Smashing Pumpkins Take Fans and Newbies Alike On a Sonic Voyage

Get ready for a prime '90s flashback. The Smashing Pumpkins have a new CD, "Oceania" You will likely be emotionally drained, not so much from the torment springing from Billy Corgan's lips but from the multi-tiered songs the entire foursome bands together to unveil. For instance, "Quasar" is the perfect showcase for Mike Byrne. He rips into his drums with such violence you'd think they tried to make off with his woman. Nice chunk of premium Pumpkins rock. For more of a magnum opus attitude "Oceania", the title track, walks through many mesmerizing mood doors from gun it rock to deliberate saga stuffed into the closing credits of major motion picture. All the while Corgan's guitar briskly shuffles up and down like some whiz kid trying to play teacher's pet by demonstrating how oh so smart he is. Somehow Billy's made time to fashion himself as the dashing hero that damsels should feel free to hold onto for dear life. That's the carnival ride "One Diamond One Heart" presents. More often than not Billy's tied to broad in scope artsy vision. It's still apparent here but with a nice dollop of restraint for the benefit of neophytes who don't want to be smacked upside the head with elitist artwork. Much of the time the provocatively complex song arrangements are motivation enough to encourage repeated listenings. I found some unique chord embellishment, flourish or chord blend in practically every track. It may be 2012 but The Smashing Pumpkins have once again found a way to make it justifiable to hop in the time machine, destination 1990s.