Try (try, try) to keep your cool: Billy Corgan is teasing a new Smashing Pumpkins album. During a recent interview, he revealed that the recently reunited band is planning to release a double (!) album later this year, and it’s allegedly more of a “risk” than their previous record, 2018’s Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1.
A few days ago, Corgan sat down with Tennessean to talk about his new Americana solo album, Cotillions, and the other projects he’s juggling at Nashville recording studio Music Row, like some hobby-turned-work business for the National Wrestling Alliance. Eventually, the topic turned to Smashing Pumpkins and he got deep talking about what’s next from the Chicago band.
Corgan — who very much prefers going by his full name, William Patrick Corgan — said Smashing Pumpkins recorded 21 new songs in Nashville for a “pretty different” double album. He went on to call it “the first real album” since the band’s reunion because they “hunkered down and made a classic ‘Let’s throw it all at the wall and see what happens’ type of Pumpkins record.”
“This is the first album since the album that came out in 2000, Machina, where me, James and Jimmy worked on something for a very long time. It’s got a greater conceptual base, and it’s probably a wider swath of music,” he continued. “The last one was kind of like, “Let’s just jump in, record some stuff real fast, and let it be what it is… so I’m excited about this, because we’re kind of back in the lane of taking a risk, and trying to bring something new to the table, as opposed to just aping what we’re known for. ”
If this new album is like Corgan’s describing it, then fans who love Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness are in for a treat. Until then, revisit our ranking of every Smashing Pumpkins album from worst to best.
This also might explain why there’s a few random tour dates scheduled on Smashing Pumpkins’ docket, including a live headlining performance at Shaky Knees. Grab tickets to all of their upcoming concerts here.