Teargarden by Kaleidyscope
Encyclopedia
Teargarden by Kaleidyscope is the eighth album by American alternative rock
band The Smashing Pumpkins
. A series of 44 individual songs, it is being released one track at a time through free MP3 downloads over the course of several years. As of May 2011, ten songs have been made available for free download and two physical, limited-edition EP
s, each containing four of the songs, have been released.
Announced by the band's frontman Billy Corgan
on September 16, 2009, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope is a concept album
inspired by the Tarot
, and in Corgan's words, "a new kind of album [...] you can hear as it's being made." It is currently being released over the Internet
, from the band's official website for free, one song at a time. Each time a set of four tracks is made available for download, it is later made available for purchase as an EP box set. Once each of the planned eleven four-song sets have been released, the entire album will reportedly be released as a box set with entirely new packaging and exclusive content.
in 2007. Although Zeitgeist went gold
, which Billy Corgan considered an achievement given the state of the music industry, Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin
decided in 2008 that they would not make another traditional studio album, citing changing listener habits.
In March 2009, Chamberlin left the band. Corgan held tryouts to find a replacement, eventually deciding on 19-year-old Mike Byrne
. In April, Corgan laid out his vision for the new album:
Corgan spent much of summer 2009 in ex-Catherine
member and "Superchrist
" producer Kerry Brown
's home studio, where Zeitgeist was recorded, recording demos for about fifty songs. In July, Corgan formed the band Spirits in the Sky
to play a tribute concert to the late Sky Saxon
of The Seeds
. He then toured with the band, comprising Brown, Electric Prunes bassist Mark Tulin
, Strawberry Alarm Clock
keyboardist Mark Weitz
, frequent Corgan collaborator Linda Strawberry
, flautist
Kevin Dippold, "Superchrist" violinist Ysanne Spevack
, new Pumpkins drummer Mike Byrne, and Jane's Addiction
guitarist Dave Navarro
, playing covers and some of the new Pumpkins songs at several clubs in California.
- the Child, the Fool
, the Skeptic, and the Mystic. Corgan has explained his interpretation of this view: "There's childlike innocence when you just don't really know anything in the world and it all seems sort of big and magical...the teen, aware but not really liking what's going on...the third person that's cynical, where you get kind of bitter because you feel so small and there's all these things that are sort of happening and there's not much you can do about it...the fourth stage out of that would be finding a sort of spiritual place within yourself where you can live in reality, you can see it for what it is, but maybe you can find a deeper source of inspiration and peace." In other words, the album finds Corgan "looking past, present and future all at the same time and trying to have that perspective".
Corgan says he considers the sound a return to the Pumpkins' "psychedelic
roots", and describes it as "atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty". His stated goal for the entire album is to create "a whole new exciting Smashing Pumpkins sound that is compatible with the old sound but is wholly different". Corgan feels an "affinity" between the new material and the first few Smashing Pumpkins albums, not because of a conscious effort, but because he is again enjoying that style. He is envisioning an "acoustic" period and an "experimental" period later in the album's creation. He acknowledged a Donovan
influence on the sitar
-tinged "A Stitch in Time".
tape and Pro Tools
in Corgan's home studio in Chicago, with production duties handled primarily by Corgan with Kerry Brown
and Bjorn Thorsrud
, both veterans of earlier Pumpkins recordings.
Co-producer Kerry Brown explained the mindset going into the recording:
On the first two EPs, Billy Corgan handled the bulk of the guitar and keyboards, with Mike Byrne on drums and Mark Tulin handling much of the bass playing. Kerry Brown played congas on "Astral Planes", and Ysanne Spevack
, Linda Strawberry
, and Lisa Harriton
have all mentioned contributing. In these sessions, Corgan consciously focused on finding the rhythmic "groove" in the music, as opposed to focusing more heavily on elaborate production or songwriting.
Starting with the third EP, the entire current lineup of the band is featured, including Jeff Schroeder
on guitar and Nicole Fiorentino
on bass. Recording for the third EP commenced in October 2010 and is ongoing.
when it comes to how art is made and delivered to those who might want to hear it."
All of the songs are planned to be released for free as 192-kbps
, DRM
-free MP3
files, available from direct links on the band's website. Meanwhile, the songs will be released as eleven four-song limited edition CD EP box sets.
