We live in a world where Billy Corgan can get back together with Jimmy Chamberlin and call it a Smashing Pumpkins reunion. Oh, and then Chamberlin also leaves the band and Corgan calls himself the Smashing Pumpkins. Living in such a world, we can’t expect Corgan to give us anything that could be considered as Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness caliber.
When the Silversun Pickups broke into the mainstream with “Lazy Eye,” fans of shoegaze rejoiced and their first full-length album, Carnavas, raised eyebrows and expectations. While fans were reminded of earlier Pumpkins, the Pickups also did a decent job of differentiating themselves. People were intrigued.
Unfortunately, Silversun Pickups’ sophomore effort, Swoon, leaves eager ears desiring so much more. Those looking for another “Lazy Eye” will not find it, and fans of Carnavas and the Pikul EP will also be left disappointed. Swoon falls victim to an overall overproduced sounding mix. The drums and cymbals are too pristine, guitar solos and instrumental interludes are downplayed and limited, and lead singer Brian Aubert’s voice lacks the variation and expression found on earlier recordings. Overall, the Silversun Pickups have taken far too many steps backward on Swoon.
Everything that made Pikul or Carnavas beautiful or raw has been removed. Bassist Nikki Monninger’s vocals are not utilized at all, which makes it easy to grow tired of Aubert’s voice. Noise and effect experimentation have been toned down. Swoon’s only excuse for sound experimentation is the addition of a string section on various tracks. Unfortunately, as the album progresses, the strings become predictable and tired. Rather than being used thoughtfully, the string sections seem hastily thrown in and only add to the feeling of overproduction. Even “Kissing Families” off of Pikul used strings both effectively and sparingly. The overall lack of creativity and exploration is disappointing, but it’s even more disheartening to see a band do a 180 and forget what it has done effectively.
Swoon’s first track, “There’s No Secrets This Year,” sounds like it really wants to be a single, but it’s trying way too hard. Let’s put it this way: If this song and “Lazy Eye” were siblings, “There’s No Secrets This Year” would be the one nobody pays any attention to. Aubert’s voice is more clear, less scratchy and less into it. The rest of the mix (the keys, the drums, the bass and the guitar) all sound too packaged for a band that relies heavily on noise and distortion. The only positive is the synthesizer that barrels at you without warning, one of the few moments reminiscent of the band’s better days. However, this only lasts a few seconds, and then you are quickly reminded of how uninteresting the rest of the song is.
The majority of the songs follow a similar pattern. There are noticeable attempts to vary song structure, but these attempts aren’t as progressive as on older albums. Songs don’t build up slowly or dive headfirst into angsty solos or fuzz jams.
“Growing Old is Getting Old” and “It’s Nice to Know You Work Alone” are the best Swoon has to offer, with interesting delay effects and atmosphere. Regrettably, the cohesiveness and harmony is overshadowed by the plastic wrap.
Swoon follows mainstream alternative formulas; it all starts to sound like you’ve heard it before. This time, Silversun Pickups have forgotten to feed the fuzz.
2 stars out of 5.
