Schizophrenic as they were, Smashing Pumpkins were an awesome band. Whether rockin’ the stomp boxes, swooning to string sections, or masquerading as a character in a vaudevillian goth opera, lead Pumpkin’s Billy Corgan always delivered catchy and soulful songs. I wasn’t a big fan of his follow-up group Zwan, it seemed too much like a Smashing Pumpkins tribute act. With his debut solo album, Corgan explores the new wave sound that began to creep into the final days of his first band. Icy synths and snappy drum boxes make a delicious pairing with grumbly bass and Cure-ish guitar swirls. And hey, Robert Smith himself even makes a guest appearance, as if passing the torch to the new rightful heir of gloomy modernica. On a Bee-Gee’s cover, no less! Although the instrumentation may be more reserved and stand-offish than Corgan’s previous raw alternative rock, his heart is still fully exposed and bleeding. Belying his vampiric image of the past few years are the most hopeful and dreamy passages he’s penned, which makes for an emotional and satisfying listen.

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