Smashing Pumpkins, The - Atum

An ambitiously sprawling sequel to both 1995's Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000's MACHINA: The Machines of God, 2023's Atum finds Billy Corgan dipping into the sound of pretty much every era of Smashing Pumpkins' career. For fans keeping track of the concept, the album (presented over three discs) continues the story of "Shiny," the main character first introduced on Mellon Collie, though you'd have to dig pretty deep to pull any strong narrative threads out of the material. Conceptual conceits aside, these are some of the strongest melodic and heartfelt anthems Corgan has written since at least 2012's Oceania. Aiding Corgan in striking this balance are reunited OG Pumpkins bandmates guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (having rejoined for 2018's Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. and 2020's Cyr), along with longtime Corgan collaborator guitarist Jeff Schroeder. Also contributing are backing vocalists Katie Cole and Sierra Swan,