June 21st, 2005 by Shopping Bag

Time to embrace The Future Embrace

future-embrace.jpgFIRST LISTEN
It’s been about one hour since I bought The Future Embrace and I can hardly sit still. Being a huge Billy Corgan fan from way back, I have been anticipating this solo record for a long time. I know, I know: Corgan recorded most of Siamese Dream himself, blah, blah blah. That is true, but Future Embrace is his first REAL solo record.

The tone of the album, the sonic textures, are an extension of the sounds Corgan pursued in latter day albums with the Pumpkins and Zwan but with some welcomed new directions as well. It’s both refreshing and comforting to listen to this record.

SECOND LISTEN
Corgan covers “To Love Somebody” by the Bee Gees with Robert Smith on backup, and it has to be one of the most interesting tracks on the album. This is no straight cover though, as Corgan adds his own flair and flavor to the track and makes it both reflective and representative. It’s like when I sing to myself sometimes – sure it’s somebody else’s words, but the message of the song seems to be about me and my life so I add a word or line that personalizes the song a bit.

I have thought this since the first time I heard them, but “Mina Loy (M.O.H.)” and “DIA” are definitely standouts on the album. I still can’t get the hook to “Mina” out of my head. “Walking Shade” is also a standout thanks in part to its New Order-ish sound and catchy hooks.

For Corgan fans, I would have to say this is a fine piece of work in Mr. Corgan’s expansive catalog. For Mr. Corgan himself, I’d have to say that this album was probably exactly what he needed (based on the introspection weaved throughout the album’s lyrics, he had a lot of stuff on his mind.)

For Pumpkins fans, this may not be your cup of tea. But that is okay because Pitchfok reports that Billy took out a full page ad in some Chicago newspaper asking the band members to forgive and forget so they can get back together. And that, my friends, would be wicked awesome.

Posted in: Album Review | Posted by: Shopping Bag