ZWAN

People bounce back. After splitting up the Smashing Pumpkins in 2000 Billy Corgan grew himself a ridiculous goatie-beard, decided upon a ridiculous band name and assembled a group of musicians that looked ridiculously like his old band. Not content with Jimmy Chamberlain look-a-like, er, Jimmy Chamberlain on drums Corgan also recruited an ethnic guitarist, David Pajo, and a petite female bassist, Paz Lenchantin (who also plays in another supergroup - A Perfect Circle). If it weren't for the presence of a third guitarist, Matt Sweeney, Corgan would probably be committed for obsessive self-delusion. When this news hit the streets critics (myself included) sharpened their knives and Pumpkins fans (myself also included) wrung their hands in an embarrassed despair. Amazingly, and completely unexpectedly, this album is the best Corgan has put his name to since his mid-nineties masterpiece Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Needless to say, Billy Corgan has had the last laugh. There are many reasons why this is miles better than the Pumpkins' MACHINA swansong (including the production and toned-down pretentiousness) but the main reason is the fact that Billy Corgan has finally remembered how to write songs again. You don't concentrate on grating industrial synthesisers, sub Nine Inch Nails gothic guitar riffs and grunge-afflicted "oh woe is me" lyrics. You sit yourself down and you pen a substantial batch of instantly memorable hooks. One thing that this album brings to light is that it was less a case of Corgan's diminishing talent causing the Pumpkins' decline as the growing constraints and baggage of being in the Smashing Pumpkins dragging down Corgan's ability. Free from stylistic limitations and narrow-minded expectations Corgan was finally able to express himself as he wanted to. No longer does he need to pander to the cynical grunge crowd with miserable lyrics and the Nirvana-patented loud-quiet dynamics. Instead, what we have is what Siamese Dream always wanted to be - a vibrant, joyful celebration of classic rock. Despite the alternative credentials of the musicians (Pajo was an original member of Slint) there is nothing at all alternative about this record. Furthermore, there is no reason why this cannot be a reasonable commercial success (although Corgan has somewhat lost his clout) given at least half of the songs on here are crammed with great melodies. To be honest, I was not taken with the initial single "Honestly" (and I'm still not a great fan) but if you are mistaken into thinking that is the best Corgan has to offer then you got another thing coming. The opening three songs all contain fantastic hooks, increasing in quality as the record progresses. There's the "a lyric, a time, a crusade, a line" hook on the opening "Lyric", accentuated by Lenchantin's sweet harmonies. "Settle Down" features the brilliant "seven years, seven days, seven hours" hook and the "I got no money..." hook on the following "Declarations of Faith" tops the lot. The album also features one further superlative melodic rocker (and perhaps the best song overall) in the form of the playful "Endless Summer". One thing I do have to say, though, is that whilst a happy Corgan may write better songs he certainly don't write better lyrics. I know I was never a great admirer of the Pumpkins' lyrics but at least they did the job. Some of the lyrics on this album are downright atrocious - "baby, you're the greatest thing I've got, in a good way, I suppose" (the equally stupidly titled "Baby Let's Rock") being a case in point. Still, the tone of this album means the lyrics are almost entirely relegated to the background. My only real criticism (and why I ain't giving out the 9*) is that, yet again for the umpteenth time in his career, Corgan has put too much filler on. A ten-song 45 minute album would have been the icing on the cake but, alas, the likes of "El Sol" (a needless rewrite of the mediocre "The Sacred and Profane" from MACHINA), the silly "Baby Let's Rock" and the pretty bad, all things considered, duo of "Yeah!" and "Desire" really let the side down. The album is not all melodic rock, though, and, as well as a couple of decent ballads - "Of a Broken Heart" and "Heartsong", Corgan lets his pretentious side out once again for the thirteen minute title track. In fact it begins as an atmospheric appropriation of a traditional gospel (I presume) song "Jesus,I" before escalating into the "Mary Star of the Sea" section which is essentially ten minutes of guitar soloing. Thankfully, it comes across as perfectly successful, as opposed to monotonously pretentious, and further proof that, against all odds (to quote another bald man), Corgan has still got "it". Who really knows what Corgan's long term plans are and whether they involve Zwan or not but, for the moment, we can be thankful that he finally, and after seven years of trying, made the right career choice. It is also refreshing to see a nineties icon successfully creating new glories, instead of just reliving old ones. I always did have faith in him.

From: Brendan

So...you'd prefer a muddy collection of watered down mediocre 'jams' with what seem to be the lyrics of a 15 year old, bound together by something that resembles a Church of Christ leaflet, over a 73 minute epic concept album encompassing the best aspects of the greatest alt-grunge band of the 90's? Please, tell me you're joking. Email me back and say it was all a hoax, and that Zwan's album, in your eyes, isn't worth an 8. Please! Better still, raise the rating of Machina by 4...Then you'll be somewhere near the mark.
You write very well, but your once-keen ear for songwriting mastery and lyrical depth must have been blocked by the current blandness of the mainstream. If Machina, in your opinion, isn't worth at least 3 more than Mary Star Of The Sea, you are either writing your reviews from the bottom of the ocean or simply no longer have any idea what you're talking about.
By the way, excellent review of Joy Division's Closer.

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