Smashing Pumpkins New Album ‘Oceania’ Due Spring 2012

The Smashing Pumpkins are taking a detour from their massive 44-song project 'Teargarden by Kaleidyscope' to bring you a full album called 'Oceania.' Frontman Billy Corgan says it's their best since 'Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' -- hopefully we'll be able to confirm that this Spring.

There have been a few lineup changes since the reincarnation of The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007, most notably the departure of the last remaining original member other than Corgan -- drummer Jimmy Chamberlain. He was replaced by the now 21-year old Mike Byrne, who joined Corgan and guitarist (since 2007) Jeff Shroeder. After a series of auditions in 2010, bassist Nicole Fiorentino completed the lineup that gave Corgan something he's never had with the Pumpkins -- a band he gets along with. He recently said of the Pumpkins' current incarnation:

“I think this particular lineup of the band is very good for who we need to be today — which is nimble, quick, very diverse. We play a progressive style, we’re very consistent, we get along very well, we like working together, we have common musical goals and I think we have a very bright future.”

Pretty optimistic outlook from a guy who once released a disc called 'Infinite Sadness.' That same optimism leads us to believe the the album-within-an-album 'Oceania' may be one of the best of the year. Speaking to Sterogum recently, Corgan went as far as comparing the new record to one of their most beloved previous releases:

"I mean it’s been a long time since I made a record where you play it for fifty people and fifty people say ‘this is a great record.’ I haven’t had that since Mellon Collie where fifty people go ‘OK, that’s a great record.’ That’s a long time. That’s fifteen, sixteen years between that feeling of ‘OK, now you’ve got one here.'"

If it's anywhere near the quality of their 1995 alt-rock masterpiece -- we're sold! The Smashing Pumpkins initially planned on releasing the album digitally -- and possibly for free -- by November of 2011, but Corgan axed those plans after being told repeatedly that an album as good as 'Oceania' deserved a more traditional release. After glowing reports of the new material from their recent live tour, were inclined to believe the Pumpkins may be back for good -- 'Oceania' is expected in stores this spring.

'Oceania' tracklist

01. 'Quasar/Stella Polaris and the People Mover'
02. 'Panopticon'
03. 'The Celestials'
04. 'Violet Rays'
05. 'My Love Is Winter'
06. 'One Diamond, One Heart'
07. 'Pinwheels'
08. 'Oceania'
09. 'Pale Horse'
10. 'The Chimera'
11. 'Glissandra'
12. 'Inkless'
13. 'Wildflower'

See The Smashing Pumpkins Perform Songs From 'Oceania'