TheFutureEmbrace

Posted on June 21st, 2005 @ 8:54 PM EST

TheFutureEmbrace

Billy Corgan’s debut solo album “TheFutureEmbrace” was released today. It contains 11 songs that were written by Billy as well as a cover of the pre-disco Bee Gees classic “To Love Somebody” with Robert Smith of the Cure on backing vocals. Jimmy Chamberlin, the former drummer of the Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, also adds electronic percussion to the song “DIA” and it’s good to see that they are still working together.

The album contains a nice mix of songs that are similar to the Smashing Pumpkins, which is no surprise since he was the driving musical force behind the band. The majority of the songs have a futuristic, electronic style and a few are sing-songy melodies. My favorites are Pretty, Pretty Star, All Things Change, The CameraEye, and Walking Shade. I especially like Walking Shade which was the first single from the album. This song has a lot of meaning because he sings about how his old bandmates from Zwan used him and how he was a “shade” or helping hand for them.

Billy’s really done a lot to help promote his new album. He had a contest which gave away a pair of tickets to any one of his shows on his North American tour for the person who refers the most amount of visitors to his website; he played “Mina Loy (M.O.H.)” on the Late Show with David Letterman last night; he appeared on WGN Morning News this morning; he had a release party for TheFutureEmbrace at the Alder Planetarium in Chicago tonight; and he also ran a full-page ad in today’s Chicago Tribune.

The Smashing Pumpkins have been my favorite band for the past 12 years ever since they released Siamese Dream, which is my favorite album of all-time. I was really disappointed when they broke up back in 2000 then when I heard Billy was putting together a new band, Zwan, I had high hopes for them. They didn’t really come close to the Smashing Pumpkins and had only released one album before they broke up. It’s great to see that Billy is back again and on his own (at least for now). In his ad in the Chicago Tribune today, he stated that he’s made plans to revive the Smashing Pumpkins and is breathing new life into an old dream. What great news!!!

For a year now I have walked around with a secret, a secret I chose to keep. But now I want you to be the first to know that I have made plans to renew and revive The Smashing Pumpkins. I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams. In this desire I feel I have come home again.

This was a bit of a shocker since he was quoted as saying “you won’t see the four Smashing Pumpkins onstage again” to MTV news about two months ago. Way to go Billy! I could not be happier with his decision and I really look forward to what the future beholds of the Smashing Pumpkins.

Posted in Music