Oceania (album)

Oceania
Studio album by The Smashing Pumpkins
Recorded	2011
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	60:09
Label	Martha's Music
Producer	Billy Corgan
The Smashing Pumpkins chronology
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope (2009 onward) Oceania (2012)

Oceania is the ninth album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The album was tentatively scheduled to be released on September 1, 2011,^[1] but the release date has since been pushed to early 2012.^[2] Oceania is a part of the band's ongoing 44-song concept album Teargarden by Kaleidyscope.

Background and recording

On April 26, 2011, in a video on the band's Facebook fanpage, the frontman Billy Corgan announced plans to release Oceania as "an album within an album,"^[3] relating to Teargarden by Kaleidyscope which involved releasing songs one by one, for free on the internet from the late 2009, and then releasing them in EPs – after claiming that albums are a dead medium. While Oceania may appear to go against that, Corgan explains:

“

I still stand by my view that I don't think albums are particularly relevant at this time. That may change. But as far as making music…from a writing point of view, it's really going to focus me to put a group of songs together that are supposed to go together.[4]

”

Corgan later admitted that they switched back to the album format because he "...reached a point where I saw that the one-song-at-a-time idea had maxed itself out...I just saw we weren't getting the penetration in to everybody that I would have hoped."^[5]

The band finished mixing the album on September 18, 2011.^[6]

Bassist Nicole Fiorentino had this to say about her role in recording Oceania:

“

I think because we are all working together on this record it is naturally going to have a different vibe than any of the other records on which Billy played most of the instruments himself. I think we delved into new territory for sure, but what I love about this record is that it has that familiar old-school Pumpkins feel to it, with a modern twist. The cool thing is he was able to capture the energy of the old material without ripping it off. Billy's definitely found his way back to whatever he was tapping into when writing Gish and [Siamese Dream].[7]

”

Guitarist Jeff Schroeder also hinted that the album may be less heavy than past albums, stating "In this day and age, with what’s going on politically and socially, it just feels right to play something that’s a little more spacey and dreamy. We want music to move people on an emotional level."^[8]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Billy Corgan^{[citation needed]}. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Quasar/Stella Polaris and the People Mover"
2.	"Panopticon"
3.	"The Celestials"
4.	"Violet Rays"
5.	"My Love Is Winter"
6.	"One Diamond, One Heart"
7.	"Pinwheels"
8.	"Oceania"
9.	"Pale Horse"
10.	"The Chimera"
11.	"Glissandra"
12.	"Inkless"
13.	"Wildflower"

^[9]

Personnel

• Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, keyboards,^{[citation needed]} percussion^{[citation needed]}
• Jeff Schroeder – guitar
• Nicole Fiorentino – bass guitar, backing vocals^{[citation needed]}
• Mike Byrne – drums, backing vocals^{[citation needed]}
• Bob Ludwig – mastering^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Kot, Greg (April 26, 2011). "Smashing Pumpkins announce new album, extensive reissues". Chicago Tribune. http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2011/04/smashing-pumpkins-announce-new-album-extensive-reissues.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
2. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/Billy/status/114752090651369472
3. ^ Perpetua, Matthew. "Smashing Pumpkins Announce Reissues, New Album". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/smashing-pumpkins-announce-reissues-new-album-20110426. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
4. ^ Bosso, Joe. "Interview: Billy Corgan talks Smashing Pumpkins reissues, new studio album". musicradar.com. http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/interview-billy-corgan-talks-smashing-pumpkins-reissues-new-studio-album-433362/3. Retrieved April 26, 2011. 
5. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/news/smashing-pumpkins-large-scale-release-ideas-1005370782.story
6. ^ "Blog Archive » Smashing Pumpkins Finish New Album Oceania, Album May Be Online In November". GrungeReport.net. 2011-09-18. http://grungereport.net/?p=7422. Retrieved 2011-09-23. 
7. ^ October 1, 2011 (1999-02-22). "Bass Musician Magazine Featuring Smashing Pumpkins Bass Player Nicole Fiorentino – October 2011 Issue | Bass Musician Magazine [the face of bass]". Bassmusicianmagazine.com. http://bassmusicianmagazine.com/2011/10/bass-musician-magazine-featuring-smashing-pumpkins-bass-player-nicole-fiorentino-%E2%80%93-october-2011-issue/. Retrieved 2011-10-04. 
8. ^ http://iamkoream.com/november-issue-smashing-pumpkins-guitarist-jeff-schroeder-rocks-the-books/
9. ^ Goodman, William (September 23, 2011). "Billy Corgan Details 'Unique' New Pumpkins LP". Spin. http://www.spin.com/articles/billy-corgan-details-unique-new-pumpkins-lp. Retrieved September 23, 2011.