The first physical EP, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor, consisting of a wooden box with the 4-song CD, a 7" vinyl record with one additional song, and a hand-carved stone obelisk
, was released May 25 by Rocket Science Music. The second, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare, was released on November 23, 2010 in the form of a cardboard box with the 4-song CD in a letterpressed sleeve and a 12" vinyl picture disc
with all four EP tracks and a b-side.
Finally, the complete forty-four song album will be released as a complete box set, accompanied by an art film and a making-of documentary entitled The Making of Teargarden. Corgan says he is also considering a single-CD compilation of the best of the forty-four tracks.
On April 26, 2011, Corgan announced a change in the release method. Still under the Teargarden by Kaleidyscope name, the band now plans on releasing a full-length album titled Oceania
in "late 2011." A physical release will be made available in early 2012. The new album was described by Billy Corgan as "an album within an album." Corgan says that Volume 3 of the EP releases will be put on hold until after the release of Oceania.
Corgan stated that he "reached a point where [he] saw that the one-song-at-a-time idea had maxed itself out", and that they "weren't getting the penetration in to everybody" leading the Smashing Pumpkins to "go back to making an album."
in 2010, the band performed live at Amoeba Records, offered free blacklight posters to those who pre-order
ed the first EP from their local record stores, and released two limited edition 7" singles containing the album's first four songs. "Widow Wake My Mind" was promoted as a radio single, with Corgan appearing on WKQX in Chicago and several major-market stations adding it to rotation. On April 20, 2010, the band performed the song live with an Up with People
choir on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
.
While "Widow Wake My Mind" failed to chart, the follow-up single, "Freak
" was released on July 20, 2010, and reached #27 on the Billboard
Alternative chart and #34 on the Rock Songs chart. Also in July, the band launched an American tour, and went on to tour several continents throughout 2010, playing songs from the new album and promoting the free downloads.
On October 12, 2010, "The Fellowship" was released on the television soundtrack for The Vampire Diaries
. The free download was made available via the band's website on January 12, 2011. On March 17, 2011, "Lightning Strikes" was made available for free streaming on Rolling Stone
s website. The song was made available for download the following day on March 18, 2011, on the band's website.
On May 3, 2011 the band released "Owata" for streaming on LA Weekly.com. A music video
for the single was directed by Robby Starbuck
, and will be first released as a 12-minute film on Yahoo! Music
, June 29, 2011 at 9:00 PM Pacific. It is the first video to use a Red Epic-M camera.
wrote: "Nothing in Corgan’s prolific recording history could have prepared us for the over five minutes of classic rock that is “A Song for a Son,” which starts off with a “Stairway to Heaven
”-esque riff before exploding into the rest of ZoSo
’s touchstones." Spin
s review of "Widow Wake My Mind" was positive, naming the song "a very pleasant surprise." Rolling Stone included it in their "hot list", calling it "[Corgan's] sweetest pop melody since Kennedy
left MTV
."
Nokia's Inside Music review lauded the free download scheme that Billy Corgan has implemented: "I'm completely stunned that tunes of this quality are up for grabs free for the anticipated 5 year duration of this project." The review continued, praising the maturing drumming of Mike Byrne: "It's worth pointing out that 19–20 year old drummer Mike Byrne is beginning to show signs that he may well be capable of filling the horrific void of Jimmy Chamberlin’s departure".
Jon Stone of the American Songwriter reacted positively to the second EP, "The Solstice Bare", stating that "The songs are not mind blowing, but for once, Billy doesn't seem like he is trying to prove his relevance to both old and new fans on every track. Respect is given to the song, rather than just the hook—quite an accomplishment from one of the most prolific and talented of hook writers."
Additional musicians
Technical personnel
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
. A series of 44 individual songs, it is being released one track at a time through free MP3 downloads over the course of several years. As of May 2011, ten songs have been made available for free download and two physical, limited-edition EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s, each containing four of the songs, have been released.
Announced by the band's frontman Billy Corgan
Billy Corgan
William Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
on September 16, 2009, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope is a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
inspired by the Tarot
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
, and in Corgan's words, "a new kind of album [...] you can hear as it's being made." It is currently being released over the Internet
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
, from the band's official website for free, one song at a time. Each time a set of four tracks is made available for download, it is later made available for purchase as an EP box set. Once each of the planned eleven four-song sets have been released, the entire album will reportedly be released as a box set with entirely new packaging and exclusive content.
