The Smashing Pumpkins have released their new album, “Monuments to an Elegy.”  “Monuments to an Elegy” is Smashing Pumpkins’ ninth album and in it, vocalist Billy Corgan and guitarist Jeff Schroeder team up with Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee on drums.

“Monuments to an Elegy” is the band’s first album since “Oceania” in 2012.  The short new album features nine songs, all but one come in short of four minutes, and the full album is just over 30 minutes.

Billy Corgan brought in drummer Tommy Lee, who gives the album a crisp feel, without drowning out the rest of the band. Most of the songs in the album had a surprising amount of digital sounds other than the keyboard to keep the beat, but it really fits in well with the tone of the songs.

With only nine songs, the band had to come up with some good material for the album to be a success, and they did just that.  My personal favorites from the album are “Monuments,” “Run2Me,” and the single, “Drum + Fife.”  Other singles in the album include, “Being Beige,” and “One and All (We Are).”

“Monuments to an Elegy” has received positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Some are even calling it some of Corgan’s best work. Overall, “Monuments to an Elegy” is a solid album and with the singles released on the album, you can get a feel for the music without buying the whole thing.