THE SMASHING PUMPKINS: Atum
It’s tough being a Smashing Pumpkins fan these days. Through all of the aborted song cycles, concept albums, and half-finished record ideas, head Pumpkin Billy Corgan still cranks out some occasionally blistering riffs. The problem is, like Prince in his most prolific heyday, the great tunes get lost in a glut of tracks that should have remained demos.
The Pumpkins' latest release, Atum, is a mixed, bloated, occasionally brilliant bag. On one hand, Jimmy Chamberlin’s drums are as dynamic and powerful as ever, driving the songs with a relentless energy that is hard to ignore. The drumming on “Empires” make this otherwise over-produced track still absolutely essential.
On the other hand, Billy Corgan's lyrics often border on the silly, with overwrought lines that sometimes feel like they were pulled straight from a high schooler's notebook. Many of the songs on "Atum" follow a familiar formula of loud, repetitive choruses and more subdued verses, and the same electronic flourishes that have marred their last few albums.
Speaking of which: If you were turned off by the synth-heavy, mid-tempo electro-rock of Cyr, you’re probably not going to love Atum. This kind of knob-twiddling might work for, say, Awolnation, but a little synth on a Smashing Pumpkins record has always gone a long, long way.
That being said, there are moments on the album where the classic Siamese-era gusto shines through. Corgan's guitar playing is still impressive, with blistering solos that showcase his technical skill and flair for the dramatic. The song "Harmageddon" is a standout track, with its catchy hook and infectious energy that will have listeners flashing back to 1993.
Overall, "Atum" is a mixed bag of an album that showcases both the strengths and weaknesses of the Pumpkins' sound. Diehard fans of the band will find plenty to like here, but those looking for an opus on the level of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness will be disappointed. It’s just as long, just as melancholy, but not quite as smashing. C+
