The Smashing Pumpkins - Atum: A Rock Opera In Three Acts - New Album Review & Unboxing

[@TEKKENMANJI]

Thank you for not being a stuck up pretentious SP fan who hates on their new music and only talks about the past. There’s a lot of beauty in the new music, but people don’t like it when bands change their sound; this is perhaps the Pumpkins greatest attribute. It’s important to acknowledge the band as creative and productive as ever despite them being around for 30 + years.

[@willalexander5174]

Here here! You took the words out of my mouth. 🖖

[@CSACK99]

You Nailed it! It’s a masterpiece of an album! Billy did an amazing job!

[@shannonbayley3684]

@@JoshuaPlaysMusic Respect for being honest you stuck up and pretentious prick! 😅

[@threeofeight197]

@@JoshuaPlaysMusicI just don’t like the new sounds they have in music today. It’s too clean. I think I’m just stuck in the past. I like some grunge on my sounds, I can’t help it. Even w Adore there are clean techno beats but also there’s some… intensity and depth that is lacking imo in new music.

[@lonewolf1843]

I love the whole album and I have listened to it in it's entirety quite a bit. With that said, I had to try compiling a redux version of it, and here is what I came up with... 1. ATUM 2. The Good In Goodbye 3. Steps In Time 4. Beyond The Vale 5. Empires 6. Space Age 7. Beguiled 8. That Which Animates The Spirit 9. In Lieu Of Failure 10. Harmageddeon 11. Spellbinding 12. Springtimes A smooth 45 min. run time. Enjoy!

[@Jolopizza]

Cool

[@Jolopizza]

maybe il make one like this but a little bit longer

[@shannonbayley3684]

Awesome review dude! Agree completely with your breakdown. Recently picked up the full physical album and have been listening to it in my car. It's great! Probably their best since Oceania, which I really liked.

[@bottleimpbooks]

Glad this video popped up on my YT. I love the album. I've read a bunch of negative reviews and felt like the reviewers much have been listening to a different album.

[@SONIC-BOOM-TV]

Thirty-Three was a song on Melancholy and the Infinite Saddness so they were probably using that to connect with the 33 song track listing.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Perhaps. I had the same thought. Even if it wasn’t intentional it’s a good connection.

[@henrythegreatamerican8136]

Songs I enjoyed appearing in the order they appeared on the album: 1. ATUM 2. Hooligan 3. Steps in time 4. Beyond the vale 5. Avalanche: (skip the intro and start the song around 1:25) 6. Empires 7. Neophyte: (sounds like a Weeknd song if you are into that) 8. Moss: (Led Zep Immigrant ripoff, but it's still solid) 9. The Culling: (skip the intro ruined by Billy's singing and start at 1:30). 10. Intergalactic: (It's honestly a good song if you skip the intro and start at 3:12) 11. Spellbinding

[@the.ethers.tragic]

Just like Cyr, Atum came as a surprise, and I listened several times to understand it. Now I can not spend a single day without listening to a track from it. My faves are not mentioned here. Glad you mentioned "To The Grays" This is the best track out of Atum.

[@numapompilius4550]

So far I totally agree! “To the Grays” is fantastic!!

[@motleyfan7558]

Excellent review. Thanks Brendon

[@breaknrun76]

I don’t think the Pumpkins have changed as much as people like to imply. Going as far back as Mellon Collie their albums always showcased a variety of different types of songs. Heavy rockers, breezy pop numbers, ballads……the first time you listened to a SP record you never knew what might come next. I believe that is the same thing they still do to this day.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Agreed. People that complain they don’t sound like they used to never really listened or understand what the band was all about.

[@the.ethers.tragic]

@@BrendonSnyder Man, you've earned a subscriber for that! Well said!

[@SaulmanPhishbass]

but you gotta admit that Gish Siamese Dream Pisces Iscariot Mellon Collie is an era in of itself... ADORE being the midpoint and everything that comes after ADORE will never sound like those first 4 albums ever again. That's what people mean. We all understand that he always liked to toy will different kinds of melodies and that they always evolved as a band.... all this is true EXCEPT FOR THOSE 4 ALBUMS! so there is that!

