Looking back over former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan's back catalogue it's clear the grunge overlord has been going round with a chip on his shoulder his whole musical career. From 1991's semi-formed 'Gish', through anthemic grungeathon 'Siamese Dream', to overwrought metal opus 'Melon Collie And The Infinite Sadness', Corgan always appeared stuck under the weight of his own portentousness.
Add to this the charge of his former (short-lived) manager Sharon Osbourne that despite being hugely talented, he also had an attitude problem - a "baldy twat in a dress", she curtly described him as. Still let's face it Corgan's stroppy darkness was always what made the Smashing Pumpkins such an incendiary live band and infused their records with an almighty resonance.
So, after calling time on the Pumpkins in 2000, it is worrying to find out that his new band Zwan are positively, well, happy. Naturally the Corgan snarl is still there but the mood is upbeat. Crucially, he has brought Pumpkin sticksmith Jimmy Chamberlain along for this less tormented ride and his presence is felt all over the album. Meanwhile, his two guitarists David Pajo and Matt Sweeney don't power chord their way through the fourteen tracks, but merely noodle in a friendly indie rock way.
Surprisingly, the results are also positive. Opener 'Lyric' is a confident sun baked mini-epic, which actually comes closest to replicating his former band. The rest of the album comes scarily near to ripping off New Order, who he briefly toured with last year. Tracks like 'Honestly' and 'El Sol' could quite easily have been culled from the Mancunians recent comeback album 'Get Ready'. And when has Corgan ever used lines like "Your love, that's all I wanted"? There's even room for some charming strings on the soppy but wonderfully melodious ballad 'Of A Broken Heart'. Standout track though is eight-minute guitar mash-up 'Jesus I/Mary Star Of The Sea'.
Zwan haven't come close to knocking 'Siamese Dream' from its lofty perch, but this debut shows Corgan is not only a talented multi-dimensional character with a finely tuned ear for harmonies. It also contradicts the old adage about rock stars growing up. It seems Corgan may be comfortable with his elder statesman status, and frankly, it suits him.
