[awsmsc]

Note: I've only listened to it once thus far.

Overall . A

Not quite as good as SD/MCIS/ADORE, but close. This is probably my 6th or 7th fav album of all time, but repeat listenings are necessary.

Quasar . B
Panopticon . A
The Celestials . A+
Violet Rays . A+
My Love Is Winter . A-
One Diamond, One Heart . A
Pinwheels . A+
Oceania . A
Pale Horse . A
The Chimera . A+
Glissandra . B+
Inkless . A-
Wildflower . A-

[gyang333]

Qusar opening is so fucking cool. the guitar work is also really awesome. if anything, the lyrics sorta bring it down a bit, at least with me. Still a solid A. Much better than Astral Planes.

[jaggedjunkie21]

gyang333, on 11 June 2012 - 03:55 PM, said:

Qusar opening is so fucking cool. the guitar work is also really awesome. if anything, the lyrics sorta bring it down a bit, at least with me. Still a solid A. Much better than Astral Planes.

The riff and guitar work on Quasar are great, but yea I agree, the lyrics and vocal melody ruin the song for me.

The Celestials has SUCH a throw-back classic pop song vibe to the chorus melody and I seriously can't get it out of my head.

My Love is Winter, One Diamond One Heart, The Chimera, and Glissandra round out my top 5 from the record after one full listen.

Listening again now.

[MrLee192]

The second song sounds like the first song... that didnt impress me. Still listening. im sure ill post my opinion once i get the album properly with a nice audio quality... this itunes shit is crackling

[mattsevrens]

I don't think it's really fair to rate right away. But i really enjoyed it all the way through. Very nuanced, very subtle. There were no "wtf" moments as there have been on every album since MCIS. Just very pleasant. Sort of a lush garden of sound. Very colorful, very bright.

[awsmsc]

After a second listen, I'd say Pinwheels is an A instead of an A+ and Glissandra is an A- instead of a B+. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I'm not changing my mind about these songs.

[MrLee192]

Half way through, nothings really grabbed me n caught my attention yet. Like i havent had a "dude. holy shit, wtf was that?" moment yet.

Song with the chick singing along with Billy is cool, nice guitar solo tones.... the female vocals give it a My Bloody Valentine mellow feel.

[Whicker]

One thing I dont understand is how billy said he stopped using his big muff setup cause he found the guitars dint have enough definition yet I find SD muff guitars were a lot more defined. I have a hard time trying to discern all of the guitar parts on Oceania so far (might also be cause if the itunes compression). Im not done listening so ill check back later and give a track by track.!

[themadcaplaughs]

I'll give it credit that it is consistent. So far every song has sounded enjoyable, and listening to it on an itunes stream hardly does it justice. That being said, there are NO moments on this record that immediately stand out and grab me. Even Zeitgeist and Teargarden by Kaleidyscope had those moments. So I'd give it a solid B at the moment.

Also, I do not see how anyone can criticize the synths in TbK and love this. Billy went synth crazy.

This post has been edited by themadcaplaughs: 11 June 2012 - 04:51 PM

[CZR]

I like Pinwheel's intro

Oceania song is very nice too

The first few tracks sounded like Live SP and then later sounding sequential

[gyang333]

themadcaplaughs, on 11 June 2012 - 04:50 PM, said:

I'll give it credit that it is consistent. So far every song has sounded enjoyable, and listening to it on an itunes stream hardly does it justice. That being said, there are NO moments on this record that immediately stand out and grab me. Even Zeitgeist and Teargarden by Kaleidyscope had those moments. So I'd give it a solid B at the moment.

Also, I do not see how anyone can criticize the synths in TbK and love this. Billy went synth crazy.

yeah but it doesn't sound like a B-rated carnival like it did with some parts of Teargarden

[vescret]

A+

[CZR]

Pale horse is my favorite so far

I like how absurd Pale Horse's vocal melody is, love it. Imagine singing it in public lol

There's a Zwan track after Pale Horse for some reason

[awsmsc]

Okay, I think this is the breakdown now.

Quasar . B
Panopticon . A
The Celestials . A+
Violet Rays . A+
My Love Is Winter . A-
One Diamond, One Heart . A
Pinwheels . A
Oceania . A
Pale Horse . A-
The Chimera . A+
Glissandra . A
Inkless . A
Wildflower . A

Man, I can't stop listening to this...this could become a problem.

