Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.
| Smashing Pumpkins
Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.
Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. (stylized in all caps) is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released on November 16, 2018 through Napalm Records. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The legends of ’90s alt-rock have reunited only to bring this puzzling, indecisive husk of an album into the world.
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Rolling Stone
There’s going back to 1993, or 1979.
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SPIN
Though it would take at least one or two more songs to decisively close Shiny and Oh So Bright, the Pumpkins have landed on a surprisingly cohesive amalgamation of influences.
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NME
Rather than a '90s-rock pastiche, the reunited Pumpkins' comeback album is a showcase in artful songcraft.
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Soundblab
Corgan has been on record with his hopes that Shiny And Oh So Bright Vol 1. will hopefully lead to one final Pumpkins opus, and if this latest batch of songs is any indication, then the groundwork is clearly already being laid.
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Drowned in Sound
Shiny and Oh So Bright… sadly offers little to further their considerable legend.
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PopMatters
Thirty years on, the Smashing Pumpkins are (mostly) reunited and recording new music that displays the band's visionary spirit.
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Alternative Nation
The second coming of Billy Corgan is upon us...for real this time. Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 is a milestone for The Smashing Pumpkins, one we never thought they'd reach.
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Exclaim!
In true Pumpkins fashion, Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 defies expectations.
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The Line of Best Fit
If you weren’t expecting much from this latest attempt at keeping the band alive, you'll be impressed at how revitalised they sound.
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Consequence of Sound
Billy Corgan, James Iha, and Jimmy Chamberlin find balance together nearly 20 years later.
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Brooklyn Vegan
Would you ever actively choose to listen to this album over those, or even the Jimmy Chamberlin-less Adore? Probably not. Still, as far as ungracefully aging ’90s rockers go, there are way worse places to be than the place the Pumpkins occupy on Shiny and Oh So Bright.
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Forbes
Smashing Pumpkins' 'Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1' Is Aimless And Oh So Dull.
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Paste Magazine
At their best, Shiny matches the sheer majesty and emotional depth of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. At their worst, they sound like a third-tier Muse cover band.
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Slant Magazine
As revived as the classic Pumpkins sound is on Shiny and Oh So Bright, the album can’t quite shake the sense of superfluity.
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Music OMH
No Past. No Future. No Sun. neither offers the chance to dent Corgan’s ego or inflate it in any significant way.
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DIY Mag
Picking up where Billy left off with ‘Ogilala’.
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All Music
Corgan delivers something unexpected: music that's rich but settled, music that plays to his strengths, music where he seems happy in his own skin.
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Music Feeds
Shiny and Oh So Bright Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun can be awarded its first distinction. It defies expectation. It doesn’t even sound like the last six Smashing Pumpkins records that defied expectation.
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Chicago Sun Times
Smashing Pumpkins’ album truly is shiny and oh so bright.
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Louder Sound
A swing and a miss from former alt-rock firebrands Smashing Pumpkins.
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Metal Sucks
So, Smashing Pumpkins in 2018? Not as bad as you’d expect.
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WRBB Radio
Lackluster.
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Gigwise
Eye-rolling moments like those are, gratefully, few and easy to ignore in the midst of an otherwise strong, short and sweet Pumpkins release.
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Spill Magazine
While it is not a terrible or hardly even a bad LP, the release of Shiny remains quite a letdown. Another album that goes onto a list of things making us face grim perspectives: maybe rock is dying after all.
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Stereogum
Despite the, um, ambitious title, it’s a compact and digestible record, just eight songs in just over half an hour.
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FLOOD Magazine
But overall, there’s nary a bad vibe to found here, despite all the ragin’ and cagin’ promised by the angsty title. Corgan has delivered a reunion album that’s not exactly a triumph, but rather a pleasant experience worth returning to—and that’s a small triumph in itself, so let’s count it.
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Under the Radar Mag
All in all, it's a welcome return and one that suggests The Smashing Pumpkins' business is far from finished.
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Beat Route
Pandering to their fan base has served them well in the past and, given all the drama they’ve already experienced this year, saving the inevitable Twitter backlash for later might not be a bad thing.
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Vinyl Reviews
It contains a few forgettable moments . . . but the signs of life outweigh any dead zones.
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The Herald
Shiny and Oh So Bright is proof that old friends can produce new inspiration.
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The Soundboard Reviews
At the end of the day, it’s hard to see any of this really growing or souring to any significant degree, but this is good regardless, and for a band like the Smashing Pumpkins who’ve been utterly floundering for as long as they have, that’s something to appreciate.
