Aghori Mhori Mei
Aghori Mhori Mei | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 2, 2024 | |||
Recorded | 2022–2024[1][2] | |||
Length | 44:41 | |||
Label | Martha's Music | |||
Producer | Billy Corgan | |||
The Smashing Pumpkins chronology | ||||
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Singles from Aghori Mhori Mei | ||||
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Aghori Mhori Mei is the thirteenth studio album by The Smashing Pumpkins. It was announced on July 19, 2024 after being added to the band's Spotify without notice, featuring the ability to pre-save the album and a countdown to its release. The album was released digitally on August 2, 2024, through Martha's Music and Thirty Tigers.[3][4]
The album was written and recorded over a two-year period and is billed as a "rock and roll guitar record".[1] The album had no singles prior to release.[5] Sighommi was released as the first single from the album on August 2, 2024.[6]
Background and development
In December 2022, drummer Jimmy Chamberlin posted through his official Instagram account that the band were "back in the studio".[2] In May 2023, Billy Corgan announced that the band had already began work on a follow album to the triple album Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts (2022–2023). The band initially recorded 20 songs for the album with Corgan wanting to put out a record with "somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 songs".[5] Corgan described the album a "straight up rock and roll guitar record" and stated that "it very much sounds like the ‘Siamese Dream’ / ‘Mellon Collie’ version of the band.[5]
In June 2024, Corgan gave an update on the band having worked on the album for "almost two years now". He described the pressure of recording new material to deadlines, stating that "It's not healthy, but I've gotten used to it through the years". He reiterated that "It's very much a rock, guitar record, old school" and that "old-school fans will be happy, for once".[1]
In an interview with Audacy in August 2024, Corgan described how the band wanted to get into the "mindset" of recording songs in the spirit of Siamese Dream but not replicating the exact sound. Explaining that "you go back to the old school but with a new version of yourself", he further elaborated on using the the old processes; "You just move on into other pastures, good and bad. You take your lumps as you go". The album was produced with the help of long-time band collaborator Howard Willing.[7]
Promotion and release
The album was released on August 2, 2024, through Martha's Music and will be distributed digitally through streaming services and digital storefronts initially.[8] Physical copies of the album will be released in the future on exclusive edition Vinyl through frontman Billy Corgan's tea room Madame ZuZu's.[3] Corgan announced that no singles would be released prior to the album's release, explaining that the band "had to give the knee many times to what is the first song and what is the first statement and let other people judge us by one moment in time. We felt the right way to hear this record was an intact body of work".[9]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Clash | 8/10[10] |
Kerrang | [11] |
Beats Per Minute | 82/100[12] |
Sputnikmusic | [13] |
Kerrang praised the album, describing the album that as feeling "like the true return", summarizing the record by calling it "an excellent album that suggests intriguing possibilities going forward".[11] Clash magazine equally praised the album. Describing that the band were "back and are ready to make a racket" and calling the album "a welcome surprise from one of rocks most unpredictable acts".[10]
Reception amongst fans was reported as being "positive" towards the album.[14] The album topped an "All-Genre Poll" ran by Billboard, with music fans naming their favourite new music release of the week.[15]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Billy Corgan.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Edin" | 6:46 |
2. | "Pentagrams" | 6:25 |
3. | "Sighommi" | 2:58 |
4. | "Pentecost" | 3:18 |
5. | "War Dreams Of Itself" | 3:28 |
6. | "Who Goes There" | 3:28 |
7. | "999" | 5:43 |
8. | "Goeth The Fall" | 3:25 |
9. | "Sicarus" | 4:15 |
10. | "Murnau" | 4:59 |
Total length: | 44:41 |
All tracks are written by Billy Corgan.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Formosa" | |
12. | "Our Lady of Sorrows" |
Release history
Released | Label | Catalog ID | Format | Country | External sites | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 2, 2024 | Martha's Music | Digital | Worldwide | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz
Personnel
The Smashing Pumpkins
- Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
- James Iha – guitar
- Jimmy Chamberlin – drums
Additional personnel
- Katie Cole – backing vocals
- Howard Willing – mixing
- Andrew Scheps – mixing (tracks 1-9)
- Ryan Hewitt – mixing (track 10)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ruskell, Nick (June 4, 2024). "Billy Corgan: "I don't play any songs I don't want to play. I don't care if they're classic or not"". Kerrang. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Back in the studio with @smashingpumpkins". Instagram. December 3, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kaufman, Gil (July 19, 2024). "Smashing Pumpkins Announce 13th Studio Album, Aghori Mhori Mei". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ↑ "Aghori Mhori Mei - The Smashing Pumpkins". Amazon Music. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Colothan, Scott (May 4, 2023). "The Smashing Pumpkins working on 'straight up rock album' that echoes Siamese Dream & Mellon Collie". Kerrang. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ↑ "Smashing Pumpkins Get Back To Their '90s Roots On New Album". iHeartRadio. August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ↑ Cingrana, Joe (August 2, 2024). "Billy Corgan on getting back into the '90s mindset for The Smashing Pumpkins' 'Aghori Mhori Mei'". Audacy. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ↑ Kreps, Daniel (July 19, 2024). "Smashing Pumpkins Reveal New Album Aghori Mhori Mei Out in Two Weeks". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
- ↑ Dunworth, Liberty (July 19, 2024). "Smashing Pumpkins announce 13th album 'Aghori Mhori Mei', out next month". NME. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Walker-Smart, Sam (August 4, 2024). "The Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei". Clash. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hickie, James (August 2, 2024). "Album review: The Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei". Kerrang. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ↑ Wohlmacher, John (August 2, 2024). "Album Review: The Smashing Pumpkins – Aghori Mhori Mei". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ↑ "The Smashing Pumpkins Aghori Mhori Mei". Sputnikmusic. August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
- ↑ "Fans React to New Smashing Pumpkins Album After Not Hearing a Song Before It Came Out". Loud Wire. August 2, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ↑ Peters, Mitchell (August 4, 2024). "Fans Choose Smashing Pumpkins' 'Aghori Mhori Mei' as This Week's Favorite New Music in All-Genre Poll". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2024.