[samuelmills]

i'll take the high road and give it a 10/10 and a A+. this shit it the best since Mellon Collie...easily (sorry Machina and Adore fans)

[oryann]

ON One listen:

Quasar: 7 (great rocker, just not as good as the other ones. Do looooove the guitar work though, and love his vocals)
Panopticon: 7.5 (great riff, great guitars, just again, not as stand-out as others)
The Celestials: 10 (holy SHIT. always thought it was pretty, but when those guitars kick in... ugh I can't even express how great this song is)
Violet Rays: 7.5 (was very pretty, but seemed to drag a bit throughout. probably will change with more listens)
MLIW: 8.5 (was 10x better than I thought it'd be... love the harmonies..)
One Diamond: 7.5 (probably will grow on me, but as of right now, doesn't do much for me. still very pretty!)
Pinwheels: 9.5 (Holy hell.. those harmonies in the second verse.. wow, just beauty in the purest form. love the way it evolves too)
Oceania: 10 (Oh my god this song is so beautiful. sounds so isolated and cold.. but the production is just phenomenal)
Pale Horse: 10.5 (I can't rate this song high enough. It is so heart-wrenching, but so god damned beautiful. Reminds me of something on Adore, and honestly it's good enough that it would've been one of my favorites on Adore.)
The Chimera: 7 (very fun song, liked it more than I thought it would, but just feels more like a filler.)
Glissandra: 8.5 (I liked this one a lot more than I thought I would as well, I love the main riff, the way it fluctuates... overall, very strong song)
Inkless: 9.5 (This song is just FUN. It's great, and that solo is so perfect. The main riff/bassline is one of my favorite things I've heard Billy do ever.)
Wildflower: 8.5 (would honestly be a 10 if it wasn't so repetitive towards the end. Gets VERY very cool. perfect end to the album)

Overall, I'm so so impressed and overjoyed. Billy really really outdid himself. The band did too, Mike's drumming was top notch, guitars were just flawless, and Nicole may just be my new favorite member of SP.. Those basslines and her backing vocals make this album soar past what it would have been without them. She is the best decision Billy made in years :rofl:/>

I will need many more listens, but holy shit.... this just makes me so happy. So many beautiful parts.... Thank you Billy and Crew :love:/>

[tbabiec]

The Chimera reminds me of frail and bedazzled, but more upbeat (in a good way)

I'm loving it so far. My faves so far:
The Chimera
Inkless
Pale Horse (sounds even better than the live version!)

MLIW might be my least favorite so far (seen the live version before, so I knew what to expect). Regardless, the studio easily bests all the songs they played live thus far.

On first listen this gets an A from me!

[Dawn2Dusk]

So far diggin Pale Horse and Pinwheels. Although I feel Pinwheels could use the live version drumming.

[apples&oranges]

After listening to the whole album, Panopticon and Pale Horse stick out the most for me. Need to listen to it through some better speakers though.

[ItsSoPringles]

Quasar F+
Panopticon A
The Celestials A+
Violet Rays A+
My Love Is Winter A-
One Diamond, One Heart A
Pinwheels A++
Oceania B
Pale Horse A
The Chimera B+
Glissandra B-
Inkless A
Wildflower B+

overall outstanding album

[inthearms]

awsmsc, on 11 June 2012 - 03:52 PM, said:

Note: I've only listened to it once thus far.

Overall . A

Not quite as good as SD/MCIS/ADORE, but close. This is probably my 6th or 7th fav album of all time, but repeat listenings are necessary.

Quasar . B
Panopticon . A
The Celestials . A+
Violet Rays . A+
My Love Is Winter . A-
One Diamond, One Heart . A
Pinwheels . A+
Oceania . A
Pale Horse . A
The Chimera . A+
Glissandra . B+
Inkless . A-
Wildflower . A-

Glissandra B+ !?!?!?! It's an A+++ for me, just amazing!

[Gr3g3]

9/10 right now. I'll re-rate after I spin the ole vinyl.

[SufferMyDesire]

Midway through listen number 6 right now...

Quasar: 8.5/10 (Loved this song live, and I love it as an opener here. Does a perfect job of harnessing a bunch of energy and propelling the album forward, just like a good opening track should do. Awesome guitar work, almost get a stoner-rock vibe from the riff. Originally thought I would score it better, but the rest of the album is so good it sorta pales in comparison.)

