The Smashing Pumpkins: Oceania – review

# Indie

# Pop and rock

# Smashing Pumpkins

(Virgin)

Oceania bodes well initially for fans of Pumpkins' extravagant, mid-90s gloom. The band's first record since 2007's comeback Zeitgeist forms part of a sprawling 44-song project entitled Teargarden By Kaleidyscope, and the collision of sludgy guitars, thunderous drums and Billy Corgan's frantic yelp on opener Quasar makes for a bracing reacquaintance with overwrought stadium grunge. But it loses its way when Corgan shows signs of mellowing. Even in their softer moments, vintage Pumpkins retained a swooning intensity but the MORish The Celestials offers a banal, Apprentice-style pledge to "love you 101%", while synthy ballad One Diamond, One Heart is a soppy electropop smooch.

Contributor

Ally Carnwath

The GuardianTramp

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