Chicago Tribune’s Greg Kot reviews new Smashing Pumpkins EP 11:42 am // Friday, May 21, 2010
Posted by Jill in teargarden by kaleidyscope.trackback
In today’s installment of “Turn It Up,” Greg Kot tackles the new Smashing Pumpkins EP, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope 1: Songs for a Sailor for the Chicago Tribune. He awards the release 2.5 stars of 4, doling out praise to Billy Corgan and company:
Corgan’s at his best when he takes a lighter tack and develops two of his more engaging melodies on the remaining tracks. Ascending guitar lines give “Widow Wake My Mind” a soaring insistence and “Stitch in Time,” with its rich acoustic layers and chiming percussion, is all incense and peppermints.
And criticism:
Without Chamberlin’s freight train roaring behind him, the hurtling “Astral Planes” never quite achieves liftoff. And one can only imagine how Chamberlin might’ve combusted the six-minute “Son of a Sailor,” which sounds like a promising sketch for a “Stairway to Heaven”-style epic.
Click through to read the full interview.
Minor tangent: why must every Smashing Pumpkins album review start with a discussion of Billy Corgan’s ego? Kot, haven’t you been writing about the Pumpkins for eons now?!
LMAO he called it Son for a Sailor lol
That’s my new faux curse. SON OF A .. SAILOR!
““Stitch in Time,” with its rich acoustic layers and chiming percussion, is all incense and peppermints”
wait, what? percussion?
That’s a fair review. It’s true that Teargarden hasn’t proved much yet. Astral Planes and A song for a son could be better. They’re alright.
I love Stitch and Widow more so I kinda agree on that.
I really think the second EP will be better in my taste.
I pretty much agree with the review, but at the same time, why even review music that people can listen to for free and make up their own minds
the real reviews will be when all the EPs will be released.
@Bitter T
Technically keyboards and pianos are considered percussion instruments. So, maybe he was going with that? I think he should have just said synths or keys, but whatever. “Stitch” and “Astral” are definitely my favorite songs from the first release, but I really do wish it would have just been put out in a more straightforward system. Just saying.
BTW: I think we’re about overdue for another few songs. Am I right?
I’m guessing 5/25 for a new song to go with the first EP release! Hopefully Kerry will let us know any day now.
Im really hoping we do get a new song next week. What would be more frustrating is if we have to wait 6 weeks from the EP dropping to get track 5. Gah.
Bless Kot for quenching the Great News Drought of ’10.
@Jill – You can have “son of a sailor!”…I’m going to start describing various items as “all incense and peppermints.”
6 more weeks would be insane. That’s too much time in between. Any guesses when? I say Monday June 7th or Memorial Day-a holiday gain?
I agree with the “tangent.” Dipping into the well to comment yet again about Billy’s ego is LAZY music criticism. Anxious for song #5! Since it looks like Jeff and Nicole are working in the studio, might those songs be #9-12?
I don’t know where this “ego” critique comes from. I would say, “selflessly devoted to his craft.” I would use the word “ego” to describe some vain little man like Justin Bieber.
*swoon*
But A Song for a Son was released while Jimmy was still in the Band!
Just listened to this while jamming the new Ferraro. Mind = blown.
No Phoenix, it wasn’t. That’s Mike Byrn on the drums.
maybe Phoenix means when it was first “released” live back in 2008. either that or phoenix is on crack.
but when you listen to the version from 2008, when Jimmy still plays the drums, with all respect and love for the god-like abilities the chamberlin has, his parts are so dull and lifeless. I think Mike did a hell of a job on Song for a Son.
Yes I was talking about the version released when Jimmy was still in the band… We haven’t heard the CD version yet and from what Billy has said its the same but with an extended intro… It is still possible that Jimmy recorded this before he left.
no it isn’t
“Yes I was talking about the version released when Jimmy was still in the band… We haven’t heard the CD version yet”
if we havent heard it (if it even exists) so why did you write ‘released’. its unreleased. and from where did you get the information about the version with Jimmy C?
I think it’s very clear that Jimmy isn’t playing a note on Teargarden. Could it be any more obvious by now?
@Phoenix
man you’re still on crack…
there was never a version released while Jimmy was in the band. He was kicked out early 09. The released A Song for a Son that you can download on sp.com doesn’t have Jimmy playing. That’s Mike on the drums.
And the CD version is the exact same as the one available for free.
I think he meant that Billy and Jimmy also recorded this song, or at least demoed it. but there are no evidence to think that. if he meant not this, then the dude is on crack for sure.
Who else is going to say Phoenix is on crack?? Geez…
Yeah the guy just made a little mistake. It could just be marijuana.
Maybe he is .. who knows
The tone of the article wasn’t bad, but it appears he should listen to those songs again and get some good proof reading done. Mistakes happen, but come on, you are reviewing the PUMPKINS here!
offtopic
“Pumpkins. You’ll never see Zwan. I’ll never go anywhere near those people. Ever. I mean, I detest them. You can put that in capital letters. Bad people. James and D’Arcy are good people. They might be misguided people, but they’re good people.”
Interesting, one day Corgan says one thing, another – opposite to the first.
@gyang
There *was* a version of ‘Song For A Son’ released while Jimmy was in the band:
http://spfreaks.com/default.aspx?page=COLLDETAILS&item=3045
that’s what i meant, check comment #18. i’m aware they had livesmashingpupmkins.com release their live stuff, i was saying phoenix is on crack because he thinks the Song for a Son that’s coming May 25 has a chance of being recorded by Jimmy.
dig
So where can we get an mp3 of the Songs for a Sailor instrumental?
[...] or March’s “Lightning Strikes” will see a physical release like the first eight Teargarden [...]