The Smashing Pumpkins defined an era in Chicago music history. During the mid-nineties, Billy Corgan’s outfit was making headlines not just in Chicago, but all over the world. They quickly solidified a loyal fan base and went on to world domination. Their music proved to be perfect for its time, frequently producing hit singles. Corgan, being the mastermind of the band, wrote and recorded most of the guitars, bass and lyrics of the Pumpkins’ releases. After the music scene began to change, the Pumpkins’ fame faded, and consequently Corgan panicked and decided that it was time to kill the band thing.
Alas, this was not going to be the end of Corgan’s music career. He quickly started a side project entitled Zwan, and another a bit later entitled The Future Embrace, although on the day of The Future Embrace’s release date in 2005, Corgan took out an ad in the Chicago Tribune announcing that the Smashing Pumpkins were going to reunite. However, none of the other band members knew of this and only the drummer signed on. So, nearly a decade after the Pumpkins’ original demise, the reformed Smashing Pumpkins album is something completely different. It is a desperate attempt to regain rock & roll status—something Corgan will never cease to chase. It is filled with loopy studio guitars and subject matter that is entirely too contrived for Pumpkins’ material. Attempting to describe the zeitgeist of 2007, this style is unlike Corgan’s spontaneous, attractive virtuoso material of the mid-nineties, and will be judged by the generation it hopes to understand.
release date: Tuesday, July 10, 2007