Background
The Smashing Pumpkins reformed in 2006, after a six-year hiatus, releasing the studio album ZeitgeistZeitgeist (The Smashing Pumpkins album)
Zeitgeist is the seventh album by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 10, 2007 in the United States and Canada. It was the first album The Smashing Pumpkins released after their 2000 disbandment and 2005 reunion. The album was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Billy...
in 2007. Although Zeitgeist went gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
, which Billy Corgan considered an achievement given the state of the music industry, Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin
Jimmy Chamberlin is an American drummer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the former drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. After a drug-related incident with touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin in 1996, Chamberlin was fired from the band and joined The Last...
decided in 2008 that they would not make another traditional studio album, citing changing listener habits.
In March 2009, Chamberlin left the band. Corgan held tryouts to find a replacement, eventually deciding on 19-year-old Mike Byrne
Mike Byrne (musician)
Michael William Byrne is the drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins. When Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan called for rehearsals to replace Jimmy Chamberlin, Byrne auditioned and was chosen out of thousands of applicants...
. In April, Corgan laid out his vision for the new album:
Corgan spent much of summer 2009 in ex-Catherine
Catherine (alternative rock band)
Catherine was an alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois that was active from 1985 to 1998. They were signed to TVT Records.-Early years:...
member and "Superchrist
Superchrist
"Superchrist" is a 2008 song by The Smashing Pumpkins.-History:The song originated during the sessions for Zeitgeist, but, according to Billy Corgan, "We didn't feel we understood the song and thought playing it on tour would help us sort it out". The band first performed the song on July 24,...
" producer Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown (musician)
Kerry Brown is a record producer, movie soundtrack producer and a musician. He was the drummer in Chicago alternative rock band Catherine in the 1990s. He was married to D'arcy Wretzky of The Smashing Pumpkins at that time, and is now married to Stacey Sher...
's home studio, where Zeitgeist was recorded, recording demos for about fifty songs. In July, Corgan formed the band Spirits in the Sky
Spirits in the Sky
Spirits in the Sky is a casual supergroup led by Billy Corgan, frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins. The band convened, initially, in July 2009 to perform at a memorial concert for the late Sky Saxon of The Seeds. The band played three songs - a Seeds cover, a cover of "Spirit in the Sky", and a new...
to play a tribute concert to the late Sky Saxon
Sky Saxon
Sky "Sunlight" Saxon was an American rock and roll musician who was best known as the leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles psychedelic garage rock band The Seeds.-Biography:...
of The Seeds
The Seeds
The Seeds were an American rock band. The group, whose repertoire spread between garage rock and acid rock, are considered one of the pioneers of punk rock.-History:...
. He then toured with the band, comprising Brown, Electric Prunes bassist Mark Tulin
Mark Tulin
Mark Tulin was the bassist with The Electric Prunes. They had hit singles with "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" and "Get Me To The World on Time"...
, Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock
Strawberry Alarm Clock is a psychedelic rock band from Los Angeles best known for their 1967 hit "Incense and Peppermints". The group took its name as an homage to the Beatles' psychedelic hit "Strawberry Fields Forever", reportedly, at the suggestion of their record company Uni Records.They are...
keyboardist Mark Weitz
Mark Weitz
Mark Weitz is an American musician. A former keyboard player for the 1960s psychedelic rock group Strawberry Alarm Clock, Weitz was the principal composing member of the band.- Early life and The Strawberry Alarm Clock :...
, frequent Corgan collaborator Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry is the nom de plume of a Los Angeles singer, best known as Billy Corgan's touring bandmate on the Future Embrace Tour. She signed to Chrysalis Records with a publishing development deal, but announced in her blog in October 2006 that she has since left the label, citing artistic...
, flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
Kevin Dippold, "Superchrist" violinist Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack is a British violinist, composer and string arranger best known for her work recordings for the Smashing Pumpkins, Dub Gabriel featuring Michael Stipe, Tiesto, and Asian Dub Foundation...
