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Teargarden By Kaleidyscope: Vol. 1 [EP]
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Teargarden By Kaleidyscope: Vol. 1 [EP] Image
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

  • Summary: The four-track EP is the first of a planned 11 EPs, which will all be released as one 44-track album at a later date.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. AllMusic
    70
    None of these songs have the concise punch of a single, but that's surely intentional: they're not designed as hooky statements of intent, they're dreamy teasers for what promises to be Corgan's most varied set of music since the days of Mellon Collie & the Infinite Sadness, whose title is quite deliberately echoed in the very name of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    63
    That fixation on headphone-trip arcana doesn't mean the new songs lack hooks: "A Stitch in Time," for example, opens with a folky acoustic figure that openly echoes "Disarm," one of Smashing Pumpkins' biggest hits. But "Songs for a Sailor" seems indifferent to what's happening on the radio right now. It's a blast of arty alt-rock escapism, short and not so sweet.
  3. Chicago Tribune
    63
    Without Chamberlin's freight train roaring behind him, the hurtling "Astral Planes" never quite achieves liftoff. And one can only imagine how Chamberlin might've combusted the six-minute "Son of a Sailor," which sounds like a promising sketch for a "Stairway to Heaven"-style epic. Corgan's at his best when he takes a lighter tack and develops two of his more engaging melodies on the remaining tracks.
  4. Kerrang!
    60
    It has one or two fine songs, A Song For A Son is probably Billy's best since Adore in 1998 but , decent though it is, it's not a Smashing Pumpkins record. [5 Jun 2010, p.50]
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  5. Drowned In Sound
    50
    He only truly nails it on one track out of four doesn't bode especially well, but as I say, there's some reason to hope, and if you really don't have anything better than the Pumpkins to pin your musical hopes onto, you probably shouldn't be too nervous about checking out the next EP.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. PaulM
    May 31, 2010
    10
    Great EP.
  2. EdR
    Jun 1, 2010
    10
    Each song is different, unique, and not just filler. Definitely will keep me paying attention to the next set of songs.
  4. dystopia
    Sep 16, 2010
    10
    It's clear the band is finally back to where it was pre-breakup, Teargarden Vol. 1 is a wonderful little EP, all 4 tracks are strong and wellIt's clear the band is finally back to where it was pre-breakup, Teargarden Vol. 1 is a wonderful little EP, all 4 tracks are strong and well produced and really paint a glorious picture of what the entire project is going to be once it's completed.… Expand
  5. Joris
    Jun 7, 2010
    6
    Song For A Son is classic, and contains one of Corgan's better solos since Mellon Collie but besides that track the other 3 ones are a Song For A Son is classic, and contains one of Corgan's better solos since Mellon Collie but besides that track the other 3 ones are a let down. I applaud what he is doing anyhow here, it's unique and a big f*** you to radiofriendly rock but in general the songs just lack (for the first time in Pumpkins' history. So let's wait for the next EP… Expand
  6. 7dogguy
    Apr 13, 2012
    5
    eh these songs on this are ok but there not memorable at all nor is this even close to what the smashing pumpkins are about luckly even thougheh these songs on this are ok but there not memorable at all nor is this even close to what the smashing pumpkins are about luckly even though it doesnt really sound like them there is one good song and one decent song and the other 2 are horrible… Expand
  7. CalR
    Feb 19, 2012
    5
    It's sort of a step in the right direction after Zeitgeist, but Billy forgot that when people complained that he was trying to hard, that itIt's sort of a step in the right direction after Zeitgeist, but Billy forgot that when people complained that he was trying to hard, that it didn't mean to take your full foot of the pedal and drive in the opposite direction. Structurally and lyrically there is zero substance here, but the vocals at times commit better to the music than the wreck of Zeitgeist. Fortunately the promise of 'Oceania' already looks set to redeem a decade of poor choices.… Expand
  8. MIchael
    Jun 11, 2010
    0
    This isn't really a review of the music (mainly the package), because i really love the music. That said though i'm going to begin This isn't really a review of the music (mainly the package), because i really love the music. That said though i'm going to begin with the track 'Teargarden Theme'. It sounds nice enough, but it's an empty shell, it sounds like music that should be filling out the background of a fully developed song. It sounds kind of empty on it's own, a completely pointless inclusion and totally self indulgent putting it on a 7' inch marble vinyl 45. This 'package' retails for $60 in Australia which is around $50 USD. For that price, i find this package very very very empty. 1 cheap looking marble 7 inch 45 marble vinyl... or supposedly marble vinyl. The colour looks more like baby blue with a grey tinge. With only 1 track 'Teargarden Theme' on side A, There is no 'Side B'. It doesn't even come housed in a sleeve to protect it! A stone oblsique is also included... Why.... I have no use for one! I doubt many people do. Then under the vinyl... a 4 track EP CD in cardboard sleeve of songs available for free on the internet through the Smashing Pumpkins official website. The box looks cheap... the imitation purple velvet inside looks cheap. The vinyl looks ugly and cheap too. Basically this is such a pointless release, completely self indulgent... Maybe it would be tolerable if it was an ALBUM released in this fashion, but this is a damn 4 Track EP!! That's all!! A real nice way to kick fans in the face considering how bad 'Zeitgeist' was. A simple CD EP would've done the trick for this physical release. I got sucked in because i love owning a physical copy of the music.... don't do the same. Save your cash -- Hell when this album is done, it will probably come out as a double CD anyway! Which is something that should've occurred to me before i bought it.… Expand

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