Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts
The Smashing Pumpkins · 2023
138 min · 33 tracks · alternative rock
A sprawling rock opera that intertwines lush melodies with existential themes, echoing the band's signature blend of grandeur and introspection.
Top tracks — play these first
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ATUM Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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The Good in Goodbye — This track encapsulates the emotional core of the album, blending poignant lyrics about loss with sweeping instrumentation that conveys both sorrow and hope.
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Hooligan — With its catchy hooks and energetic tempo, Hooligan stands out as a vibrant exploration of rebellion and youth, embodying the spirited essence of rock.
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Intergalactic — Closing Act Three, Intergalactic serves as a grand culmination of themes throughout the opera, merging cosmic imagery with introspective reflections that challenge reality.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic journey with emotional peaks
- sweeping narratives that unfold gradually
- immersive listening for reflective moments
- patient exploration of thematic depth
- engaging storytelling through varied pacing
Maybe skip if you
- prefer quick, standalone tracks
- seek instant gratification in music
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Shows continued creativity and ambition, expanding the band's narrative scope.
- Career context
- Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts marks The Smashing Pumpkins' eleventh studio album, released after a lengthy hiatus since Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 2 in 2018. This project represents a continuation of Billy Corgan's ambitious storytelling approach, expanding on the narrative style he first explored in earlier works like the acclaimed Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The album reaffirms the band's evolution while maintaining their alternative rock roots.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Alice in Chains· Soundgarden· Radiohead
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 ATUM Start here 3:32
- 2 Butterfly Suite 3:28
- 3 The Good in Goodbye 4:40
- 4 Embracer 3:39
- 5 With Ado I Do 2:52
- 6 Hooligan 3:05
- 7 Steps in Time 3:49
- 8 Where Rain Must Fall 4:15
- 9 Beyond the Vale 3:42
- 10 Hooray! 3:43
- 11 The Gold Mask 3:31
Disc 2
- 1 Avalanche 5:42
- 2 Empires 3:10
- 3 Neophyte 4:16
- 4 Moss 2:59
- 5 Night Waves 2:53
- 6 Space Age 3:12
- 7 Every Morning 6:10
- 8 To the Grays 3:12
- 9 Beguiled 3:58
- 10 The Culling 4:30
- 11 Springtimes 3:56
Disc 3
- 1 Sojourner 7:41
- 2 That Which Animates the Spirit 3:55
- 3 The Canary Trainer 3:57
- 4 Pacer 5:24
- 5 In Lieu of Failure 3:26
- 6 Cenotaph 3:04
- 7 Harmageddon 4:21
- 8 Fireflies 3:26
- 9 Intergalactic 8:58
- 10 Spellbinding 4:06
- 11 Of Wings 5:28
What to play next
Cyr
2020
This album continues the band's exploration of themes and sonic landscapes.
Monuments to an Elegy
2014
It sets a foundation with similar energy and introspective elements.
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise
The Dear Hunter
Shares a grand narrative arc and lush instrumentation, exploring existential themes through rock opera.
In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Coheed and Cambria
Combines ambitious storytelling with intricate melodies, echoing the grandeur and introspection of rock operas.
The Black Parade
My Chemical Romance
Explores themes of mortality and reflection with theatricality, similar to the operatic style of Atum.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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