, new Pumpkins drummer Mike Byrne, and Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
guitarist Dave Navarro
Dave Navarro
David Michael "Dave" Navarro is an American guitarist who plays in the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction and cover band Camp Freddy. He has also played with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Panic Channel, and many others.- Early life :...
, playing covers and some of the new Pumpkins songs at several clubs in California.
Concept and sound
Billy Corgan has said that he was inspired to write a story based on the four phases of 'The Fool's Journey' version of the TarotTarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
- the Child, the Fool
The Fool (Tarot card)
The Fool or The Jester is one of the 78 cards in a Tarot deck; one of the 22 Trump cards that make up the Major Arcana. The Fool is unnumbered...
, the Skeptic, and the Mystic. Corgan has explained his interpretation of this view: "There's childlike innocence when you just don't really know anything in the world and it all seems sort of big and magical...the teen, aware but not really liking what's going on...the third person that's cynical, where you get kind of bitter because you feel so small and there's all these things that are sort of happening and there's not much you can do about it...the fourth stage out of that would be finding a sort of spiritual place within yourself where you can live in reality, you can see it for what it is, but maybe you can find a deeper source of inspiration and peace." In other words, the album finds Corgan "looking past, present and future all at the same time and trying to have that perspective".
Corgan says he considers the sound a return to the Pumpkins' "psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
roots", and describes it as "atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty". His stated goal for the entire album is to create "a whole new exciting Smashing Pumpkins sound that is compatible with the old sound but is wholly different". Corgan feels an "affinity" between the new material and the first few Smashing Pumpkins albums, not because of a conscious effort, but because he is again enjoying that style. He is envisioning an "acoustic" period and an "experimental" period later in the album's creation. He acknowledged a Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
influence on the sitar
Electric sitar
An electric sitar is a kind of electric guitar designed to mimic the sound of the traditional Indian instrument, the sitar. Depending on the manufacturer and model, these instruments bear varying degrees of resemblance to the traditional sitar...
-tinged "A Stitch in Time".
Recording
The band is recording using a combination of analogAnalog recording
Analog recording is a technique used for the recording of analog signals which among many possibilities include audio frequency, analog audio and analog video information for later playback.Analog recording methods store signals as a continual wave in or on the media...
tape and Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
in Corgan's home studio in Chicago, with production duties handled primarily by Corgan with Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown
Kerry Brown is an American football guard who is currently a free agent. He last played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
and Bjorn Thorsrud
Bjorn Thorsrud
Bjorn Thorsrud is a music producer and audio engineer. He has recorded musicians such as: David Coverdale, Billy Corgan, The Dandy Warhols, Bruce Dickinson, Marianne Faithfull, The Frogs, Monster Magnet, Sleeping at Last, The Smashing Pumpkins, Linda Strawberry, Whitesnake and Zwan.-List of...
, both veterans of earlier Pumpkins recordings.
Co-producer Kerry Brown explained the mindset going into the recording:
On the first two EPs, Billy Corgan handled the bulk of the guitar and keyboards, with Mike Byrne on drums and Mark Tulin handling much of the bass playing. Kerry Brown played congas on "Astral Planes", and Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack
Ysanne Spevack is a British violinist, composer and string arranger best known for her work recordings for the Smashing Pumpkins, Dub Gabriel featuring Michael Stipe, Tiesto, and Asian Dub Foundation...
, Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry
Linda Strawberry is the nom de plume of a Los Angeles singer, best known as Billy Corgan's touring bandmate on the Future Embrace Tour. She signed to Chrysalis Records with a publishing development deal, but announced in her blog in October 2006 that she has since left the label, citing artistic...
, and Lisa Harriton
Lisa Harriton
Lisa Rae Harriton is an English rock musician, who became a touring keyboardist and back-up vocalist with the alternative rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007. She is also a singer/songwriter serving up a soulful blend of pop infused with jazz and world influences...
have all mentioned contributing. In these sessions, Corgan consciously focused on finding the rhythmic "groove" in the music, as opposed to focusing more heavily on elaborate production or songwriting.