Panopticon: 9.5/10 (Didn't love this one live, but on the album, it absolutely destroys. Awesome chorus, good melody, nice backing vocals and the whole song just flows so seamlessly. I could actually see it working as a single)

The Celestials: 10/10 (My girlfriend's name is Celeste, so I might be a bit biased thanks to the title of this one. The acoustic part is beautiful, though, and when it starts rocking it's just perfect. I enjoy the lyrics, Corgan seemed to put a lot of heart into this song and it really is something special.)

Violet Rays: 8/10 (Doesn't quite hit hard enough for me to consider it a highlight, but it's a great song nonetheless. Love how Billy sings it, the instrumental build up at the start is great.)

My Love Is Winter: 8.5/10 (So catchy, and the solo is great. Just make it a single, Billy!)

One Diamond, One Heart 8.5/10 (Wow, I thought this would suck, based on the sample. It's actually great! Very melodic and the synth works perfectly!)

Pinwheels: 9/10 (Didn't seem that remarkable live, but it is really special on the album, it almost moves me to tears honestly. The synth in it is well composed, but maybe a little to prominent.)

Oceania: 9/10 (This is my disappointment of the album so far. It's still great, but based on what I heard live this should have been a 10/10. For the most part, it's solid, and my opinion of it will probably grow, but I HATE how it fades out at the end. This song is too proggy and good for such an ending... Gah. And also, the middle, acoustic part was much more atmospheric live... it sounds good on the album still, but Idk... I just prefer the live version I have, and wish the studio version was more like it...)

Pale Horse: 10/10 (Jesus Christ, did they get this one right. It reminds me of Disarm for some reason, but way better. This song rules and they handled it perfectly in the studio! I can just get lost in it.)

The Chimera: 9/10 (Sounds like a Siamese Dream B-side, which is awesome. Love the fuzz, but as a song it might just be a bit too happy to really capture the Siamese Dream feel.)

Glissandra: 9.5/10 (This song is cool as fuck.)

Inkless: 9/10 (Sweet riff. I think it will be a grower.)

Wildflower: 8.5/10 (Great conclusion, perhaps a bit boring at spots but I truly enjoy it nonetheless.)

Billy, Oceania seriously couldn't have made me any happpier. These songs rule, and I am going to be listening to them all for a very, very long time. Way to make an amazing and cohesive Pumpkins record. I never truly doubted you, but it was tough sometimes!! Glad SP Mk. II finally has something it can say is on par with pretty much anything from the original band. Cant wait to see all this stuff live!! Pumpkins forever.

[Whicker]

Id like to start with just general comments on the album as whole then do song by song grades and statements.

-Like people were saying this definitely sounds like a band again
-Mikes drumming is really good
-I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nicole's backup vocals, they add so much!
-The mixing on the album is great(I was worried with this one)
-The lyrics and melodies are okay, really shine on a few songs but not quite as good as MCIS, Adore and SD.
-The album is great as a whole :)/> Really happy with it!

Quasar: B+

Awesome drums, sweet guitar riffs, lyrics and kinda meh, I hate the voice reverb and the amount of reverb on the lead licks. I love the guitar riffs I just wish he would have used a different guitar tone, its kinda muddy and tough to actually pickup how awesome they are, song could have got a better rating.


Panopticon: A

love Nicole on this track, bass lines and backing vocals are awesome. Drums are pretty sweet in some parts too! Guitars are okay, nothing mindblowing.


The Celestials: A-

Nicole is great again, acoustic sounds very good, song builds up nice, lyrics are a great, love the little part at the end


Vilolet Rays: A+

Song has an 80s feel with the synths, lyrics are great and melody is amazing. Guitar tone is amazing. Amazing overall song I fuckin love it


My Love is Winter: B+

nothing really stands out other then Nicoles vocals :)/>, synth part is cool, overall good song


One Diamond, One Heart: C+

Way too pop for me


Pinwheels: C+

Intro is too long, makes me think of like a special Olympics race in a movie, have no idea why, don't ask... The part where Nicole and Mike are singing is cool,second half of the song is a lot better, the whole song should have been like that.


Oceania: A-

Great song too many cool parts too write down, cool song.


Pale Horse: B

Really cool production, little tidbits here and there that youd probably miss without headphones. I dont find the song that exciting though.


