Ogilala
| Ogilala | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 13, 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 2016–2017 | |||
| Studio | Shangri-La Recording Studio in Malibu | |||
| Genre |
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| Length | 38:32 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Producer | Rick Rubin, Billy Corgan | |||
| Billy Corgan chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Digital download cover | ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 70/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Clash Music | 7/10[4] |
| Consequence of Sound | B-[5] |
| DIY Magazine | [6] |
Ogilala is the second solo album by Billy Corgan (under the name William Patrick Corgan), frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins. The album was released on October 13, 2017, in the United States.[1] It marks Corgan's first solo album since his 2005 debut, TheFutureEmbrace. The album was co-produced by Corgan with Rick Rubin, and does not feature Corgan's longtime collaborator Bjorn Thorsrud. "Aeronaut" preceded the record as its lead single, with a US tour beginning the day after the record's release.[7]
The album's songs are primarily acoustic and are predominantly performed on acoustic guitar, piano and strings, contrasting with much of Corgan's other work. Corgan used an old Yamaha grand piano in the recordings.[8] The song "Processional" marks the first time since The Smashing Pumpkins' break-up in 2000 that Corgan has collaborated with the band's former guitarist James Iha.[9]
A 41-minute short film, Pillbox, was released with the album, and later the 58-minute live video, Neath The Darkest Eves.
| “ | Having written the songs for voice and guitar, I put myself in Rick’s hands to take the music wherever he’d like. Normally I would have done more, and tinkered more on production, but rather Rick put the onus on me to deliver at a molecular level via live takes. The rest was simply a reaction. | ” |
| — Billy Corgan, Pitchfork, August 22, 2017[1] | ||
Pillbox[edit | edit source]
The album is accompanied with a 41-minute short film written by Corgan and co-directed by Linda Strawberry.[10]
Critical reception[edit | edit source]
AllMusic praised the album, writing "Like the Smashing Pumpkins albums of the 2010s, Ogilala achieves a delicate balance of ambition and craft. At its core, it's a songwriter's album, but it's not a bunch of folky confessionals. No matter the setting, Corgan peddles heartfelt prog rock and here, when his songs are shorn of solos and kept at a human scale, his imagination feels immediate and bracing."[3]
Consequence also rated highly. While comparing them to all songs composed by Corgan, they wrote that Ogilala "stands out as his most centered, vulnerable, and soothing music yet".[5]
Track listing[edit | edit source]
All tracks are written by Billy Corgan.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Zowie" | 2:41 |
| 2. | "Processional" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "The Spaniards" | 4:08 |
| 4. | "Aeronaut" | 3:40 |
| 5. | "The Long Goodbye" | 2:43 |
| 6. | "Half-Life of an Autodidact" | 3:27 |
| 7. | "Amarinthe" | 3:54 |
| 8. | "Antietam" | 3:16 |
| 9. | "Mandarynne" | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Shiloh" | 3:11 |
| 11. | "Archer" | 3:41 |
| Total length: | 38:32 | |
Some tracks are cross-faded in the physical version, thus reducing the playing time of the album about 20 seconds.
Release history[edit | edit source]
| Released | Label | Catalog ID | Format | Country | External sites | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2017 | BMG • Martha's Music | 538321011 | LP | US | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
| October 13, 2017 | BMG • Martha's Music | 538320992 | CD | US | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
| October 13, 2017 | BMG • Martha's Music | 538320992 | CD | Europe | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
| October 13, 2017 | BMG • Martha's Music | 538321031 | LP (pink) | Europe | Discogs | [1] | |
| October 13, 2017 | BMG | 538321011 | LP (blue) | US | Discogs | [1] | |
| October 13, 2017 | BMG | Digital | Worldwide | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] | |
More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz
Personnel[edit | edit source]
- Billy Corgan (as William Patrick Corgan) – vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, piano, Mellotron, photography, production
- James Iha – guitar and Mellotron on "Processional"[9]
- Sierra Swan – occasional backing vocals
- Rick Rubin – production
Charts[edit | edit source]
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ)[11] | 7 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[12] | 10 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[13] | 14 |
| US Alternative Albums (Billboard)[14] | 25 |
| US Rock (Billboard)[15] | 36 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[16] | 40 |
| Swiss Albums (Swiss Hitparade)[17] | 86 |
| US Billboard 200[18] | 183 |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Strauss, Matthew (August 22, 2017). "Billy Corgan Announces New Album Ogilala, Shares New Song "Aeronaut": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- ↑ "Reviews and Tracks for Ogilala by William Patrick Corgan". Metacritic. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ogilala - William Patrick Corgan, Billy Corgan". AllMusic. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ Walker-Smart, Sam. "William Patrick Corgan - Ogilala". Clash Music. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Geffen, Sasha. "William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ Goggins, Joe. "William Patrick Corgan - Ogilala". DIY Magazine. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ↑ Cook-Wilson, Winston (August 22, 2017). "Billy Corgan Announces Solo Album Ogilala, Releases Single "Aeronaut"". Spin. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
- ↑ Billy Corgan, May 25, 2020 Instagram Q&A
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Greene, Andy (September 23, 2017). "Billy Corgan Talks Solo LP, Making Peace With Original Smashing Pumpkins". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ↑ "Watch Billy Corgan's Psychedelic Silent Film Pillbox". Rollingstone.
- ↑ "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". RMNZ. October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ "William Patrick Corgan Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "William Patrick Corgan Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "William Patrick Corgan Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "William Patrick Corgan Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "William Patrick Corgan Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ↑ "Swisscharts.com – William Patrick Corgan – Ogilala". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ↑ "Billy Corgan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2017.