[@threeofeight197]

@@SaulmanPhishbass. It’s not the principle of different types of songs, it’s the sound scape. It went from dark twitchy grungy gritty creaking sounds (with some light breezy sounds mixed in) to a sterile, pure, auto tuned soundscape. It takes some of the humanity from it. IMHO. Because that’s what Jimmy and Billy are so good at. The pulsing humanity in music. Take that away and it’s not bad, but it’s not to the same level.

[@SaulmanPhishbass]

lol there's a lot of humanity in Zeitgeist, Oceania, and ATUM but I understand a lot of people can't accept these albums after SP delivering us Siamese/Mellon. Thank God SP didn't take the Foo Fighters/Pearl Jam route of delivering the same album every 4 years. Want to talk about losing humanity? Imagine SP releasing a Siamese Dream rehash in 2023 beurk@@threeofeight197

[@amateurmusicresearch1972]

Cool review, the booklet, I think, also includes the very imaginative story behind the Atum concept, kind of like a sci fi short story. Of the 33 tracks, I found about 14 to be above average, including 3 or 4 highlights like Spellbinding, To the grays, BEguiled, and also the instrumental opener Atum has a pink floyd feel to it.

[@Mattmt56]

Yes I hear Floyd in that track.

[@CSACK99]

Great review! Bravo! You get it! These other guys don’t get it! This is a masterpiece of an album and I am so damn impressed by Billy Corgan again! Great work!

[@RetroMusicTube]

@Brendon, your channel is my new favorite musical news source. Thanks for sharing ur knowledge and passion

[@tapanim6576]

Good review. I haven't bought the album yet but I'm tending to buy it one day.

[@MalcolmDoyle-e6x]

Nice review. I am really enjoying the album.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Cool! I’m glad! So many older fans don’t want to give this new album a try but I agree it’s really good.

[@paulbirmingham1339]

Love your channel Brendon. I've been a huge SP fan since 93, but the last few albums have made me sad. Getting away from their raw power and sound. They were always imperfectly perfect, or perfectly imperfect. But now, all snyth-sounding and snapped to a grid for output. They've lost their way and I sincerely hope they can get back. I am on the fence about buying this album since listening to it a few times on KZbin.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Never trust a KZbin or streaming listen. Personally I feel it needs to be from the physical product. It creates a whole different experience. I always connect stronger to an album once I get my physical copy.

[@thechronicnoizeco.6675]

“Sad” is exactly how i felt when I listened to Act 3. I had to turn it off. I just don’t get it. On the last 2 albums i was really confused by the lack of Jimmy sounding like he use to. Yeah, i get it…drum machine. I thought the point of re-uniting the old band was to get back to the sound of the Smashing Pumpkins. I miss the days of singles that stood out.

[@gelguitarist]

I loved the Pumpkins in the 90’s and spent hundreds of hours listening to Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie. What it comes down to for me is I can’t get into the synth sounds, which is probably why I’ve sat the last few albums out. Despite that though, I still think Billy is a phenomenal songwriter and musician.

[@Grigsy]

Adore had plenty of synths.

[@Remedy462]

He is a true artist, and like a true artist, he doesn't second guess following his visions, even if they are delusions. I admire his work ethic and his dedication to his art, but this was a complete bore.

[@nickvanr.8584]

I love this album 10+

[@BrendonSnyder]

It’s so good. I don’t know why it didn’t get more attention. Also I don’t think Billy promoted it enough. He should have done more to get the music out to fans. Also I think the CDs should have been broken down into individual albums for easier consumption.

[@SaintMartins]

I saw the Pumpkins in January 1997 in Vancouver, literally the final show of the Melon Collie tour. That's how long they toured behind that album since it's release in 1995. After the show Billy Corgan flew straight to New York city to play that David Bowie's 50th birthday tribute concert at MSG.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Often times when bands have albums that big they would tour 2 years behind them squeezing everything out of them. Metallica did the same for The Black Album.

