Summary:The 33-track rock opera/concept album from The Smashing Pumpkins features the story of Shiny, who was first introduced on 1995's Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.
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Record Label:Marthas
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Indie Rock, Synth Pop
Thankfully, there's a pleasing flow and emotional arc to the collection that draws you deeper in the further you go, in much the same way that Smashing Pumpkins' most beloved albums were such all-encompassing experiences.
ATUM is more sonically consistent than 1995's opus Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. ... Corgan somehow achieved the impossible: a genuinely likable, odd, and even inclusive album that sounds like nothing else in 2023.
As albums go, ‘ATUM’ is an ambitious body of work and does ask a lot of its audience. But there’s also plenty on here to please any diehard Pumpkins fan.
ATUM is clearly meant to be the kind of record that requires your full attention, and Act Three makes for a nicely trippy conclusion to the whole project, as well as an intriguing listening experience in and of itself.
ATUM doesn’t necessarily suffer by comparison to past albums. Its highs are more modest. The ferocity is long gone. But in its own ponderous way, it is generous.
The album, when taken as a whole, is simply too much. When taken as individual pieces, it works much better – and there’s simply no reason for it to be this long.
ATUM is the most controversial and strangest of all Smashing Pumpkins albums: a record that defies expectations but often disappoints in how prosaic and calculated it is.
This is a late career 4XLP studio concept album that is pretty much unprecedented in modern music. In terms of sheer scale there is almost noThis is a late career 4XLP studio concept album that is pretty much unprecedented in modern music. In terms of sheer scale there is almost no other band putting out such a grandiose project, much less from what is essentially an indie band now. Initially SP released this album one song a week on Corgan's podcast which really does the whole album a disservice. This is a work that is much better digested as a whole and either on vinyl or a high-quality lossless digital format. There is a lot of detail in these songs.
The album is divided into 3 acts of 11 songs each (as well as an audio story with an orchestral version of act 1 on the vinyl release). I was going to include a list of highlights but honestly I love the entire album (particularly acts 2 and 3). Roughly half of the album are rock songs and the other half are relatively synth heavy with some songs containing a good mix of both. The synth heavy songs are a good deal better than Cyr's (which I still enjoyed).
Overall I'd give this a 9.5 but since that isn't an option I'll round up. Astounding return to form for the band and their best album since Adore which is a masterpiece.…Expand
I really gave it a chance...and It started growing.
If you dont like Billys voice - do not listen
If you dont like modern production- dontI really gave it a chance...and It started growing.
If you dont like Billys voice - do not listen If you dont like modern production- dont listen If you dont like synths and processed beats- hands off I But if you are open for a journey and a music lover, then go ahead and give it a few spins.
Highlights: Spellbinding, Harmaggedon, Cenotaph, Space Age Love it…Expand
Although opening strongly in true Pink Floyd/Pumpkins fashion with the title suite "Atum", Act I doesn't give the listener an easy start, youAlthough opening strongly in true Pink Floyd/Pumpkins fashion with the title suite "Atum", Act I doesn't give the listener an easy start, you have to endure some bombast and few weaker songs.
Once you reach Act III though you are rewarded with some of the Pumpkins' strongest output since Machina/The Machines of God (2000) with the dreampop of "The Canary Trainer", the semi-acoustic gem and Mellon Collie-esque ballad "Cenotaph" and "Harmageddon", perhaps their best rocker since The Everlasting Gaze (check those shredding Corgan solos).
Along the way Act II provides you with the Adore prog-gothrock of "Moss", the New Order-esque "Every Morning" and the shoegazey "Avalanche", the last two bringing together the best of the newer Pumpkins sound. The guitars shine on tracks as "The Good in Goodbye", sucessfully recalling the Siamese Dream/Gish era, while other songs are very synthpop heavy and could do with less arpeggios. And while the first Act misses its mark sometimes ("Hooray", "Where Rain Must Fall" and "Hooligan" are absolute throwaways and skippable), the pace picks up as does the instrumentation and the experimentation along the journey.
For a 33-track opus, this is quite the achievement this late in the Smashing Pumpkins' career. Overall containing some real highlights everyone who ever enjoyed this band at least should give some spins.
Quintessential tracks: Harmageddon, Cenotaph, The Good in Goodbye, The Canary Trainer, Moss, Every Morning and Atum…Expand
Takes a few listens but there are a lot of good songs throughout this album. It helps to realize that the songs serve to push a story arc asTakes a few listens but there are a lot of good songs throughout this album. It helps to realize that the songs serve to push a story arc as a musical. Lots of good guitar work on this one compared to more recent Pumpkins releases. Some standouts include The Good in Goodbye, Hooligan, Sojourner, Night Waves, Springtimes, Cenotaph, Intergalactic and many more. A real solid album by the Pumpkins.…Expand
The first time I've been embarrassed listening to a Pumpkins record. Atum is Billy doing a third rate impression of Muse, M83, Crosses, TheThe first time I've been embarrassed listening to a Pumpkins record. Atum is Billy doing a third rate impression of Muse, M83, Crosses, The Cure, New Order, Pink Floyd, etc, and not in a good way. Amd that's the problem with Atum, it's very derivative of stuff I've already heard. I hear Billy doing his impression of other artists rather than hearing a Smashing Pumpkins record. The opening instrumental track "Atum" sounds like a Pink Floyd wannabe, Billy goes all Muse on "Beyond The Vale," and "Fireflies" features strings straight ripped from M83's "Outro."
The little rock we do get in this so called rock opera are some of the blandest and most uninspired. Lazy chug chug chug riffs. The tiny bit of Jimmy Chamberlin we do get is so overcompressed and processed that you may as well have used drum samples. Add Billy's pretentious poetry school dropout word salad he's known for lately along with cold and sterile production. I'm more of an electronic music fan than rock, which would make you think I'd like Atum. One of the few fans who loved Adore when it was released. But I just can't get into Billy's sounds choices here, especially the cheesy synth presets he seems to love.
Atum is supposedly the sequel to Machina, an unfinished concept album that we never got the full version of since Virgin Records wouldn't fund a double album, and a sequel to Mellon Collie, an album Billy retconned into being a concept album because Billy knew namedropping Mellon Collie would get him more headlines If Billy really wanted to do a sequel to these albums, then Flood and Alan Moulder should've been involved, as they were integral to the previous albums' sound. I keep asking myself, did Atum really need to be 33 tracks? Especially since so many songs bleed into each other. It ain't like the lyrics really progress the concept further. With not a memorable lyric, or hook, or riff to be found.
If I can sum up Atum in one word, it would be cringe.
Atum, a schlock opera.…Expand
