CORGAN, BILLY

Personnel: Billy Corgan (vocals, programming); Robert Smith (vocals, guitar); Emilie Autumn (vocals, violin); Jimmy Chamberlin (drums).

Recording information: Pumpkinland, Chicago, Illinois.

THE FUTURE EMBRACE may theoretically be Billy Corgan's debut solo project, but many would contend the lion's share of Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan material was essentially Corgan (as a solo artist) existing within a band unit. Then again, neither of the aforementioned bands found the Chicago native so thoroughly toning down aggressive six-string flights of fancy in favor of shoegazer-like sentiments reminiscent of idols Joy Division and Echo and the Bunnymen. But that was exactly Corgan's intent in enlisting Nitzer Ebb's Bon Harris into the production mix of EMBRACE and emerging with songs steeped in synth-soaked soundscapes.

Always prone to confessional songwriting, the Pumpkins' founding member is no less in therapy mode throughout these dozen songs. The subtle, New Order-like dance vibe of "A100" is dressed in pleas for love, while the clarion grandiosity of "Mina Loy (M.O.H.)" stews in paranoia stoked by modern-day terrorism. Most surprising is how effectively Corgan takes the Bee Gees' major-key smash "To Love Somebody" and transforms it into a minor key goth dirge buttressed by synth washes and a guest vocal by none other than Cure leader Robert Smith.

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