The Chimera: A-

Love the fuzz, sound very punk-pop, don't really like billy high vocal notes in the chorus. I like the bridge reminds me of old pumpkins. Overall fun song!


Glissandra: B

Sounds radically different don't even know how to explain it lol, the sliding guitar I don't even know what to say haha I don't hate the song it just so different its confusing maybe?


Inkless: A+

The song reminds me of old pumpkins, love the guitars on this, very groovy? love the drums at the end.


Wildflower: C

Dont really have much to say on this one



OVERALL GRADE: B+

Great job SP, This is miles ahead of all the shit music coming out today I hope it sells well and that SP gains new fans and some much deserved respect in today's music scene!

damn my review is kinda harsh compared to most of yours lol, I'm kinda hard on music though. Call it tough love?

[V_____]

My take
Quasar . A
Panopticon . A-
The Celestials . A
Violet Rays . A+
My Love Is Winter . B+
One Diamond, One Heart . C
Pinwheels . A+
Oceania . A+
Pale Horse . A+
The Chimera . B-
Glissandra . A
Inkless . A
Wildflower . A

To me Glissandra sounds a lot like a Machina track, to be honest.

[R_Dorothy Wayneright]

*My posts from the main Oceania thread, it took a while so I'm posting it here too.*

Quasar--Ah yes, the psychedelic, spiritual, and emotional mantra of this album. Ride the fuck on. I've always liked this song and even more when I heard it live in Oakland, CA. The lyrics are some of the most unique Billy have written in recent memory and the repetition is there for a reason: he's ready to floor whoever is listening. The guitars easily take me back to Gish, however just a touch more progressive/psychedelic rock. They sound great! The drumming is good here and serves the song well. The slight reverb on his vocals is a nice touch; giving me images of the Pumpkins flooring a cathedral. Quasar levels anyone listening live, nonetheless. 8/10

Panopticon--This is loud and pretty. When Billy sings "Don't make me suffer", it touches a nerve. The emotional content of the Pumpkins' music starts to resurface from the deepest fathoms of the ocean or something. The lyrics harken back to the flower-rock of Gish with lines like "There's a sun that shines in, there's a world that stares out at me". Billy strongly upholds the idea that great art doesn't have to come from a dark place. The vocals here are fantastic and among the best in the album. Nicole is appreciated here! Loud, pretty, uplifting flower-rock. The drumming is decent and fits the song well. I love it, very surprised by this one. 9/10

The Celestials--Everything about this song is fantastic. Those first lines by Billy gave me chills. A very pretty synthesizer compliments the acoustic guitar beautifully. I can't remember the last time an acoustic guitar sounded so inviting on a Pumpkins song. It turns into a very pretty rocker. The synthesizer stays in the backseat and creates a good balance. Nicole's bass is crisp and adds to the many textures of this song. The bridge of this song is outstanding. If Oceania has a single, it's "The Celestials". 10/10

Violet Rays--Rhythmic synthesizer in the beginning coupled with the electric guitar is definitely a work of the Pumpkins of 2012. This band will always take chances and the synthesizers are a lot more ethereal and dream-like on Oceania, creating a much more interesting landscape than the synthesizers on Teargarden without being shoved down your throat. Billy continues to sing likes he means it, especially near the end! I do like the drumming here. 8.5/10

My Love is Winter--I do like this song a lot and its very dreamy guitar sounds. Nicole's vocals and bass lines are very good. I'm a tad underwhelmed by the guitar solo at the end. It lacks the energy of the live versions, but it's still a nice solo. I don't have too much to say about this song yet. It's good, but it doesn't move me as the previous tracks. Maybe it's because I've listened to this song since quite a bit since October 2011. The added quirky synthesizers don't do much for me. I'm sure it'll grow on me. 5/10

Pinwheels--I was there for the live premiere in Oakland and the music just flowed and resonated through my body with this energy. It was my most memorable moment as a fan. The intro showcases one of the prettiest synthesizer loops I've heard. A very surprising take with this studio version: an acoustic guitar that segues into a rapture of synthesizers, strings, and guitars. This song just shot up in the sky out of nowhere. I do like the vocals and Nicole and Mike. I am appalled when people think this song is filler. I do miss the drums, though. This is turning out to be the prettiest album since Adore. I love this song. Quality songwriting by Billy, and that's the reason why it gets a 9/10 even if the studio version didn't crush me like the live arrangement.

