The Smashing Pumpkins - Rage against the Machina

I said it in the other thread but I’m going to wait until the album comes out to listen (though seeing that it’s being released in 3 11 song installments, it’s going to be extremely hard waiting for April) but I’m still excited even though people are comparing it to Cyr so far.

Reason 1 - Cyr is a great album.

Reason 2 - Pretend you’ve never heard Mellon Collie and randomly pick any two songs from it - you’re probably not going to have any sense of what the remaining 26 have in store for you. (I just used a random number generator to get Stumbleine and By Starlight, which don’t exactly prepare you for things like An Ode to No One, Tales of a Scorched Earth, etc.)

But yeah, I’m really looking forward to this. Billy seems like he’s in a really good place too. I like that he does weird things at age 55 instead of playing it safe. It’s neat.

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Have you listened to the podcasts? They go into breaking down the personas that Billy plays and some of the myths around him and the band.

And on those two songs on the podcasts they are making my excited to hear the full album, I think you’ll like it.

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The new single Beguiled, sounds almost identical to Solara, which is odd, as I think was met with a pretty negative reaction at the time.

choosing not to listen to any early song releases and gradually get really excited for this new one. I know i know i’m an idiot but what you gonna do!?

Good plan @TAFH33 - i’ll be waiting until April also. It’ll be glorious!

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Pre ordered the coloured* 4xLP set from Rough Trade because I’m a lunatic.

(This is all so poorly planned that they don’t know what colour it’s actually going to be yet :grimacing:)

I think betting @TAFH33 will like a Smashing Pumpkins record is about a safe bet as you make!

Although I have to say his/her enthusiasm for the band has made me start digging though the old stuff and anticipating the new one. I’m going to go in to the new one with an open mind.

Haven’t decided if I’m going to wait for all three, listen to each album at a time , or follow the podcast and hear a song at a time.

My usual album launch startergy is listen to a first single and then wait for the album in full , but alot more options here to complicate things here.

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3 x 11 song instalments? As in 3 reasonable length albums?

I might give this a go after all.

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tracklist for the laffs

01 Atum
02 Butterfly Suite
03 The Good in Goodbye
04 Embracer
05 With Ado I Do
06 Hooligan
07 Steps in Time
08 Where Rain Must Fall
09 Beyond the Vale
10 Hooray!
11 The Gold Mask

01 Avalanche
02 Empires
03 Neophyte
04 Moss
05 Night Waves
06 Space Age
07 Every Morning
08 To the Grays
09 Beguiled
10 The Culling
11 Springtimes

01 Sojourner
02 That Which Animates the Spirit
03 The Canary Trainer
04 Pacer
05 In Lieu of Failure
06 Cenotaph
07 Harmageddon
08 Fireflies
09 Intergalactic
10 Spellbinding
11 Of Wings

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I haven’t listened yet, I probably should but I very much need to not be using a computer or doing anything else while listening to podcasts. I’ve been semi-following the reactions to it on Netphoria though and am thoroughly enjoying the hatred it’s provoking.

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I’m more a fan who likes all their stuff but I don’t know it really in depth so take this as a cursory observation but the second song reminds me a bit of stuff off Machina or maybe Adore.

This was supposed to be to @TAFH33

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That’s extremely encouraging, I really think this is going to be great.

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Preemptively stressed about whether it’s going to be a contender for 2022 AOTY, 2023 AOTY, or both.

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I wouldnt worry too much about that…

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Pre orders are up btw. Amazon seems the cheapest, picked up the 3 CD version for £15.

From Rough Trade this morning:

Hi there. Unfortunately, due to the title being withdrawn by the label prior to release, we’re unable to fulfil the pre-order you have placed. I can confirm that no payment has been taken for this and thank you in advance for your understanding.

“Withdrawn so we can charge you at least £90 when we put it up for sale again”

It’s so hard not watching the Late Night performance, even Netphoria is saying it sounds great.

New podcast/song. Probably best one off the new album yet…still not thrilled with the sound of it (pretty lifeless in terms of the propulsion despite being a rocker) but at least plays lip service to them at their more exciting. Lyrics still imperceptible though, I really wish they were a bit more direct.

I dig it. Chorus is a bit duff but the verse and solo and drumming do enough to make up for it. Think the album is shaping up to be nice and diverse. Also enjoyed the podcast this week, good to hear Jimmy’s chat and I must admit I love having Billy slowly reveal the bananas concept.

This time he was on about ancient aliens, thinks biblical angels were aliens and this song is from the point of view of a greek chorus of them singing to him (well a character called Shiny who’s obviously him) and telling him he’s special as he blasts off to commit suicide in the moon or something like that.

Song is 23 mins in if anyone’s interested

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New tune actually quite nice. Sounds like a major key version of something you might find on Adore. Lyrics still a bit of a salad, but this is melodically better than almost everything I have heard them do post reform. Turn the podcast off immediately after the song, Yungblud is the guest.