"Cyr" is the eleventh studio album by American alternative rock band the Smashing Pumpkins. It was released on 27 November 2020 through Sumerian Records and was produced by band leader Billy Corgan. The album adopts a synth-pop-oriented sound and was preceded by the release of ten songs as five double A-side singles. Its release was accompanied by the five-part animated series "In Ashes", written by Corgan and directed by Mike Anderson, with each episode serving as the official video for one of the album's tracks.
Following the release of "Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." (2018), the Smashing Pumpkins toured in support of the album while beginning work on new material. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin stated that he and Corgan began planning the musical direction of "Cyr" in early 2019, with Corgan presenting a large number of song ideas before the final selection was made. In early 2020, Corgan confirmed that a new album was being recorded and described it as the first extensive collaboration between himself, James Iha and Chamberlin since "Machina/The Machines of God" (2000).
"Cyr" marked a stylistic shift towards synth-pop. Corgan stated that he aimed to create music with a more contemporary sound while continuing to approach songwriting from a progressive perspective. Chamberlin said that songs were selected according to how well they suited the album's overall concept.
Unlike its predecessor, which was produced by Rick Rubin, "Cyr" was self-produced by Corgan. During production he experimented with contemporary recording techniques and software while drawing inspiration from artists such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sisters of Mercy and Joy Division. The band members recorded their usual instrumental parts, while Corgan recorded the synthesiser parts. Backing vocals were provided by Sierra Swan and touring member Katie Cole. Chamberlin stated that his drum sound was influenced by early 1970s progressive rock.
"Cyr" was released digitally, on CD and on vinyl on 27 November 2020. The album was promoted by a countdown campaign on the band's website before the release of the first single. Between August and November 2020, the band issued five double A-side singles: "Cyr" / "The Colour of Love", "Confessions of a Dopamine Addict" / "Wrath", "Anno Satana" / "Birch Grove", "Ramona" / "Wyttch", and "Purple Blood" / "Dulcet in E". Three music videos and the five-part animated series "In Ashes" were also released as part of the promotional campaign.
The band had planned to begin the Rock Invasion 2 tour after completing the album, but the tour was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic also required the music video for "Cyr" to be produced remotely.
The title track was later used to promote the National Wrestling Alliance events "Back For The Attack" and "PowerrrSurge", both produced by the organisation under the ownership of Billy Corgan.
"Cyr" received mixed reviews from critics. Review aggregator Metacritic assigned the album a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 19 reviews, while AnyDecentMusic? gave it an average score of 5.9 out of 10 based on 26 reviews.
Critical responses varied. NME considered the album an improvement over Corgan's previous work released under the Smashing Pumpkins name, while The Guardian described it as a demanding, synthesiser-driven listening experience. Rolling Stone criticised its emphasis on electro-pop and new wave influences, arguing that the extensive use of synthesisers made it resemble a Billy Corgan solo album more than a band recording. The Quietus praised the album's atmosphere and production but suggested that its lengthy running time resulted in limited sonic variety.
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