Starting with the third EP, the entire current lineup of the band is featured, including Jeff Schroeder
Jeff Schroeder
Jeff Schroeder is a Korean American rock musician, who became a guitarist with the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007. He is currently finishing his Ph.D...
on guitar and Nicole Fiorentino
Nicole Fiorentino
Nicole Fiorentino is an American bass guitarist. Originally a touring member of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins , she became an official member in 2010...
on bass. Recording for the third EP commenced in October 2010 and is ongoing.
Release
This is the second Smashing Pumpkins album released for free over the Internet, the first being 2000's Machina II: The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music. Teargarden is seeing such a release due to Corgan's reported hope that people hear the album before dismissing it, on top of his interest in "subverting a system that works against holistic thinkingHolism
Holism is the idea that all the properties of a given system cannot be determined or explained by its component parts alone...
when it comes to how art is made and delivered to those who might want to hear it."
All of the songs are planned to be released for free as 192-kbps
Bit rate
In telecommunications and computing, bit rate is the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time....
, DRM
Digital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
-free MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
files, available from direct links on the band's website. Meanwhile, the songs will be released as eleven four-song limited edition CD EP box sets.
The first physical EP, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor, consisting of a wooden box with the 4-song CD, a 7" vinyl record with one additional song, and a hand-carved stone obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
, was released May 25 by Rocket Science Music. The second, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare, was released on November 23, 2010 in the form of a cardboard box with the 4-song CD in a letterpressed sleeve and a 12" vinyl picture disc
Picture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
with all four EP tracks and a b-side.
Finally, the complete forty-four song album will be released as a complete box set, accompanied by an art film and a making-of documentary entitled The Making of Teargarden. Corgan says he is also considering a single-CD compilation of the best of the forty-four tracks.
On April 26, 2011, Corgan announced a change in the release method. Still under the Teargarden by Kaleidyscope name, the band now plans on releasing a full-length album titled Oceania
Oceania (album)
-Personnel:*Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Jeff Schroeder – guitar*Nicole Fiorentino – bass guitar, backing vocals*Mike Byrne – drums, backing vocals*Bob Ludwig – mastering...
in "late 2011." A physical release will be made available in early 2012. The new album was described by Billy Corgan as "an album within an album." Corgan says that Volume 3 of the EP releases will be put on hold until after the release of Oceania.
Corgan stated that he "reached a point where [he] saw that the one-song-at-a-time idea had maxed itself out", and that they "weren't getting the penetration in to everybody" leading the Smashing Pumpkins to "go back to making an album."
Promotion
To promote Record Store DayRecord Store Day
Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music...
in 2010, the band performed live at Amoeba Records, offered free blacklight posters to those who pre-order
Pre-order
A pre-order is an order placed for an item which has not yet been released. The idea for pre-orders came when people found it hard to get popular items in stores due to their popularity. Companies were then given the idea to allow people to reserve their own personal copy, before the release, ...
ed the first EP from their local record stores, and released two limited edition 7" singles containing the album's first four songs. "Widow Wake My Mind" was promoted as a radio single, with Corgan appearing on WKQX in Chicago and several major-market stations adding it to rotation. On April 20, 2010, the band performed the song live with an Up with People
Up with People
Up with People is an international education organization founded in 1968 by J. Blanton Belk, building from roots in the similar "Sing-Out" program of 1965. Up With People is best known for their musical performances by international casts consisting of 70–100 students from, on average, 20...
choir on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
.
While "Widow Wake My Mind" failed to chart, the follow-up single, "Freak
Freak (The Smashing Pumpkins song)
"Freak" is the first single from the Smashing Pumpkins's eighth album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, and the first song released for the second accompanying EP The Solstice Bare. Like all other songs on the album, "Freak" was released as a free download on their official website...
" was released on July 20, 2010, and reached #27 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Alternative chart and #34 on the Rock Songs chart. Also in July, the band launched an American tour, and went on to tour several continents throughout 2010, playing songs from the new album and promoting the free downloads.
On October 12, 2010, "The Fellowship" was released on the television soundtrack for The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries
The Vampire Diaries is a young adult vampire horror series of novels written by L. J. Smith. The story centers around Elena Gilbert, a high school girl torn between two vampire brothers. The series was originally a trilogy published in 1991, but pressure from readers led Smith to write a fourth...
. The free download was made available via the band's website on January 12, 2011. On March 17, 2011, "Lightning Strikes" was made available for free streaming on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s website. The song was made available for download the following day on March 18, 2011, on the band's website.
