Shiny and Oh so Bright, Vol. 1 No Past. No Future. No Sun.

He smashes expectations. The opening track Knights of Malta does this immediately with a distinctively light, upbeat atmosphere. This album's aesthetic is deliberate. Corgan's views on pop and the industry are well documented. So why embrace that sound, alienate his base, and not release a Siamese/ Mellon Collie part 2? (They easily could.) Because he's making a grander statement at the risk of being misunderstood, and he's orchestrating the trajectory of his legacy. He's a performance artist on a Bowie/ Kanye tier. When you think about it, incorporating pop and subverting expectations of his fans that he obviously knows how to please is very punk. Its a proverbial spit in the face. It's an integrity reminiscent of Dylan and Young. Critics only listening to the album on a surface level and not considering his deeper intentions begs the question: What qualifies you to be rock critics at all? Lyrical and musical clues hint Volume 2 will pick up right where Seek and You Shall Destroy left off and be the old-school pleaser album you all have been waiting for. In the meantime, we have this collection of immediate Pumpkins tracks to muse over. Billy's lyrics here are deceptive, vulnerable, cynical, hopeful, and at times theres a hint of nostalgia. He sings with a gorgeously developed vibrato and bravado, and he arranges with that musical intuition he's always excelled at. Jimmy Chamberlain performs with a restraint and versatility that demonstrates the spectrum of his abilities. James Iha's angelic fills and subtle textures remind us why he is such an integral part of that Pumpkins sound. And to me Jeff Schroeder is the 5th Pumpkin, and his welcome involvement really helps fill out the music. And a respectful nod to Jack Bates, who compliments the band's sound exceptionally. I have a sneaking suspicion D'arcy will be back for Volume 2 and the new tour after a year of warming up. I might be wrong... Speculation, come on get ourselves together... /end of most pretentious review ever

This is the comeback from these guys. Sorry that D'Arcy ain't here, but this is what they sound like, not like what Zwan, or Billy solo, or 1/2 Pumpkins - this is what the band sounds like. And it sounds good. Corgan's vocals have never been better, he's even moderated the nasality, and the guitar playing is heavy rhythms, altho' I could dug more soling. Great rhythm section - Chamberlin is till a monster. What folks might be gonna not like - and I luv - is the Rick Rubin production, dry and almost demoey in it's lack of special FX - no cathedral drums or years-long delays, altho there is a little Hendrixy panning, and plenty of loud-soft-loud, and the occasional surprising keys/strings and BVs. I give it 4.5/5 olives, and call it my 3rd fave SP album already.

In the fall of 1993 MTV began rotating the video for Smashing Pumpkins' "Today". At that time, I hated grunge, and the new alternative music movement. "Today" was no different. I remember thinking who are Smashing Pumpkins? Billy Corgan looked like a hippie throwback in that video, and the song was irritating. Over time, the song's melody grew on me, and by the time "Disarm" was released, I had a passing interest. You see, I grew up in the 1980's, where 'grunge' was punk or metal and not some hybrid. It took several months before I bought "Siamese Dream" in 1994. I don't even think I was aware of their debut, 1991's "Gish". So, in 1995, when "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" began its rotation on MTV, followed by the release of the double-album "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness" (which I bought on day 1) I finally gave myself over to the Pumpkins. However, I have always remained critical of the band--"Gish" was slight, "Siamese Dream" was uneven, "Mellon Collie" was bloated, "Adore" was bloated and uneven, "Machina" was bloated and uneven, "Zeitgeist" was bloated and boring, but "Oceania" in 2012 was different, followed by the slight "Monuments to an Elegy" in 2014 (these last two albums were apparently the result of a grander scale idea called "Teargarden by Kaleidyscope" which never fully materialized. All the while, I have believed that Billy Corgan is Smashing Pumpkins whether he formed another band like Zwan, or put out two solo albums under his own name. He is the key. So with James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin back in the fold, we get "Shiny and Oh So Bright"--an obnoxiously long pompous title for a 'comeback' album that I don't really see as a comeback since Billy Corgan has periodically released Smashing Pumpkins albums every 4-5 years. The longest gap was 2000-2007 in which Corgan did Zwan and a solo album. So he's never really gone away to create a 'comeback' situation. Plus, D'arcy Wretzky hasn't played nice. What the Pumpkins do right on "Shiny and Oh So Bright" is dispense with past bloat. This is a short album of 8 relatively short songs. Perfect. They also got producer Rick Rubin on board. Perfect. These are strengths. Mid-range strengths consist of not drastically changing their sound to fit the current times. This is both a plus and minus. It's a chance to reassert, but it's a wasted opportunity to experiment and grow. This is safe Pumpkins music. Also, Corgan manages to bring the angst back, which is also a plus and minus because he's been there, done that, but the last few Pumpkins albums really needed more angst and darkness. The bad? The band couldn't mend fences with all original members. This is the worst charting Pumpkins album since their 1991 debut. They should have gone with a major label to get that promotion behind it. I suppose this album might feel slight to fans. For me, I liked it. Easily four stars. None of the songs are bad, though "Knights of Malta" has Corgan engaging in a baby cry throughout the song which is a bit obnoxious. Generally, if "Shiny and Oh So Bright" is any indication of more Pumpkins music in the future, my interest in piqued. This is the first album since "Machina" that sounds cohesive, barring "Oceania" which I have a sweet spot for. Here's how "Shiny and Oh So Bright" compares to the Pumpkins other works: 1991 Gish: Two and a Half Stars 1993 Siamese Dream: Three Stars 1995 Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness: Four Stars 1998 Adore: Three and a Half Stars 2000 Machina/The Machines Of God: Three and a Half Stars 2002 Zwan [by Zwan]: Three and a Half Stars 2005 TheFutureEmbrace [by Billy Corgan]: Three Stars 2007 Zeitgeist: Three Stars 2012 Oceania: Three and a Half Stars 2014 Monuments To An Elegy: Three Stars 2017 Ogilala [by William Patrick Corgan]: Three and a Half Stars 2018 Shiny and Oh So Bright: Three and a Half Stars

Happy with my purchase

Poco ma buono. Sono solo poco più di 30 minuti ma non c'è un secondo sprecato in questo album che si ascolta tutto d'un fiato, senza un attimo di noia. Orecchiabili tutti motivi, pur nella loro raffinatezza. Non per questo stancano dopo qualche ascolto. Ne ho inserito almeno 4 nella mia ultima playlist per correre. Ok, non essendo un ragazzino, devo precisare che non vado molto veloce!

Produto chegou sem problemas. Qualidade do Smashing continua cada vez melhor!!

El disco está bien aunque dista de los mejores tiempos de los Smashing; me parece un poco corto; solo para fans del grupo

As a long-time Pumpkin's fan, I thought this album was a good effort. Some songs are really good, even reminding me of the earlier songs from the first CD's. Heard they're working on a new album, looking forward the getting that one as well.