‘Zwan’
Disillusionment, disappointment and dissatisfaction.
Anyone who knows a lick about the last decade in music is used to associating these feelings with Billy Corgan. As the front man of the Smashing Pumpkins, the songwriter made a lucrative career out of identifying with the angst of America’s teens and, in so doing, relieving them from it.
Upon the release of “Zwan,” Corgan’s latest project, however, the bald-headed “zero” isn’t the one singing the blues — it’s his die-hard fans.
READ: That’s not to say the record sucks. In fact, it’s quite the opposite; since Corgan wrote and co-produced the whole thing, each track is drenched with the classic Pumpkins sound and musical complexity that made fans fall in love with his music in the first place.
The only potential letdown, in fact, could be the fact that it’s too similar to the past. Those looking for a reinvention or dramatic change will be disappointed to find that much of the instrumentation and music theory are almost exactly the same as before. Those hoping for yet another trip into the depths of Corgan’s tortured soul, however, will also be disappointed – “Zwan” is, more or less, a Pumpkins record on Prozac.
It’s clear even before listening that the young, hopeless (if not pathetic) romantic in Corgan is still alive and well. With songs like “Of a Broken Heart,” “Endless Summer,” “Baby Let’s Rock!” and “Desire,” reading the track names on the back of the CD is a lot like reading through the titles of a high school girl’s journal entries.
But the romance is different now. The self-deprecating, bitter-voiced melancholy that fueled “Mellon Collie” and “Adore” is gone. In its place is a “let’s take a ride in the convertible and make out behind the baseball field” love of life. More zealous listeners may find themselves barefoot in the front lawn, blowing the fuzzies off a dandelion and sipping lemonade before the record’s end.
The happiness begins right away with the opening track. Fast-paced, exciting and optimistic, “Lyric” is the song to have cued up in the car April 23 for the drive home after your last final. The same goes for “Settle Down” and “Honestly,” the record’s first radio single. Despite a few bland tunes (“Zwan” gets pretty repetitious toward the middle), the whole record is similar to those three: upbeat as ever, yet uncharacteristically chipper.
Then comes “Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea.” Clocking in at 14:04, “Jesus” makes it obvious Corgan hasn’t lost his penchant for the grandiose, God-seeking opus. After five or six poppy tunes, the momentarily ethereal song is a refreshing reminder that Corgan is as much a composer as he is a rocker.
Upon first listen, “Zwan” comes off as nothing more than the Pumpkins’ front man trying (in vain) not to sound like himself. But give it a few run-throughs, and it’s obvious the songwriter has returned from his sabbatical a bit more mature, a bit more comfortable and a bit happier. It may take some getting used to, but if Zwan’s debut record is any indication of what’s to come, we’ve certainly not heard the last great screams from Corgan.
— Review by Peter Celauro
February 06, 2003
