances to it, it is meant for the radio.

Trillian wrote:
Whereas I love the songs off PI, and fully consider it a cohesive album (wonderful how that worked out!) none of the songs are radio-friendly enough to ever have been a proper single.

FRAIL.

AND.

BEDAZZLED.

Well if it were an actual standard studio album, than I guess "Frail and Bedazzled" and "Pissant" but it's hard to see they would get any airplay though.

F+B blew my mind with how happy it sounded when I first heard it.

Although i think Starla and Obscured are the 2 best songs, here's what i think singlewise...

I'd have to agree, definitely Frail and Bedazzled, its even got perfect radio-play length of around 3mins, catchy hooks, and interesting changes ie, 2nd verse starts just Billy and Jimmy...

#2 would be maybe Whir, not too raucous, nice, happy and calming and sort of a second single feel with radio-friendly lyrics...

As a first single, I'd definitly chose "Obscured", because of it's "anti-single flow" i think that's maybe, what Pumpkins in 1994 would have done between their more mainstream-like Siamese Dream and their ultimate independent Mellon Collie.
And the song is definitly one of Billy's best.
As a second single I'd chose "La dolly vita" because it's so radiofriendly and rockin'.
By the way: I don't like singles, I just buy albums