The Smashing Pumpkins, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol 1 / LP: No Past. No Future No Sun., 2018 ENGLISH

The Smashing Pumpkins, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol 1 / LP: No Past. No Future No Sun., 2018

By: Erreh Svaia

Rock N Roll Animal

4 years have passed by and The Smashing Pumpkins are back, that band that uniquely channeled grunge, metal and gothic music in the 90s, have once again reunited with three of its original members (without the bassist D'arcy Wretzy who was invited but did not accept), guitarists Billy Corgan, James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, along with musician Jeff Schroeder have brought a new music album that denotes a certain evolution of the apparent creative jam that the band suffered In its last years of activity, the title is long, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol 1 / LP: No Past. No Future No Sun. that seems to say a lot and at the same time say very little, opening with the theme Knights of Malta, with the vocals of Corgan, a grandiose piano accompaniment, the production of the always interesting Rick Rubin and some guitars that remember funk and soul, in a beautiful theme that breaks with the "alternative" dynamic that marked the band's latest recordings, a taste of "classic rock", a robust production that contrasts somewhat with Rubin's somewhat "crude" production values, which allows the band take air, acclimatize and reconnect with an always interesting Chamberlin behind the drums, enigmatic as a starting theme, and no doubt betting loudly to open the mind of the listener who will undoubtedly appreciate the audacity.

For Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts) we quickly find ourselves in familiar territory, Chamberlin guiding the actions, the guitars are classic TSP with the challenging voice of Corgan on top of the beautiful musical moment they manage to create, the band sounds renewed, at peace and working efficiently, with its ability to create nostalgia, charm and charisma almost automatically, Rubin's production is notorious here, helping the band to find intimate and fully expressive sounds, but it is in Travels that we find the band really finding his "essence", where Corgan manages to bring back that powerful emotional element of his almost youthful voice, the production of Rubin has managed to give a particular timbre to the group's guitars, makes them shine with a singular mixture of joy and nostalgia that It seems inspired by the shoegaze and post rock and leaves behind the times of overwhelming distortion, the Chamberlin drumming is put to the front, reminding me of the immortal Maureen Tucker of the Velvet Underground, becoming, not the motor of the band, but its true heart, beating with singular energy, proof of it, the beginning of Solara, where we find rabid guitars "passed through the Rubin filter" (which affects a little Iha´s execution), without many effects and denoting the essence of the band, not very far from the legendary Pixies and the famous Nirvana, with Chambelin again leading the band thru passages quite special, preventing the subject from becoming a mere exercise in the style of "Nevermind", allowing the band to keep within itself, and giving it great opportunity for experimentation.

There are issues that I would definitely miss, Alienation lacks density, contrasts sharply with the crescendo achieved by the band, and leaves a little to be delivered, while Marchin' On is a pleasant surprise, with fierce guitars and Corgan giving a powerful execution, the guitars take us to the precipice in a theme of colossal strength and cosmic stature that will surprise and delight more than one, with a band without fear of being used thoroughly feeling self-confident, getting into a necessary brake now the reflective With Sympathy, in which Corgan and company manage to connect successfully to create a theme of unique, classic and universal beauty, to then end in a glorious way the album with the harsh Seek and You Shall Destroy, which perfectly combines some of the distant extremes that we have heard throughout the album, in a kind of master plan that has enveloped us in many ways and finally reveals itself as a total genius, a difficult exercise of a group whose only brake has sometimes been the enormous ego of Corgan or the dangerous addictions of Chamberlin, here the band taken by  the hand of Rubin gets a disc with themes, many of them almost naked compared to their first recordings, but that bring out the ability of the band to shine in complex situations and come out well freed, showing his enormous talent that remains intact.

These meetings, apparently "successful" awaken a curious feeling in me, on the one hand, obviously fill me with happiness, but on the other I am aroused a certain distrust, make me wonder if it is really all right and will continue, or have just arrived to the top of their ability to strive and everything will be downhill from here, despite this the disc works, it's not an instant  classic, and with the speed at which things are happening nowadays, it's hard to think if we'll meet a classic again, but here, The Smashing Pumpkins have been reunited almost in their entirety, and that is a big reason to celebrate.