Oceania--Like my "My Love is Winter", I've heard this song many times and I'm not sure if that's the reason why I'm slightly underwhelmed. A quality song where Nicole and Mike shine once again. I'll go out and say it: I'm very glad Billy altered the closing guitar solos at the end. It might sound off at first, but it's more Pumpkins sounding and less Explosions in the Sky. I need to give this studio version more time. I love the lone guitar solo by Billy in between. It sounds like something off Siamese Dream. 6/10

Pale Horse--My own mother died of cancer when I was eleven. And at twenty-one, this song really, really affects me more than I'd like to admit. I really don't feel like reviewing it.

The Chimera--That motherfucking Siamese Dream riff. It is amazing! It is borderline fan service (false, there is no such thing in Pumpkin land). The rest of the song is very Zwan and that's not a bad thing. Mike's half time shows that Billy isn't afraid to try something new. The vocals are good! "Because love is forever strange". This is the home stretch right here and it's a great start. Joyful and again, uplifting. 8/10

Glissandra--I get a Machina vibe and I absolutely take all of it in. I think the drumming grooves well. This song has a fantastic melody and the reason why I harken back to Machina is that those great melodies are very understated (Age of Innocence, I of the Mourning, Sacred and the Profane) and not given right away. I think Glissandra will definitely grow on fans. The shoegaze touch is very, very nice. At least, it reminds me of a shoegaze sound. I think those "La, la, la's" were gold; it is Billy Corgan's calling card that says "fuck you". 9/10

One Diamond, One Heart--Again, new territory! Very, very pretty, rhythmic synthesizers that absolutely make the verses outstanding. "I'm always on your side". I actually like the verses more than the chorus. Vocals sound like they are filled with life and emotion. "Forever in your light". This motherfucker Billy Corgan. Those electronic drums are good and take us back to the days of the drum machine. I am also happy with the length of the song as it's just right, keeps the album flowing. Another example is the shortened middle part of Quasar...it just keeps the album at a length that is just right. Pretty and different! 7/10

Inkless--Easily one of the coolest song titles in a while. Mike's drumming is excellent here and goes well with those Siamese Dream guitars. Mike's definitely grooving here. The synthesizers take the backseat once again and add to the song rather than detract. The vocals have been very good thus far, singing with emotional content and life. "The stars are out tonight". Zwan and Siamese Dream's second child after "The Chimera". Great solo by the way. 8/10

Wildflower--Just letting you know, I love "Pomp and Circumstance". Just thought I should put that out there. "Wildflower" is fucking gorgeous, I don't care about the rather dry vocals. The lyrics more than make up for it. "I'm wasted along the way to reach you". The landscape of this song is sprawling! Like I haven't even scratched the surface of Oceania. The synthesizers make for a beautiful ending. I absolutely adore this song. 10/10

Be a decent Smashing Pumpkins fan and buy this fucking album, please. Overall: 9/10

[DeepPurple]

9.5/10 Best album since Adore.

[agent_cooper]

after two listens the album is a solid 8/10 for me, 4 stars!

Quasar . 10
Panopticon . 7
The Celestials . 9.5
Violet Rays . 7.5
My Love Is Winter . 9.5
One Diamond, One Heart . 6.5
Pinwheels . 9
Oceania . 7.5
Pale Horse . 10
The Chimera . 7
Glissandra . 8.5
Inkless . 9
Wildflower . 9

[smashp1979]

I have listened twice all the way through. I can't rate it with any of the other SP albums yet, that is just crazy. I need to listen to it for at least a couple months to do that. But I do love it so far. Here are my first impressions.

Quezar- 7/10 I was thrown off a bit by how different it sounded from live to studio. Not that I don't like it, just need more listens.
Panopticon- 9
The Celestials- 9
Violet Rays- 10
My Love Is Winter- 10
Diamond- 7
Pinwheels- 10
Oceania- 9
Pale Horse- 9
The Chimera- 8
Glissandra- 8
Inkless- 9
Wildflower- 8

These are just first impressions. I love the album so far and can't wait to really get to know it.

[MrLee192]

Im finding the songs hard to remember atm. seems to all mush into one for me.

Theres no "hit" songs thats for sure, no Ava Adore, Today etc.

What do people think of the new drummer now you have an album to compare his work to jimmys?

