on 2012-07-18 gutterseed Said:

are all reviews posting with ? as apostraphes? It looks weird at first, but it kinda becomes clockwork orangish after awhile. May become a ?gutterseed trademark?
Not Rated

on 2012-07-18 iamparadox Said:

I can't stand Billy Corgan and refuse to listen to this band or any band he is a part of.
Not Rated

on 2012-07-18 hstisgod Said:

finally, gutter and I agree on something, I heard the single, I won't even bother.. his voice, it's like nails scraping on a freezer covered in ice!
Not Rated

Review:

on 2012-07-18 gutterseed Said:

Are you KIDDING ME???????
The pumpkins have disappointed since Siamese dream, Gish being their best album. I listened to the first song and was completely disappointed from that point on. Billy Corgan stands as the lone original member, and that is totally obvious.
This is not Gish. It?s not melodic, it?s linear. It sounds like they put an ad in the recycler and took whatever they could get. No rich baselines or vocal harmonies, it sounds like Billy just overdubbed himself. You want rich basslines? Listen to Bury me alive. There is no depth to this album. In fact,the album is webster?s definition of linear. I don?t know why I even review Pumpkins. They?re completely disappointing, and every album they put out I wonder if they record their albums in the backroom of an Indian Casino.
I see no resemblance to the cure. This is not a gothic album, it?s a pop and synth, there?s nothing creative about it. They?ve done some good stuff in the past, but this album ranks with Peter Criss? self titled album. They shouldn?t have put it out. Billy seems to pride himself on his passion for music, and that?s all fine and dandy, but spare the fans, write a book, do a Vh1 behind the music and give your fans a clue as to why your band went from outstanding to a pile of horse maneure (thorazine perhaps?). The album is repetitive, and his voice is as whiney as a 4 year old who doesn?t get the same toy as his sibling in a happy meal. I do like the musical composition on ?my love is winter?. The lyrics should be tossed into a fire pit and burned. Whoever mixed it did a horrific job, maybe the manager at the Mcdonalds playplace was on break? you can?t even hear his voice, and he?s as whiney as a 2 year old.
?One demand one heart?? Compare that with Siva. It can?t be done. First of all, Corrigans voice on Siva is from the gut. Although high pitched, it?s not lazy like it is on One demand one heart. That can be said when comparing the two albums. In my opinion, the pumpkins got lazy. Take the song tarantula for example, strong, fun, upbeat, and aggressive. It is not due to your increased age and maturity. It may be contributed with Corrigan being locked into fulfilling a contract or loss of interest in music. If you take a look at Pearl Jam, another 90?s bands, they?re still 100% committed. I can?t say the same for the pumpkins.
There isn?t a good song on this album. It?s not a polished album. It?s a piece of crap and a waste of time, and a pleasure to give it 1 star. We seem to agree that we miss the rawness. Thorazine?.Thorazine? Once again, lazy lyrics, a complete rip off of Nirvana?s lithium. Maybe Corrigan is speaking from experience, because that song definitely speaks that this album is a void. Maybe Corrigan had hallucinatory friends who played on Gish and Siamese Dream. Then they put him on thorazine and his entire musical ability left him. There?s definitely a void in this album
One could argue that 3 songs attempt to re-capture the 90?s, but that?s stretching is. I would say this album evokes a lack of drive and is a complete waste of time. Polished? Oh my god! Those who teach Euclidian geometry should play it as a lesson and definition of what their class is going to be about. It?s no wonder the packaging was nice. I feel sorry for people who bought this album






Not Rated

Review:

on 2012-07-14 Crispy_Spumoni Said:

The general consensus of music critics pegs "Oceania" as the best Smashing Pumpkins output in over 10 years, and I agree. Billy Corgan stands as the lone original member, but drummer Mike Byrne, bassist Nicole Florentino and guitarist Jeff Schroeder prove themselves worthy of their spots in the line up. Florentino especially stands out, adding layers of depth with her rich bass lines and sweet vocal harmonies.

Fans of classic Pumpkins will enjoy this album  most tracks display the bands trademark complexities, full, gorgeous, extended guitar instrumentals and, of course, Billys inimitable voice. I can still catch the influences of The Cure and My Bloody Valentine shining through. Having said that, the album doesnt connect with me the same way as the '90s albums produced in the bands heyday. This may be due to my increased age and maturity, the absence of a greater cultural bond with grunge music or the decreased quality of lyrics and storytelling. Lack of originality compared to earlier work is another concern -- certain songs seem distractingly similar to specific older tracks. For example, the leading song "Quasar" mirrors the "Siamese Dream" opener "Cherub Rock."

A few tracks such as My Love is Winter employ a slicker, more polished approach than might be expected of the Pumpkins. While this sound might be more accessible to younger rock music fans, it sounds less natural and I miss the rawness.

"Pale Horse" stands out as the most compelling song on the album. It seems to evoke the loss and loneliness experienced by someone taking Thorazine (spelled Thora Zine in the lyrics sheet), a medication used to treat schizophrenia. As is true with most pills prescribed for mental illness, They give you this/They take away that& In this case, Thora Zine takes away hallucinatory friends, leaving a void. Im not sure thats really what the song is about, but one of the fun things about Smashing Pumpkins songs is puzzling out the lyrics and inserting your own meaning.

"Oceania's" vinyl edition is beautifully packaged in a two-album set complete with lyrics and vivid, electric blue and yellow orange art photography. The LPs feel solid and come in sturdy black paper sleeves.
Rating: 8/10