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Critic's Review
Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
Having decided that the earlier Friends and Enemies effort at getting rare songs out to the Pumpkins' fan base surreptitiously was successful, Billy Corgan organized a more formal effort with Machina II, borrowing the original tape title while revamping the contents. Twenty-five copies were made on three 10" and two 12" vinyl discs. Instructions were given to distribute the material on the Web; artwork was also made available online, making this possibly the first full release of an album strictly as a free Web effort. The first 10" disc includes the heavy-yet-dreamy "Slow Down" and a "spacy" version of "Glass' Theme"; the second features one of the Pumpkins' most surprising covers, James Brown's "Soul Power," which turns out to be a great Pumpkins bash-and-thrash fest. It also includes the Adore outtake "Cash Car Star," a fantastic hyper-thrash assault with some insane guitar work, and a fantastic version of the "Stand Inside Your Love" B-side "Speed Kills." The final 10" contains a piano/vocals version of "If There Is a God," and a lighter take on "Try, Try, Try." The two 12" disc releases -- the "official" Friends and Enemies release -- features alternate takes of the original cassette's tracks, including "Dross," and a heavy rip through "Blue Skies Bring Tears," while "Le Deux Machina" and the loud, sparkling soar of "Real Love" remain unchanged. New songs include a fine James Iha number, "Go," the haunting "Innosense," and the official release of "Let Me Give the World to You," here given a triumphant total-band take. As a high-class artifact and a gift to a loyal fan base, Machina II is a winner.
