Summary:Produced by Rick Rubin, the 10th full-length release for the alternative rock band sees the return of original members Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha, joining remaining members Billy Corgan and Jeff Schroeder.
The heavier moments refuse to act as a sledegehammer of alt-rock pastiche, which this record could so easily have been. Instead, it’s a showcase of songcraft that’s allowed to breathe and reveal itself. Bring on volume two. The dream lives on.
At their best, Shiny matches the sheer majesty and emotional depth of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. At their worst, they sound like a third-tier Muse cover band (“Seek And You Shall Destroy” is a particularly low track).
While what's here is good, there could have been more to get your teeth into. At eight songs in length, this collection feels a little slight. [17 Nov 2018, p.69]
As revived as the classic Pumpkins sound is on Shiny and Oh So Bright, though, the album can’t quite shake the sense of superfluity endemic to reunion projects: There isn’t anything here that the band hasn’t already done before--and better.
At a time in most bands life cycle where they resort to just playing the hits, Billy Corgan and the Pumpkins have a top to bottom masterpieceAt a time in most bands life cycle where they resort to just playing the hits, Billy Corgan and the Pumpkins have a top to bottom masterpiece of an album. I connected with these songs in a way that seems fresh and new. While the teenage version of myself connected with Siamese Dream and songs like "Today" my older self finds Shiny and oh so Bright, Vol.1 and songs like "Travels" to be just the tonic I needed.…Expand
I'll keep taking Smashing Pumpkins music as long as they continue making it. The world is much better for it.
A few notes: 1. "Solara"I'll keep taking Smashing Pumpkins music as long as they continue making it. The world is much better for it.
A few notes: 1. "Solara" sounds significantly better within the context of the album and after repeat listens. Elements like "Starz" without the chorus of Billies, a tighter structure, and a better melody. 2. "Silvery Sometimes" is a hyper-listenable improvement and blending of Try, Try, Try and 1979 that doesn't feel like a retread. I can't listen to 1979 anymore, but I've been listening to this song on repeat for days. 3. "Alienation" stood out the most from my first few listens of the album as a whole. Reminiscent of "Stellar" and "Ma Belle" from the Zeitgeist era, both of which I really enjoy. Nice contrast of dynamics and propulsive tempo.
If you added these songs into the mix with MTAE and split them up into two parts, you might have two stronger albums than either are on their own. Or perhaps the top ten songs from both albums would make a greater one: Tiberius, One and All, Being Beige, Drum + Fife, Monuments, Anti-Hero, Silvery Sometimes, Solara, Travels, and Alienation, maybe?
I would expect the next full album effort from the band would be an improvement and will be eagerly looking forward to it. I like the potential for Billy, James, and Jeff to develop their guitar interplay in a way that has the potential to be greater than the wall of guitar sound that was constructed primarily by Billy himself in SD.…Expand
Would be better if the lyrics weren’t created by a random word generator. The song “Marchin’ On,” for example, sounds amazing - or at least itWould be better if the lyrics weren’t created by a random word generator. The song “Marchin’ On,” for example, sounds amazing - or at least it would if you couldn’t hear the words - but the nonsense lyrics (She stabs the empty clock?) prevent it from landing with any emotional impact, so what could’ve been a powerful song ends up feeling like a trifle.…Expand
As a huge fan of the Pumpkins, I wanted to like this album a lot more than I did. And i'm not saying I wanted another Siamese Dream or MellonAs a huge fan of the Pumpkins, I wanted to like this album a lot more than I did. And i'm not saying I wanted another Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie, but I just wanted a solid album from the band. And what I got was just alright, not exactly terrible but I don't mind it too much. However for a band that was once ambitious it's hard not to see that once firey passion the band once had. Or more specifically, while Billy Corgan has been quite vocal about the direction of rock music has gone, he falls under the same trappings.
The compositions and instrumentation are fine, they certainly sound like a Pumpkins song, there's no mistaking their signature sound, however the production guts it. It's too sanitized and polished. I'm kind of surprised Rick Rubin produced this album, because it doesn't have his infamous signatures when he produces a rock album. It feels more like the band wanted to go in a pop direction, and as a result what should sound big and anthemic comes off toothless. These songs beg for more crunch and grit! Like the percussion from Jimmy is pretty solid, but the mix does him no favors as the other instruments swallows the drums. Which ironically enough is typical for a Rick Rubin production!
There really isn't much to talk about besides that for me really. It sounds like a Pumpkins album, and it kind of feels like Pumpkins on cruse control. Not exactly going fast, but just staying the same speed down a highway, but not in the passing lane. Most of the energy and passion just isn't there, even with returning members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin. It feels very much like the band's last record, Monuments. Except honestly I think Monuments is a far stronger album IMO because I could recall the singles off that album. Outside of Silvery Sometimes, which I feel is a solid pop rocker, there isn't much memorability too this album, even with the band's sound that I am very much fond of. Maybe that fondness is what is saving me from being too harsh on this album, besides I can't say it's flat out terrible and it does feel like the band did put in effort in making the songs here, like I said the compositions and instrumentation is great, but it's one of the band's least memorable albums, and definitely not the return to form so many fans wanted. At least for me.…Expand
Unfortunately this album is one of those mediocre efforts to sound fresh. I think Monuments was a much better try if the goal was to soundUnfortunately this album is one of those mediocre efforts to sound fresh. I think Monuments was a much better try if the goal was to sound relevant. I'm not going to pretend I was a life-long SP fan, as if it means something. The band slowly faded from my radar around Adore. So I wouldn't say I have an attachment or expectations on a SP record (thankfully there are many brilliant bands out there).
Monuments was the first Pumpkins record I picked up in decades. Rather pale when compared with the former energy of the old records, but still some solid songs in there that I like to this day. Now fast-forward to this record. And honestly if this would have been churned out by a newcomer band on Bandcamp, I wouldn't even be bothered to give it a second spin. So I give this record the benefit of a doubt, maybe it's a 'grower'. After my fifth try I gave up. I'm not a professional musician so I can't get into the technical specifics what went wrong here. Production-wise it sounds okay to me, although no song has an oomph to it, really. I welcome and respect bands that go out and try something that is outside their comfort zone. But you better be really really hungry to do it, this sounds more like, "there was nowhere else for us to go, so we did that". And at the same time they have a song like Silvery Sometimes that tries so desperately to be an ode to the old-times that it underlines even more the aimless direction of this album. Silvery Sometimes and the rest of the album feel kind of unfinished, like there was a long way to go for these songs to be worthy to be put on an album.…Expand