[DeepPurple]

MrLee192, on 12 June 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

Theres no "hit" songs thats for sure, no Ava Adore, Today etc.

Considering the fact that the best Pumpkins songs aren't singles or "hits", this is one of the best things Oceania has going for it.

[agent_cooper]

MrLee192, on 12 June 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

Im finding the songs hard to remember atm. seems to all mush into one for me.

Theres no "hit" songs thats for sure, no Ava Adore, Today etc.

What do people think of the new drummer now you have an album to compare his work to jimmys?

if it were 1995, My Love Is Winter and Pale Horse would totally be hit songs.
atm, i think byrne's sounding great on record, esp in quasar he just goes nuts! no jimmy but he almost succeeds in making me forget JC, miles away from what he sounded like in the beginning during the teargarden sessions.

[MrLee192]

agent_cooper, on 12 June 2012 - 04:34 AM, said:

if it were 1995, My Love Is Winter and Pale Horse would totally be hit songs.
atm, i think byrne's sounding great on record, esp in quasar he just goes nuts!

Im finding it hard to reference elements of songs i like due to the stream being one continuous track.

There is one song, where it has multiple guitar solos, with different tones... one tone is this really cool oldschool fuzzy, possibly phased out tone... that parts pretty cool... just wish i knew what song it was from haha.

[Razorstar]

After one listen: Comfortably in the middle of the SP sound, in the same sweet spot as most of Siamese Dream, or something like Stand Inside Your Love, but without anything that could really be a single. There's not much in the way of riffs going on either. No-one is going to be converted if they weren't already a fan. It's really warm sounding though, the guitar tones are amazing, and the whole things feels SO completely 'Smashing Pumpkins' that it makes for a very comforting listen. It has the sound of a classic album without, I think, actually being one. If that makes sense.

It's better than Zeitgest, pretty and warm where that record was stark and brutish, but, analogue keys aside, doesn't really take the risks Zeitgeist did. It's a little safe. I miss Jimmy, but there's nothing wrong with the drum parts at all- Mike does a great job. Nicole Fiorentino absolutely OWNS the bass playing though. Really impressed there.

A very good, but not great SP record then. It has some beautiful moments. If Siamese Dream was 10/10, then this is probably 7. That's only one listen though- this will be with me for some time.

[agent_cooper]

MrLee192, on 12 June 2012 - 04:37 AM, said:

Im finding it hard to reference elements of songs i like due to the stream being one continuous track.

There is one song, where it has multiple guitar solos, with different tones... one tone is this really cool oldschool fuzzy, possibly phased out tone... that parts pretty cool... just wish i knew what song it was from haha.

ah lol, the stream didn't work for me so i downloaded the ripped mediafire tracks, and they are all individual with the proper title, so that's why :)/>
multiple guitar solos, not the opener Quasar...? or maybe my love is winter talking about the phased out fuzzy tone

[HereandNow]

After three listens it tops Machina and Adore for me so best album since Mellon Collie. There I said it.

[MrLee192]

agent_cooper, on 12 June 2012 - 05:03 AM, said:

ah lol, the stream didn't work for me so i downloaded the ripped mediafire tracks, and they are all individual with the proper title, so that's why :)/>
multiple guitar solos, not the opener Quasar...? or maybe my love is winter talking about the phased out fuzzy tone

No, this track came somewhere half way i think.

I really want to listen to the album off a CD now though, i feel this stream isnt doing the guitar tones justice.

[the28game]

On one listen:
"Pale Horse" is my absolute favorite. "Wildflower" being a close second. Very hard to describe my thoughts on this record. On one hand, the production value seems to have increased drastically compared to recent output, as has the attention to detail. Which is awesome. On the other hand, there was only one moment on the entire album that made my eyes bulge and my heart move, and I thought to myself "THIS is the SP we've been missing." It was on "Wildflower" at the 1:24 mark when Billy's voice showed the emotion that has been long absent (or seemingly so). There aren't really any significant hooks throughout the record that would make it appealing in a "pop" sense, and I also felt there were a few missed opportunities to really take things up a notch on a few other songs. All this being said, this is a high quality record. It was well done, and you can tell a lot of thought and attention to detail was put into it. Even if I don't care for all the stylistic choices (very Zeppelin-y-style guitars in places as opposed to historical "Billy" style) and even if I'm still not a big fan of all the synth, it is a 100% improvement over the TBK material and the way it was used there. All things considered, you can SEE what Billy was thinking with this album, and you can see that it WORKS. Great album, absolutely a step back in the right direction, and makes me more excited about the future after becoming seriously concerned with the TBK output prior to this album. I'm sure it will only grow on me further with time. I know there will be plenty who will still hate on it because it's "not what they expected" but I think it holds up well and will indeed be well received by most fans, casual and passionate alike.
Way to go, SP...Way to go.

