Smashing Pumpkins Drop Gospel-Infused Ballad ‘Knights of Malta’
Song serves as opening track on the Stern Show guests’ Nov. 16 album “Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun”
November 8, 2018
Smashing Pumpkins are back—and this time they brought violins, a piano, and some gospel-style vocals.
The band has dropped “Knights of Malta,” the opening track off their so-close-you-can-smell-it album “Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun.”
Reminiscent perhaps of the rockers’ earlier ballads like “Tonight, Tonight” and “Thirty-Three,” the Rick Rubin-produced song (above) features an assortment of strings and unexpected backing vocals. It also, of course, boasts contributions from Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha, and Jeff Schroeder, who kicked off their band’s 30th anniversary reunion tour in June with a stop at the Stern Show where they opened up about what went into getting the Pumpkins back together and previewed some of their new material for Howard and his listeners.
“Knights of Malta” is one of several tunes Smashing Pumpkins has released ahead of its new album, following “Solara” and “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts).” The band’s tour continues later this month in Madison, Wis., and concludes at the Forum in Los Angeles on Dec. 8.
Smashing Pumpkins’ new album “Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun” arrives on Nov. 16. Listen to “Knights of Malta” (above).
