Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.

Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. (stylised in all caps) is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released on November 16, 2018 through Napalm Records.[1][3]

Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.
Studio album by
The Smashing Pumpkins
ReleasedNovember 16, 2018 (2018-11-16)[1]
RecordedFebruary–June 2018
StudioShangri La Studios, Malibu, California
GenreHard rock[2]
Length31:47
LabelNapalm[1]
ProducerRick Rubin[3]
The Smashing Pumpkins chronology
Monuments to an Elegy
(2014)		 Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.
(2018)
Singles from Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.
  1. "Solara"
    Released: June 8, 2018
  2. "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)"
    Released: September 13, 2018
  3. "Knights of Malta"
    Released: November 7, 2018

Background and recording

In early February 2018 it was announced that original members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin had rejoined the band, marking the first time since Machina II/The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music and Zeitgeist that Iha and Chamberlin has worked with the band, respectively.[4] The reunited band started production on new material in February 2018 with Rick Rubin producing, the first time he had worked with the band since the Adore album cycle. Recording took place at Shangri La recording studio, Malibu, California. The group originally presented eight song demos to Rubin with the intention of releasing one as a comeback single.[5] After Rubin approved of all eight, the group planned two four-song EPs, the first of which was originally scheduled to be released in May 2018.[6] In September 2018 it was announced that the EPs would take the form of a full-length album.[3] Former bassist D'arcy Wretzky claims Iha and Rubin's involvement in the album was limited, saying "He [Iha] was only involved in the one Rick Rubin song. Billy’s got a lot of nerve going out there saying Rick recorded the whole album. He only had a week to record one song."[7]

Release and promotion

The album's first single, "Solara", was released on June 8, 2018.[8][9] The second single "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" was released on September 13, 2018.[10] The opening track "Knights of Malta" was secretly released as a private YouTube video on November 7, 2018.[11]

Lead single "Solara" was performed live on national television on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, June 11, 2018.[12]

Reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.4/10[13]
Metacritic65/100[14]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Consequence of SoundB[16]
Exclaim![17]
NME[18]
Pitchfork3.4/10[19]
PopMatters[20]
Rolling Stone[21]
Slant[22]
Spectrum Culture[23]
Spin Magazine[24]

The album received generally positive reviews.[25]

Consequence of Sound gave the album a B and named it album of the week.[16] AllMusic claimed "Corgan delivers something unexpected: music that's rich but settled, music that plays to his strengths, music where he seems happy in his own skin."[26] NME remarked "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."[27] Spin Magazine noted "All signs pointed to Shiny and Oh So Bright ... as an authoritative step back on track."[28]

Exclaim! was mixed on the album, stating "At only eight tracks, it's the shortest Smashing Pumpkins full-length and it feels less grandiose than most of their work simply due to that brevity, which makes it harder to measure against their other LPs--although it easily blows the last album out of the water and is more immediately catchy than Zeitgeist."[29] DIY Magazine reported "There’s not much in the way of stylistic cohesion, either, and you wonder whether that’s simply because the creativity was flowing out of the almost-fully-reformed lineup or simply because Billy felt confident in following his every whim."[30]

Rolling Stone published a more negative review, giving the album 2 out of 5 stars. Christopher R. Weingarten, writing for Rolling Stone, states that "no amount of Adore-ation can excuse the absolute maelstrom of inconsequential material that Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin have made in the 18 years since they’ve played on a Smashing Pumpkins record together." Weingarten concludes his review, stating "[s]ave the few fire-breathing dragon moments of Lollapalooza-era churn, it’s the Smashing Pumpkins in name only, and that ice cream truck has long left the gas station."[31]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Corgan, except where noted.

Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Knights of Malta" 4:37
2."Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" 3:30
3."Travels" 5:23
4."Solara" 4:22
5."Alienation" 5:01
6."Marchin' On" 2:39
7."With Sympathy"Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin3:30
8."Seek and You Shall Destroy" 2:45
Total length:31:47

Personnel

The Smashing Pumpkins

Additional musicians
  • The Section Quartet – strings on "Knights of Malta" and "Alienation"
    • Daphne Chen – violin
    • Richard Dodd – cello
    • Eric Forman – violin
    • Leah Katz – viola
  • Charissa Nielsen, Briana Lee, Missi Hale – additional background vocals on "Knights of Malta"

Production
  • Rick Rubin – production
  • Dana Nielsen – recording, mixing
  • Jason Lader – additional recordings, strings recording
  • Davis Spreng – additional recordings
  • Vlado Meller – mastering

Charts
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[32] 63
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[33] 33
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 71
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[35] 58
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[36] 66
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[37] 79
French Albums (SNEP)[38] 123
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[39] 20
Irish Albums (IRMA)[40] 84
Italian Albums (FIMI)[41] 25
Scottish Albums (OCC)[42] 32
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[43] 47
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] 28
UK Albums (OCC)[45] 43
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[46] 3
US Billboard 200[47] 54
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[48] 2
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[49] 8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[50] 10

References
  1. "Shiny and Oh So Bright Album announcement", NME, September 14, 2018. Retrieved on September 27, 2018.
  2. "The 30 Best Hard Rock Albums of 2018". Loudwire. November 26, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  3. "Smashing Pumpkins Announce Details of Reunion Album, Out in November", Consequence of Sound, September 14, 2018. Retrieved on September 27, 2018.
  4. "Smashing Pumpkins Plot Reunion Tour Culling From First Five Albums". Archived from the original on February 15, 2018.
  5. "Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan on fatherhood, new album and being a brat on Instagram". USA Today.
  6. "Billy Corgan says the first of 2 new Smashing Pumpkins EPs is coming in May". The AV Club.
  7. D'arcy interview
  8. "Hear Smashing Pumpkins' Churning New Song 'Solara'". Rolling Stone.
  9. "Smashing Pumpkins Return With New Song "Solara": Listen – Pitchfork". pitchfork.com.
  10. "Smashing Pumpkins Preview New Album With ‘Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)’ Song", Rolling Stone, September 14, 2018. Retrieved on September 27, 2018.
  11. "Knights of Malta". Knights of Malta. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  12. "Listen: The Smashing Pumpkins Streaming First New Single Since Reunion - 'Solara'". Ultimate-Guitar.
  13. "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun by The Smashing Pumpkins reviews | Any Decent Music". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  14. "Reviews for Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. by the Smashing Pumpkins". Metacritic. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  15. "Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun - The Smashing Pumpkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  16. Roffman, Michael. "Album of the Week: The Smashing Pumpkins Return Home On Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  17. "Smashing Pumpkins Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun". exclaim.ca. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  18. "Smashing Pumpkins – 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1' review". NME. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  19. Greene, Jayson (November 19, 2018). "The Smashing Pumpkins: Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  20. "The Smashing Pumpkins: Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun". PopMatters. November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  21. Weingarten, Christopher R.; Weingarten, Christopher R. (November 15, 2018). "Review: Smashing Pumpkins' 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun' is Infinite, Sad". Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  22. Hoskins, Zachary (November 13, 2018). "Review: The Smashing Pumpkins, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1/LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  23. Korber, Kevin (28 November 2018). "The Smashing Pumpkins: Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  24. "Smashing Pumpkins 'Shiny and Oh So Bright' Review". November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  25. Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun by Smashing Pumpkins, retrieved 2018-11-16
  26. "Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1: No Past. No Future. No Sun - The Smashing Pumpkins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  27. "Smashing Pumpkins – 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1' review - NME". NME. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  28. "Smashing Pumpkins 'Shiny and Oh So Bright' Review". Spin. 2018-11-15. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  29. "Smashing Pumpkins Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  30. "Smashing Pumpkins - SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN". DIY. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  31. Weingarten, Christopher R. (2018-11-15). "Review: Smashing Pumpkins' 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun' is Infinite, Sad". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  32. "ARIA Chart Watch #500". auspOp. November 24, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  33. "Austriancharts.at – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  34. "Ultratop.be – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  35. "Ultratop.be – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  36. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  37. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  38. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 47, 2018)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  39. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  40. "Irish Albums Chart: 23 November 2018". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  41. "Classifica settimanale WK 47". Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved November 23, 2018.
  42. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  43. "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 47: del 16.11.2018 al 22.11.2018" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  44. "Swisscharts.com – The Smashing Pumpkins – Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  45. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  46. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  47. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  48. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  49. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  50. "The Smashing Pumpkins Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.