| American Gothic | ||||
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| EP by | ||||
| Released | January 1, 2008 | |||
| Recorded | December 2007 | |||
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| Length | 17:01 | |||
| Label | Reprise | |||
| Producer | ||||
| The Smashing Pumpkins chronology | ||||
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American Gothic is the fourth EP by The Smashing Pumpkins. The EP was announced on the band's website on December 19, 2007 with songwriter Billy Corgan describing it as a continuation of their 2007 album Zeitgeist . It was released digitally on January 2, 2008 and as a CD in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2008. [1]
After playing "Again Again Again" in Los Angeles in late 2006 at an event organized by Pete Townshend's girlfriend, Corgan was asked by Townshend himself if the song was going to be on Zeitgeist. While the song did not make the album, Corgan always planned to release it in some form, resulting in its appearance on American Gothic. [2]
Corgan said of the EP,
I had written a bunch of material during the residencies in Asheville and San Francisco [earlier this year], and fans kept asking us if we were gonna put any of that stuff out. iTunes came to us wanting to do something together, so it just felt right. [2]
Corgan also made high-resolution artwork for the EP available for download through the band's website. [3]
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times , Billy Corgan stated that, with American Gothic and the new single "G.L.O.W.", the band "finally turned the corner... where it's starting to feel like our music again, and not theirs, whoever 'they' might be," referring to the band's choice to continue making music without a record label. [4]
The EP contains four acoustic tracks [5] that feature folk strumming. [6] Their sound has been described as "an extension of the straight-ahead alternative rock sound that the Smashing Pumpkins returned to on the band's 2007 comeback outing, Zeitgeist." [7] The EP also features a more polished production work in contrast to the band's previous acoustic music input, which mostly consisted of demos. [8]
The track "The Rose March" features an electric rhythm guitar [5] and guitar picking reminiscent of The Smashing Pumpkins' early work, as well as overdubbed harmonies. [8] The track "Again, Again, Again (The Crux)", which was described to be catchiest on the EP, features drum fills played by the Smashing Pumpkins Jimmy Chamberlin. [8] The "jangly" [7] track "Pox" was described as "the pick of the bunch, grungy acoustic and bass fairly thrumming with latent menace," [6] while the track "Sunkissed" is an atmospheric song that "recaptures some of the group's '90s verve." [7]
The EP includes four unreleased tracks recorded in the late 2007 break between tours at the Pass Studio in Los Angeles. [2] In the United States, the EP was released as an exclusive digital release for the iTunes Store on January 1, 2008 as part of a re-release of Zeitgeist, but it received a physical release internationally on February 11 and March 4 in Canada. [2]
7digital also released a download-only "UK Tour Edition" on February 25 that features four bonus tracks, all recorded during the February 2008 UK tour. [9]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Consequence of Sound | C− [8] |
| Drowned in Sound | 4/10 [6] |
Consequence of Sound critic Michael Roffman wrote: "If anything, Gothic is a step forward from Zeitgeist, in that there are hints, both lyrically and musically, of that despair and angst that made ballads “Tonight, Tonight” and “Crush” so successful." Nevertheless, Roffman also criticized Corgan's creative dominance over the release, stating: "If Corgan wants us to buy into his new motley crew of Pumpkins, he is going to have to be more of a collaborator and less of a dictator." [8] Alex Denney of Drowned in Sound wrote: "It's passably structured, yes, but instantly forgettable and with a curious lack of personality that’s unfortunately become one of Corgan’s calling cards post-Y2K." [6] Joachim Hackshaw of Television New Zealand praised the EP and stated: "The EP is full of shifts in momentum and the drums really drive the mood on this brief musical journey." Hackshaw eventually concluded: "I can't really say enough about this EP apart from to give it my full recommendation, I just wish it was longer." [5] Allmusic commented: "Though it probably won't result in many new converts, the EP proves that the well-received Zeitgeist wasn't just a Corgan-fueled fluke." [7]
All songs written by Billy Corgan:
UK tour edition bonus tracks
The Smashing Pumpkins
Additional musicians
Production
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [11] | 82 |
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, the band has undergone several line-up changes since their reunion in 2006, with Corgan being the sole constant member since its inception. The current lineup features Corgan, Chamberlin, Iha and guitarist Jeff Schroeder.
James Joseph Chamberlin is an American drummer and record producer. He is best known as the drummer for the alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. Following the 2000 breakup of the band, Chamberlin joined Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan in the supergroup Zwan and also formed his own group, the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex. In 2005, Chamberlin joined Corgan in reforming The Smashing Pumpkins; he eventually left the group in March 2009, though he returned again in 2015 for a summer tour. He performed in the group Skysaw until 2012. He is currently active under the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex name. In addition to his current work as CEO, Chamberlin has joined Chicago jazz saxophonist Frank Catalano for a string of 2013–15 performances in the Chicago area. An EP by Catalano and Chamberlin Love Supreme Collective - EP was released on July 29, 2014.
William Patrick Corgan Jr. is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He is currently the owner and promoter of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA).
James Yoshinobu Iha is an American rock musician. He is best known as a guitarist and co-founder of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. He was a member until the initial breakup in 2000. Among his musical projects of recent years, Iha has been a permanent fixture of A Perfect Circle. He was most recently a member of Tinted Windows, a 1960s/1970s inspired group with members of Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne, and Hanson. He rejoined the Smashing Pumpkins in 2018.
Siamese Dream is the second studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins, released on July 27, 1993, on Virgin Records. Despite recording sessions fraught with difficulties and tensions, Siamese Dream debuted at number ten on the Billboard charts, and eventually was certified 4× Platinum, with the album selling over six million copies worldwide, cementing the Smashing Pumpkins as an important group in alternative music.
D'arcy Elizabeth Wretzky-Brown is an American musician. She is the original bass player of the alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins and is credited on their first six studio albums. She left the band in 1999.
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