[@davel.9467]

Thanks for that. I got a CD but haven’t spun it yet. I was curious what I might be in for since a co-worker said it was a so-so album that toyed around with luke warm psychedelia.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I hope you enjoy it more than your co-worker. I found it far more interesting.

[@NatGaming5449]

Finally a review that makes sense, ATUM is incredible 👏

[@shein360]

Musically I think the album is good. Yeah it’s 80s but it’s put together pretty well still. But I just can’t get over Billy’s voice. I think if he was edited like how he sounded before oceana I would like it alot more

[@MetricMod]

I have been a fan since the very beginning. This is a new album. It is new work from a man that is no longer miserable and discontent with his life. He is happy. We can start with that. Of course the music will be different, but make no mistake, this album is an amazing piece of work. Stellar. Billy has always been a huge synth pop fan. People holding on to the past are missing out on some of his best work right now. The lyrics and the songs are genius. Some just can’t let go of the past. 🤷🏽‍♂️😊

[@BrendonSnyder]

That’s a great way to look at it! 👍

[@bradleywilson3549]

siamese dream is one of my favorite records of all time but i was never able to get into their newer stuff...ill have to give this one listen

[@Remedy462]

Cyr is better than this, but still bloated. I would recommend Monuments To An Elegy and Oceania.

[@threeofeight197]

I hate how clean and sanitized modern music sounds. I wish SP of all ppl could break away from the new style. What I loved about them back in the day was how it felt so throbbing and sped up showed down not perfectly but in a human way. Idk if that makes sense. This album is good for todays music but. I guess I’m old now and just liked my generations music better. Lol.

[@adamsalem7050]

I will check it out. Didn't know they had a new album out. Last I bought was Shine on which was 35 minutes long.

[@BrendonSnyder]

They released an album in between called Cyr in 2020, see link for album review if you’re interested kzbin.info/www/bejne/a52ze6qqgrV9p6c

[@martineldritch]

I'm not musically oversaturated or sophisticated enough to dislike this album; a great journey it is.. dig the story layers beneath behind before and beyond it .

[@andresav1073]

I love ATUM … My top 10: @Andre-Zero: 10 Sojourner 09 Moss 08 Springtimes 07 Harmageddon 06 Cenotaph 05 Space age 04 Intergalatic 03 Empires 02 The Good in goodbye 01 The Culling

[@thenewholistic]

Respectable list!

[@Mineav]

Beguiled, Beyond the Vale and Butterfly Suite are the best Smashing Pumpkins songs in like 20 years. Pretty solid effort.

[@SanJuanCreole]

Great review 🎉

[@BrendonSnyder]

Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@tjflash60]

Thanks for the review.

[@BrendonSnyder]

You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@tjflash60]

@@BrendonSnyder from TSP and Zwan I have appreciated WPC’s music. I was hesitant about Atum after Cyr with the drums but it seems more of the sound that I enjoyed is back.

[@albumswithandy3561]

I just downloaded my copy. Can't wait to listen at one time.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Enjoy! 👍

[@topographic1973ify]

My niece ran into Billy Corgan in a shopping mall in Billings, MT, once. He just happened to be there on his way through. She was able to get her picture

[@Justin-rv7oy]

He released it in three parts in order to boost the stream numbers, that's the real answer. Common tactic these days.

[@CodyChromeBand]

33 songs long. Not that simple

[@BrendonSnyder]

I’m sure both answers are right.

[@breaknrun76]

I wish he would have released it on vinyl in 3 parts so I could buy it that way……wasn’t willing to fork over $80 so I went with the cd for this one

[@jakehixon4073]

It’s an excellent record. The issue is that Billy set the bar to high with Siamese dream and Mellon collie so people can’t help comparing it to that unique golden era. 80% of casual fans won’t be happy unless he replicates that quality / brilliance which would be virtually impossible. He probably could do it but at 56 he most likely doesn’t have the energy or the will, it was hard work making the two best albums of the nineties!

