CYR

CYR is the eleventh studio album by The Smashing Pumpkins. The 20-track double album is due to be released on November 27, 2020 through Sumerian Records. It is the second studio album of the band (after 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness) to be released as a double album, and also the second album of the Shiny and Oh So Bright series (although the title does not share the same nomenclature).

In support of the album, a five-part animated series called In Ashes was released that features more music from the album. It was written by Billy Corgan and animated by Deep Sky Studios.

We're good pop assassins, and I think as long as we're sort of in that space, we're good. Anybody can ascribe anything they want to it as far as stylistically, but it bears repeating that what most of the general public knows of the band is really only one small slice of the band's music. The band's sort of width was a lot wider. So this falls quite comfortably in the music that we've made through the years.

Background and recording
After the band's previous album, Shiny and Oh So Bright - Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. was released, the band toured in support of it, while at the time subtly talking about their upcoming recording efforts via Billy Corgan's Instagram stories. As of early 2020, Corgan had confirmed that a sequel album was in the process of being recorded, while going back and forth on how many songs would be on the album, starting with 23 songs, and eventually settling on just 20 to be released. Recording was finished early in the year, and had been taking place during 2019 and 2020. The band was set to embark on the Rock Invasion 2 tour soon after recording wrapped up, but was forced to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while also led to the band having to remotely work on the music video for lead single "Cyr." The album was teased with a series of time counters on the band's website before the first single was released, and has had three singles so far (each with an accompanying A-side), as well as a music video and an animated short series that is being released leading up to the album's release date, which was announced on August 28, 2020. Unlike the previous album, produced by Rick Rubin, Corgan decided to instead self-produce the next album. The band members recorded parts on their typical instruments, as well as synthesizers that were recorded by Corgan and background vocals done by Sierra Swan and touring member Katie Cole.

Release and promotion
CYR is set to be released on all digital platforms, as well as on CD and vinyl, on November 27, 2020. After the band teased the upcoming project with their countdown timers, they released the lead single "Cyr", which was backed with "The Colour of Love", on August 28, 2020, with an accompanying music video for the titular track. Several weeks later, the band released another single, "Confessions of a Dopamine Addict" which was backed with "Wrath". This release also included two animated episodes of the band's short series In Ashes, which featured music from "The Colour of Love" and "Confessions of a Dopamine Addict". On October 9, 2020, the band released the third single from the album, "Anno Satana" and "Birch Grove", as well as the third episode of In Ashes. On October 30, 2020 the band released a fourth pair of songs as a single, "Ramona" and "Wyttch", with the "Wytcch" music video premiering on November 13, 2020 as part of a Friday the 13th event through their label Sumerian Records. The band released a final pair of songs, "Purple Blood" and "Dulcet in E" on November 20, 2020.

The vinyl double LP will be available in eight colors:


 * Orchid: standard worldwide release
 * Pink haze (Light purple marble): Smashing Pumpkins Store exclusive
 * Black ice: Smashing Pumpkins Store exclusive box set; includes photo book, poster, and foil inserts
 * Pearl marble: Sumerian Records exclusive
 * Light baby pink: UK HMV exclusive
 * Bone: Australian JB Hi-Fi exclusive
 * Purple nebula: US indie record store exclusive
 * Purple blood: US indie record store exclusive
 * Love color: Alliance exclusive

Track listing
Credits and times adapted from Apple Music.

The Smashing Pumpkins

 * Billy Corgan – vocals, guitar, bass, synthesizers
 * James Iha – guitar
 * Jeff Schroeder – guitar
 * Jimmy Chamberlin – drums

Additional musicians

 * Sierra Swan – backing vocals
 * Katie Cole – backing vocals

Production

 * Billy Corgan – production, mixing
 * Howard Willing – engineering
 * Dave Schiffman – mixing
 * Howie Weinberg – mastering