[HereandNow]

I really am getting the same feelings as when I first heard Mellon Collie and Siamese Dream. I am getting shivers down my spine and feelings of inspiration which were the key elements which made Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie so speacial for me. I am also unable to stop listening and am completely addicted to the album. When you compare this to recent work like Zeitgeist and Teargarden it really does soar above them on every level in terms of production, song writing, instrumentation, singing, emotion etc etc. It is hard to believe that the same person who very recently wrote songs such as Widow Wake my Mind and Owata has produced something as amazing as this seemingly out of the blue. It truly is an astonishing transformation and return to form in every aspect. Dont get me wrong, I liked Zeitgeist and Teargardan but none of it made me feel anything, I just liked it like I would a fizzy drink or a walk in the park. This is something else altogether, this actually makes me feel something so that is something special.

[almightyseancore]

i don't think this album is better than machina, but it's great in it's own way.

i'm already on my second listen.

i might not be letting it sink in emotionally as much as i'd like.

my cousin was murdered last night so i've been kind of numb today.

still glad to hear this, and cant wait for my LP to get here.

[R_Dorothy Wayneright]

almightyseancore, on 12 June 2012 - 07:08 AM, said:

i don't think this album is better than machina, but it's great in it's own way.

i'm already on my second listen.

i might not be letting it sink in emotionally as much as i'd like.

my cousin was murdered last night so i've been kind of numb today.

still glad to hear this, and cant wait for my LP to get here.

That's fucking awful. My condolences to you and your family. Stay strong, man.

[ItsSoPringles]

R_Dorothy Wayneright, on 12 June 2012 - 07:57 AM, said:

That's fucking awful. My condolences to you and your family. Stay strong, man.

i agree that is terrible, my heart goes out to you, hope they get the fuck that did that.

[doomsdayclock]

I haven't posted in a long time but while I've been checking the message board from time to time, I finally feel the need to post again. This album is truly Billy getting back to form. The synths aren't overdone like on many of the tear garden songs and the guitar/melodies within these songs are phenomenal! Songs that stick out to me are violet rays (Fav), oceania, the celestials, and quasar. Truly wonderful work billy! You did way better than expected!

[WayneArnold]

After a few listens, it seems the best way to judge it so far is by using a ranking system we used on Blamo. Songs only, intangibles not coming into effect (which admittedly is very important, but until I have it in my hands, I can't fully judge those.)

5: As close to perfect as there is. These are the songs that come to mind when you think of SP's best.

4: Great. They'd make it on any album with ease.

3: Serviceable. Not offensive, no one should be wondering why it made an album.

2: Subpar. Did this song really have to be included? Surely there was something better.

1: Terrible.


"Quasar"- 1. This song stinks.
"Panopticon"- 2.
"The Celestials" - 3. This could be bumped to a 4 if it has staying power.
"Violet Rays"- 2. Just alright.
"My Love Is Winter"- 2. Weak melody, bad synths.
"One Diamond, One Heart"- 2. But this has a solid melody- could be a 3 in time.
"Pinwheels"- 3. Nice track. Love Nicole's vocals.
"Oceania"- 3. A hesitant 3 but there's enough here to grant it one. The stripped down interlude is beautiful.
"Pale Horse"- 2. Forgettable.
"The Chrimera"- 1. Like a band doing a bad Siamese Dream impression.
"Glissandra"- 2. Not much grabbing me here.
"Inkless"- 3. Might be my favorite so far.
"Wildflower"- 2. But this could be a grower.

Overall a 2.2. Not bad. For comparison, here are Billy's other albums without intangibles (overall feel, artwork, sequence) taken into effect:

Gish- 2.9
Siamese Dream- 4.1
Pisces Iscariot- 3.3
Melon Collie- 3.2
Adore- 3.5
Machina- 2.5
Machina 2- 2
Mary Star- 2.9
TheFutureEmbrace- 2.8
Zeitgeist- 1.9
Teargarden- 1.9