New Smashing Pumpkins Songs – For Free!

The Pumpkins’ new album, titled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, is the follow-up to 2007’s Zeitgeist but this won’t be your typical album. Corgan and co. plan to release a song at a time with the first tune being released around Halloween. According to the band’s Web site, each new song will come out shortly after until all 44 have been released. Corgan and co. began recording the first four tracks Tuesday.

Here’s what Corgan has to say about the whole “free” thing:

“Each song will be made available absolutely for free, to anyone anywhere. There will be no strings attached. Free will mean free, which means you won’t have to sign up for anything, give an e-mail address, or jump through a hoop. You will be able to go and take the song or songs as you wish, as many times as you wish.”

If you’re wondering how the Pumpkins are going to make any dough from this deal, Corgan explained that the band will be releasing limited edition EPs – eleven EPs total, which will each contain four songs.

“Because the songs themselves will be free, the EP’s will be more like collectors items for the discerning fan who will want the art itself, along with the highest possible audio quality available. The EP’s will be more like mini-box sets rather than your normal cd single,” Corgan wrote on the site.

Once all 44 songs have been recorded, the Pumpkins will also release a deluxe box set, but Corgan wants to assure fans that it will not be a recompilation of the limited edition EPs. So that means hardcore fans are more than welcome to buy all the EPs plus the box set. Or, you can always download all the songs for free.

If you’re worried that the new music just won’t compare to your favorite Pumpkins songs because Corgan is the only original member left standing, the singer assures fans that, “Teargarden by Kaleidyscope harkens back to the original psychedelic roots of The Smashing Pumpkins: atmospheric, melodic, heavy, and pretty.”

Corgan closed out his announcement by writing that he’s pumped about the new project.

“I already have 53 songs written for the record, so I am quite confident that I already have much of the material that I would need to undertake such an extensive project. I am very committed to seeing this album through to its completion and very, very excited about the prospect of delivering new Smashing Pumpkins music to you in a unique and exciting way.”

The new album marks the band’s first recording with the Pumpkins’ new drummer, 19-year-old Mike Byrne. The young drummer took over on the skins after founding member Jimmy Chamberlin announced in March that he was hanging up his sticks and leaving the band.

Click here for the Pumpkins’ Web site.