The Smashing Pumpkins are set to release their 7th studio record, Oceania, on June 19th, via Martha’s Music/EMI Label Services/Caroline Distribution. The album cover shows a tall building standing alone in a forest, which is fitting for the current roster of the Smashing Pumpkins, with Billy Corgan standing alone as the only remaining original member of the band. Labeled as “an album-within-an-album”, Corgan began working on a 44-song concept album, Teargarden by Kaleidescope in 2009, right after drummer Jimmy Chamberlin made his departure from the band; Oceania is considered to be part of the psychedelic experiment.
The Smashing Pumpkins broke up in 2000 and reformed without James Iha (guitar) and D’arcy Wretzky (bass) in ’05. When asked what Corgan felt his [new] bandmates have added to the album, he responded:
“I’ve been adamant in stressing that as a group, first and foremost, we are here to make new music together. I’m proud to say that on Oceania I feel we’ve cut our own path forward. Jeff, Mike, and Nicole have all made significant contributions to the tone and texture of Oceania, which is an album that is unlike any I’ve ever made. Yet at the same time I believe it upholds the same musical values I’ve always pushed for with The Pumpkins, be they progressive, emotional, epic, or restless.”
A different lineup trying to recreate an old sound, the Smashing Pumpkins were announced last week as a headliner at the Splendour in the Grass festival, July 27-29, in Australia, at Byron Bay’s Belongil Fields. The event is already sold-out. The band will also headline shows in Australia and New Zealand (TBA).
Currently, fans can stream the new album via iTunes.
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