[@corylynn8390]

I enjoyed the record. dudes what? 56 years old? When i hear their albums over the years i think its nice hearing change. I can look back someday and hear all types of styles of music. Though, i will add what would make this a way better experience is having billys vocals lowered in the mix..hes just stuck on this high vocal mixing since zeitgeist. Im a vinyl collector and im thinking of grabbing the CD over this due to the price. Vinyl has gotten so out of hand with pricing.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Vinyl is outrageous. And there is no need for it to be priced as high as it is. The record companies are going to price themselves out of the market and kill it.

[@xpowerchord12088]

It has cool moments and great musicianship like all the recent stuff but doesn't bring me that suspended reality and escapism of listening to a great album. Big fan of original run SP and have seen them in more recent years, but I can't imagine a millionaire who has been a millionaire for this long bringing something truly mind blowing and innovative for someone who connected to the soul of the original albums.

[@facelessandnameless]

Love the album! Their best since Oceania.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Oceania is such a good album

[@TwistyMcNuts]

@@BrendonSnyder Totally agree! Oceania has many parts throughout it that give me goosey bumps (Panopticon, Violet Rays, Oceania). The more you listen, the better it gets... Pretty much the best way to describe The Smashing Pumpkins.

[@jimmycampbell78]

I struggle with Smashing Pumpkins because of Billy Corgan’s voice. I like a handful of songs though, I’m not entirely antagonistic toward the band. I respect what he does and he himself has great taste in music. He’s a big fan of metal, believe it or not.

[@BrendonSnyder]

Yeah you either love his voice or hate it. He’s kind of like Bob Dylan in that way. 😂

[@facelessandnameless]

Listen to Siamese Dream. That album has his best vocals in my opinion.

[@jimmycampbell78]

@@facelessandnameless I know it, I heard it when it first came out. Long ago I actually borrowed Siamese Dream on CD from a library, when you could do such things. But the album I like best from them is actually their first one, 'Gish'.

[@markrodeo420]

It’s not the acoustic quality of the drums that makes Chamberlain a great drummer, it’s his flowing patterns and dynamics that people are missing. Saying his drum sound is back is an insult to everything he’s done with the band for 30 years. I’m not even saying it’s bad, but it’s crazy to say this sounds like anything he has ever done.

[@VanlifeNoonan77]

I have played Adore like 100 times and it’s my number one pumpkins album .

[@breaknrun76]

It’s my favorite as well

[@antoniopereiraneves2009]

Also, first. Have a nice week, Brendon!

[@BrendonSnyder]

Thank you, you too!

[@jared7964]

I understand SP's releases over the last decade becoming a love/hate reaction. Billy will forever write good songs and has knack for great melodies. The production direction these latest releases is not a tea everyone can sip from. I personally like these songs as synth-driven and production heavy, but yet I still can focus on some of the bitter notes and not enjoy them as much. By bitter notes I think of over-production and some inevitable cheese from so much non-acoustic sounds. Billy by now certainly has depth as an electronic recording artist, to the deprement of having one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. Although there is a lot of great drumming on ATUM when you look for it. I really did enjoy CYR and it has made me rediscover their work of the last decade, in a better light. ATUM is even better then CYR imo. But at this point I am hoping they start in a fresh direction with a little less pro-tools and electronics. I think they have gone as deep into electronics as a "band" could ever go. Given the history of SP, maybe the next release will hold another pleasant surprise...

[@stephensullivan1879]

Cyr was pretty good and I watch the cartoon with my daughters all the time great creativity and I love how the band is taking risk

[@BrendonSnyder]

Cool that you can enjoy it with your daughters.

[@Jellybeantiger]

These type of albums grow legs in the length of time.

[@matsetizar65]

Didn’t grab me at first but if you like it guess I’ll give it another go.

[@BrendonSnyder]

When I heard the singles they didn’t initially do anything for me. When I first popped on the album, I wasn’t into it but with each track it grew on me. By second listen I was digging it. It may just be that you’ve got to be in the right mood for it.

[@antoniopereiraneves2009]

"Atum" is the Portuguese word for tuna fish. Just putting that out there.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I doubt Billy even knew that but interesting observation nonetheless.

[@Mattmt56]

Actually, no song lyrics that I found...it's only the back story.