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SU Independent
Here’s hoping there’s a Vol. 2 to The Smashing Pumpkins' “Shiny and Oh So Bright — Vol. 1 / LP — No Past. No Future. No Sun.”
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Music Mxdwn
For a collection of songs that weren’t all originally meant to be a collection, they fit together perfectly, creating what could easily be considered one of the best albums of the latter half of 2018.
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Smells Like Infinite Sadness
While it’s unlikely they’ll ever top their heyday heights, Corgan’s lofty ambitions may return. Let’s just hope the rebuilt partnership can adjust accordingly.
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Northern Transmissions
Even with its less distinct sounds, there’s something to the passion behind Corgan’s performance that sells it well.
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Cryptic Rock
Shiny and Oh So Bright is, sonically and stylistically considering, a long cut above [its] immediate predecessors.
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Medium
Overall, I just thought it was an alright sounding record.
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Clash Music
Not blinding, but the lights are on and someone's definitely home.
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ACRN.com
As disjointed as it is, this record is what The Smashing Pumpkins sound like as they pick up their own broken pieces.
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Ghost Cult Mag
Perhaps not as essential as their first few albums were, but also worthy successor to those classic 1990s long-players.
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Duluth News Tribune
"Shiny" is yet another Smashing Pumpkins dud.
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Dead Press
‘Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.’ shows them playing on their strengths. It may be a safe record, but it creates anticipation for what its sequel will bring.
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Louder than War
I wish the chemistry of band was more apparent in the arrangements, but Corgan’s song writing continues to be an outstanding force.
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Music and Riots
The past ends up working against them, because that magic can’t be recreated, no matter how hard they try.
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The Young Folks
Lord knows whether or not there will be a Vol. 2 or if Iha and Chamberlin will stick around for this run . . . but the Smashing Pumpkins are still around. Still out of the cage with no rage to show.
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Schmutz Berlin
Considering how terrible this could have been, it is a pretty decent album all round.
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Roppongi Rocks
The original line-up may not be intact, but The Smashing Pumpkins are back in style and are creating great new music again.
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The Daily
Listening to “Gish” again is far more preferable to checking out this perfunctory reunion album.
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Tinnitist
Billy Corgan & reunited Pumpkins are in a no-win situation with this comeback disc.
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The Student Playlist
Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 is a continuation of almost two decades worth of experimenting with new ideas from The Pumpkins. While some come across as innovative, others could do with some fine-tuning.
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Sound Vapors
Maybe it’s a fire that sometimes goes dim on top but underneath is ready to burn hotter than ever. Or maybe, strip away the poetry and you get a band that has simply written and recorded a brilliant album.
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The Fire Note
Billy Corgan reunites with James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlain, plus producer Rick Rubin, in an attempt to make up for lost ground… and it’s a nice start toward recovery.
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The Skinny
The Smashing Pumpkins' latest effort forces an emotional conflict that puts you on the fence; loving one half and despising the other.
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The BA Blueprint
The Smashing Pumpkins don’t really change their material. No surprise. They’ve stuck to their classic alternative rock genre ever since they’ve gotten together as a band.
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Paducah Sun
Smashing Pumpkins' album is shiny, oh so bright.
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No More Work Horse
Not their worst album, but not a standout in their catalogue.
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Loud and Quiet
Existential angst and energy found its way onto the album.
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Overdrive Mag
The Smashing Pumpkins have reunited after almost 20 years for an album that will bring the feels for fans and lapsed fans alike.
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Mystic Sons
A disappointing return that juts never seems to find its feet.
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Riff Magazine
Corgan and company seem determined to continue with this strategy, but some essential Pumpkin-ness seems to be missing on Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1.
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The Hilltopper
This release by the Pumpkins is the best album they have put out this decade.
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Drew's Reviews
Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. boasts strong melodies, solid guitar work and a vibe that resembles that of new band ready to break out.
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Discovered Magazine
While there’s certainly nothing surprising or boundary pushing about this record, it sits neatly amongst their back catalogue and is Pumpkins through and through, and that’s exactly what everyone wanted right now.
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The 405
The partially reformed Smashing Pumpkins should have spent more time on their “reunion” album, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1.
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The Metro
The album subtitle — LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. — suggests a zeitgeist-grabbing urgency but here the Pumpkins sound like they’re stuck in limbo with a leader still haunted by their former glory. .
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World News
Smashing Pumpkins' album is shiny, oh so bright.
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Meaww
While the critical response to the album has been mixed, longtime fans of the band will get to see a mix of the old and the new as they are re-introduced to a band that made a name for itself with its non-conformist ideas and no-bulls**t approach.
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