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The Album Effect episode 28 reviews Caution by Mariah Carey, Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. by The Smashing Pumpkins, and special submissions from the Hip-hop soul duo, the Nina Brown Project for their self-titled album, and the self-titled debut album from singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Pritchard for his electronica-influenced project, Bad Person. Plus a new single, It’s Not What It Looks Like from Rock artist, Bogan Villa, and more. Hosted by Manny, Nick, Dave, and Britt.
Check out and listen to the Nina Brown Project, on iTunes.
Listen to Bad Person, here.
Hear Bogan Villa’s It’s Not What It Looks Like, on Spotify.
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Episode 28 Albums:
Caution (2018)
Mariah Carey
Known for her expansive vocal range, Mariah Carey first delved into songwriting while in high school. The daughter of a part-time opera singer, Carey initially added melodies to poetry she had written, eventually moving on to songwriting with partner Ben Margulies. After graduation, she worked as a waitress, using her spare time to complete a 4-track demo. Initially, Carey had trouble getting attention from music labels, but a friendship with singer Brenda K. Starr got her demo into the hands of Tommy Mottola. The Columbia Records exec signed her to his label, releasing her self-titled debut in 1990. Despite having a slow start, the album would eventually reach Platinum status and produce four number one singles, making Carey the first artist to achieve this feat since The Jackson 5.
Released in November 2018, Caution is Mariah Carey’s 15th album. Debuting at number five on the Billboard chart, Carey’s first studio work in four years was assembled with a plethora of collaborators. Ty Dolla $ign, Slick Rick and Gunna feature on the album, along with production work from Timbaland, Skrillex, and frequent Drake contributor Nineteen85, among others. However, no producer worked on more than two songs, allowing Carey to guide the album’s direction herself. Caution was generally well reviewed, with many critics feeling that Carey successfully mixed current pop and hip-hop trends with her own signature sound.
Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. (2018)
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins formed in 1988 when vocalist Billy Corgan returned to Chicago after the end of his Florida-based band, the Marked. Originally a two-piece with guitarist James Iha, the band eventually added drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and bassist D’arcy Wretzky to the line-up. The Smashing Pumpkins released their first album, Gish, in 1991, which found modest success in the burgeoning alternative scene. However, it was their second album, Siamese Dream, that broke through to a mainstream audience in 1993. Follow-up release Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was even bigger, leading the band to become one of the 1990s most successful acts, with sales topping 30 million albums globally.
After breaking up in 2000, the various members of Smashing Pumpkins worked together off and on in a variety of other projects. Chamberlin and Iha officially rejoined Corgan under the Smashing Pumpkins banner in 2018, releasing new album Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. in November. Rick Rubin handled production for the new effort, the first time he worked with them since 1998’s Adore. Originally, the album was slated for two 4-song EP releases, but this was changed to pull them both into one 8-song album. The album garnered mixed reviews from critics, with some viewing it as the best of the band members’ recent work, while others felt it was too vast a departure from the band’s sound to please those looking for a true Smashing Pumpkins release.