On May 3, 2011 the band released "Owata" for streaming on LA Weekly.com. A music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the single was directed by Robby Starbuck
Robby Starbuck
Robby Starbuck is an American Music Video director from Los Angeles, California. In 2010 he was named to OC METRO's Top 40 under 40.SUBSTREAM Magazine ran a cover story on Robby Starbuck in 2010 as well.-Career:...
, and will be first released as a 12-minute film on Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
, June 29, 2011 at 9:00 PM Pacific. It is the first video to use a Red Epic-M camera.
Reception
The songs of Teargarden by Kaleidyscope have received mostly positive reviews thus far. Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
wrote: "Nothing in Corgan’s prolific recording history could have prepared us for the over five minutes of classic rock that is “A Song for a Son,” which starts off with a “Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
”-esque riff before exploding into the rest of ZoSo
Led Zeppelin IV
The fourth album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin was released on 8 November 1971. No title is printed on the album, so it is generally referred to as Led Zeppelin IV, following the naming standard used by the band's first three studio albums...
’s touchstones." Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
s review of "Widow Wake My Mind" was positive, naming the song "a very pleasant surprise." Rolling Stone included it in their "hot list", calling it "[Corgan's] sweetest pop melody since Kennedy
Lisa Kennedy Montgomery
Lisa Kennedy Montgomery is an American political satirist, radio personality, and former MTV VJ...
left MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
."
Nokia's Inside Music review lauded the free download scheme that Billy Corgan has implemented: "I'm completely stunned that tunes of this quality are up for grabs free for the anticipated 5 year duration of this project." The review continued, praising the maturing drumming of Mike Byrne: "It's worth pointing out that 19–20 year old drummer Mike Byrne is beginning to show signs that he may well be capable of filling the horrific void of Jimmy Chamberlin’s departure".
Jon Stone of the American Songwriter reacted positively to the second EP, "The Solstice Bare", stating that "The songs are not mind blowing, but for once, Billy doesn't seem like he is trying to prove his relevance to both old and new fans on every track. Respect is given to the song, rather than just the hook—quite an accomplishment from one of the most prolific and talented of hook writers."
Track listing
| No. | Title | MP3 release date | MP3 length |
EP length |
Box set cover | Download cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor May 25, 2010 |
||||||
| 1. | "A Song for a Son A Song for a Son "A Song for a Son" is a 2009 song by the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was the first track released from Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor from the band's 8th album Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. The song contains an extended guitar solo, inspired by Jimi... " |
December 8, 2009 | 6:03 | 6:03 | ||
| 2. | "Astral Planes" | April 16, 2010 | 4:06 | 4:06 | ||
| 3. | "Widow Wake My Mind Widow Wake My Mind (The Smashing Pumpkins song) "Widow Wake My Mind" is a 2010 song by the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It is the second track released from the band's eighth album Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. The song was released as a promotional CD single for radio play and was added to the rotation of several major-market... " |
January 18, 2010 | 4:27 | 4:59 | ||
| 4. | "A Stitch in Time" | March 2, 2010 | 3:33 | 3:28 | ||
| — | "Teargarden Theme"† | — | — | 2:55 | ||
| Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare November 23, 2010 |
||||||
| 1. | "The Fellowship" | January 12, 2011 | 3:51 | 3:53 | ||
| 2. | "Freak Freak (The Smashing Pumpkins song) "Freak" is the first single from the Smashing Pumpkins's eighth album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, and the first song released for the second accompanying EP The Solstice Bare. Like all other songs on the album, "Freak" was released as a free download on their official website... " (also known as "Freak U.S.A.") |
July 6, 2010 | 3:52 | 3:54 | ||
| 3. | "Tom Tom" | November 24, 2010 | 4:04 | 4:04 | ||
| 4. | "Spangled" | September 14, 2010 | 2:30 | 2:32 | ||
| — | "Cottonwood Symphony"† | — | — | 3:05 | ||
| Vol. 3 | ||||||
| — | "Lightning Strikes" | March 18, 2011 | 3:56 | — | ||
| — | "Owata Owata (The Smashing Pumpkins song) "Owata" is the second single from the Smashing Pumpkins' ongoing eighth album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, and tenth song released from the album.-Critial Reception:... " |
May 4, 2011 | 3:39 | — | ||
| A "—" denotes a non-applicable or unknown field. A "†" denotes a vinyl bonus track that was included in the box set and not released as an MP3. |
||||||
Personnel
The Smashing Pumpkins- Mike ByrneMike Byrne (musician)Michael William Byrne is the drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins. When Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan called for rehearsals to replace Jimmy Chamberlin, Byrne auditioned and was chosen out of thousands of applicants...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(all tracks), backing vocals (Vol. 3) - Billy CorganBilly CorganWilliam Patrick "Billy" Corgan, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional poet best known as the frontman and sole permanent member of The Smashing Pumpkins. Formed by Corgan and guitarist James Iha in Chicago, Illinois in 1987, the band quickly gained steam with the...
– lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, electric sitarElectric sitarAn electric sitar is a kind of electric guitar designed to mimic the sound of the traditional Indian instrument, the sitar. Depending on the manufacturer and model, these instruments bear varying degrees of resemblance to the traditional sitar...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Nicole FiorentinoNicole FiorentinoNicole Fiorentino is an American bass guitarist. Originally a touring member of the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins , she became an official member in 2010...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (Vol. 3) - Jeff SchroederJeff SchroederJeff Schroeder is a Korean American rock musician, who became a guitarist with the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins in 2007. He is currently finishing his Ph.D...
– guitar (Vol. 3)
Additional musicians
- Kerry BrownKerry Brown (musician)Kerry Brown is a record producer, movie soundtrack producer and a musician. He was the drummer in Chicago alternative rock band Catherine in the 1990s. He was married to D'arcy Wretzky of The Smashing Pumpkins at that time, and is now married to Stacey Sher...
– congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s and production - Ysanne SpevackYsanne SpevackYsanne Spevack is a British violinist, composer and string arranger best known for her work recordings for the Smashing Pumpkins, Dub Gabriel featuring Michael Stipe, Tiesto, and Asian Dub Foundation...
– violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average... - Linda StrawberryLinda StrawberryLinda Strawberry is the nom de plume of a Los Angeles singer, best known as Billy Corgan's touring bandmate on the Future Embrace Tour. She signed to Chrysalis Records with a publishing development deal, but announced in her blog in October 2006 that she has since left the label, citing artistic...
– backing vocals - Mark TulinMark TulinMark Tulin was the bassist with The Electric Prunes. They had hit singles with "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night" and "Get Me To The World on Time"...
– bass (Vol. 1 & 2)
Technical personnel
- Kevin Dippold – studio assistant
- Chris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-AlgeChris Lord-Alge is a mixer who has worked on various albums. He is the brother of Tom Lord-Alge, another audio engineer. Chris Lord-Alge is known for his extreme use of dynamic range compression in both hardware and software plug-in versions....
– mixing (Vol. 3) - Stephen MarcussenStephen MarcussenStephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer of Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California. Marcussen is one of the most sought-after mastering engineers in the music industry and his expertise has been coveted by a wide range of artists over the years...
– masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced... - Bjorn ThorsrudBjorn ThorsrudBjorn Thorsrud is a music producer and audio engineer. He has recorded musicians such as: David Coverdale, Billy Corgan, The Dandy Warhols, Bruce Dickinson, Marianne Faithfull, The Frogs, Monster Magnet, Sleeping at Last, The Smashing Pumpkins, Linda Strawberry, Whitesnake and Zwan.-List of...
– production, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
EPs
| Year | EP | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor | Billboard Independent Albums Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
43 |
| 2010 | Vol. 1: Songs for a Sailor | Billboard Tastemaker Albums | 16 |
Singles
| Year | Single | EP | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Freak" | Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare | Billboard Alternative Songs | 27 |
| 2010 | "Freak" | Vol. 2: The Solstice Bare | Billboard Rock Songs Rock Songs Rock Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks the airplay of songs on alternative, mainstream rock and triple A radio stations. The first chart was published in the issue dated June 20, 2009. "Know Your Enemy" by Green Day was the first number-one song. The Rock Songs... |
34 |
External links
- "Ain't No Sleep When You're Living the Dream" – The producer Kerry Brown's recording blog
- Official blog of frontman Billy Corgan