Oceania
Said to be “an album within an album,” the 13-track *Oceania* is part of the greater 44-track *Teargarden by Kaleidyscope* project. No matter what the concept or the intention, Corgan here issued his most melodic and adventurous album since the underrated *Adore*. Other albums aimed for a hard rock aggression that often centered on Jimmy Chamberlin\'s muscular drumming. But with Chamberlin missing from the ranks and a new bassist, drummer, and guitarist, Corgan starts *Oceania* with the psychedelic freakout of “Quasar” before settling into the luxurious “The Celestials,” which itself leads to the mellotron prog of the haunted “Violet Rays.” Looped synth lines, rudimentary keyboard notes, and a lonely electric guitar spend nearly two and a half minutes building up to the acoustic-based ballad “Pinwheels,” where harmonies and further experimentation create the album\'s tripped-out center. The heavy moods of “Panopticon,” “Pale Horse,\" and “The Chimera” further prove that Corgan the explorer is still working overtime.
Returning with a new band assembled via open auditions, Billy Corgan's first album in five years under the Smashing Pumpkins name finds him recapturing some of his inspiration.
There's a long-running joke about seeing a beloved band, maybe one you've followed since your childhood, and hearing the worst phrase that the frontman could utter: "We're going to play a few songs from our new album." The feeling is familiar, whether you were hoping to hear a choice cut from The Beach Boys' SMiLE during the band's current tour and instead got their new single, "That's Why God Made the Radio." Maybe you walked away relieved when Neutral Milk Hotel's Jeff Mangum didn't pull out any new cuts in recent live appearances. The point is, it's almost...
Smashing Pumpkins' first album in five years starts off promisingly, before losing its way, writes <strong>Ally Carnwath</strong>
Oceania benefits from Corgan’s new sense of freedom, resulting in the Pumpkins’s best album since the gothic Adore.
Once a band makes it big, they can no longer shuffle around players and still call themselves by the same name.
<p>Hints of their original appeal remain, but ultimately the 2012 Smashing Pumpkins are going nowhere, writes <strong>Rebecca Nicholson</strong></p>