[@pauloeduardooliveira9871]

❤

[@BrendonSnyder]

👍

[@j.j.guerrieri8121]

I tried listening to it, got to CD 2 and I shut it off. The guitar work is good but the songs sound like something they’d play in Disney on Ice.

[@jockmctodger]

I cant handle his "singing" on one song, let alone a triple album😂 Great review though

[@BrendonSnyder]

His vocals aren’t for everyone. He’s like Bob Dylan in that way.

[@jimmycampbell78]

Yes, I enjoy some of their songs though despite finding his voice challenging. I do have to be in the right mood to listen to them and at the wrong time his voice really grates on me and is very irritating. I do enjoy listening to them at other times. Gish is my favourite album of theirs.

[@necropink9200]

I don't mind his vocals but I know what you mean. I hear the same thing said about Dave Mustaine and Megadeth.

[@Mrf.7213]

It sucks 😂. I’m sticking with pre Machina stuff

[@richardhenle2650]

Pumpkins are one of those bands I just can’t get into, similar to the White Stripes not sure I just can’t get into them

[@breaknrun76]

I like Jack Whites solo records more than the White Stripes records

[@photobooksandrecords]

Ive ordered the CD to support the band as I know the vinyl won't be played a lot on my turntable. Billy's voice is pretty bad these days.

[@BrendonSnyder]

I’m not sure what you think that, his voice sounds as good as even IMO.

[@oscarvestee]

I only liked 4 songs out of this Atum trilogy.

[@PSPREVIEWER100]

Production is absolutely atrocious on this and most songs are mid at best. Only the third act is listenable.

[@myXperiment]

Agree

[@BrendonSnyder]

Don’t know what would make you say production is bad, since you don’t back it up with anything. But I don’t hear it. I think the album’s production is just fine.

[@PSPREVIEWER100]

@@BrendonSnyder They had production issues since Zeitgeist. Their albums just don't sound right and the general consensus amongst the fans is that Billy is to blame. Main issue with Atum is that it sounds waaay too polished and artificial. It's got no soul, like most hits nowadays.

[@BrendonSnyder]

No I think that’s just you and a minority of fans. You’re the first person I’ve heard complain about the production of this or any Smashing Pumpkins albums. Not liking the music doesn’t make it bad production.

[@rodtaylor5476]

@@BrendonSnyder The production is terrible. Billy's vocals are so high in the mix and has been like this since Shiny. Nothing sounds balanced, the synths sound cheap. Go and listen to Mellon Collie then listen to ATUM. The difference is night and day. Just my opinion, of course.

[@alt94rock44]

Best thing about this album is the artwork, unfortunately.

[@BrendonSnyder]

That’s too bad to hear. I didn’t feel the art was all that. So you must really not like it.

[@alt94rock44]

@@BrendonSnyder I really like 4-5 of the songs, but out of 33 that’s not really good. Still have high hopes for the next record they are currently making. Will never give up as a SP fan!

[@rubif5797]

I am happy people like the album. I don't enjoy it very much. To compare this album with melon collie, ATUM looses in every metric exept amount of songs. Sogwriting, sonically, authenticenty. Not even close in my opinion. The impact melon collie had on music. Name one song on ATUM that comes close to tonight tonight,zero, bullet with butterfly wings,1979, we only come out at night or to forgive.

[@rodtaylor5476]

I just can't get into it. The synth stuff doesn't work for me at all. I really don't like this direction the band has gone into at all.

[@_permanence]

Why does every review require a history lesson. We all know who SP are

[@BrendonSnyder]

You might know and that’s great. But I don’t film these only for the diehard fans. I film them for everyone including the new kid who is just discovering the band. So…no, not everyone knows their history.

[@Remedy462]

I admire Billy following his visions like a true artist, but I was utterly bored and tired by the terrible production on this, even if he was going for an old progressive rock sound, it was still terribly executed. I hope anyone that likes this trilogy doesn't feel bad for not agreeing with me, as long as you get something out of music you like, who cares about the criticism. Regardless, Billy needs to lessen the synths. Good review Brendon, btw!