Future Embrace, The - Corgan, Billy > Reviews > If this is the future, I'm not looking forward

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Weak
Value for Money	Poor

Advantages:	four great songs
Disadvantages:	8 not so great songs

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Released in 2005 this album was the first we heard from Billy Corgan since Zwan in around 2002. It was much anticipated and I had really looked forward to its release

Track One - All Things Change

A interetsing sing. Very original, techno stylings and some very dark guitaring in amongst well sung lyrics. You're sort of reminded of Smashing Pumpkin's Adore but there is a strong feling that something is missing. 3.5/5

Track Two - Mina Loy (M.O.H)

I love the was this song starts. Some steady repetitive drums, really industrial sounding guitarthen Corgan's whiney voice ripping in. "The sirens call outside..." really seems to fit the guitar. The construction of the song is great I like the steady build to the chorus and the different changes of tempo to and from the darker bridge. I love the guitar in this song especially in the chorus. It's rich and full sounding not just simple power-chords. The ending is also blissful and a great climax. 4.5/5

Track Three - The CameraEye

My favourite sing on the album. More techno stylings. Two bass guitars provide the music and what and original piece it is. The singing is slow and sporadic at first and the bass it is beautiful and enthralling. The lyrics are supreme. The song then becomes more upbeat, the bass speads up and the drums enter with a light but satisfying beat; the singing becomes continuous and is so easy to listen to. One of my favourite songs of all time. 5/5

Track Four - TOLOVESOMEBODY

A Bee Gees cover; Robert Smith of the Cure appears on this track, providing backing vocals. I don't like the music this song. A pretty pathetic and slow drumbeat that any fool could have put together. This is a very vocal song and I don't think Corgan ha dthe voice to pull it off and he didn't make up for it with great music like he usually does.2/5

Track Five - A100

A nice groovy drum intro. The music is rythmic, bassy and atmospheric. It then becomes lighter and the change takes away from the song. The lyrics are abit weak on this song and the overall construction leaves much to be admired. A song I think should have had alot more time spent on it. 2.5/5

Track Six - DIA

Jimmy Chamberlain here playing the repetitive but really enjoyable and appropriate drumming here. The drumming goes so well with teh song, a song that opens with a interesting dark rythmic guitar in the background that is very original and very much a trademark on this album. The violin provides so much emotion in this song and unlike ToLoveSomebody this song is perfect for Corgan's voice a sad and beautiful song. A tribute to the great duet that is Corgan and Chamberlain. 4/5

Track Seven - Now (And Then)

Alot of instrumental parts in this song that are frankly sub standard. You can sort of see what he's trying to do creating a sort of calm ambiance but it doesn't seem to work. The lyrics are weak and unimaginative. The bass rythim dull. The chorus annoys me and the whiney guitar in parts seems unnecessary. 1/5

Track Eight - I'm Ready

He's clearly very ready in this song. He says it over and over and over and over again. There are precious few other lyrics. The music is very similar to Now (And then) it really isn't a song you want to listen to. There's nothing about it attractive. How can a song with so little variance go on for almost 4 minutes? 1/5

Track Nine - Walking Shade

The only song released as a single from this album I think. I love the way it opens the gradual build of that forlorn guitaring. The music has something more to it than the last few. The drumming is substantive and really cathcy beat you like to move to. The overall construction is great, I love the unespected vocal intrusion of "Look" at one point. The vocal distortion and the lyrics are so well suited for each other. A really great song. 4.5/5

Track Ten - Sorrows (In Blue)

Very similar to Now (and then) musically. The singing and lyrics is somewhat better. The bippityboppity style of singing contrasts awkwardly with the darker, heavier cry of 'sorrow'. 2/5

Track Eleven - Pretty, Pretty Star

The rythm of the singing seems sort of Japanese and best suited to some Dick VanDyke children's film. It then becomes abit more solemn unexpectantly and yet again awkwardly, seeming really out of place. Yet again the variation in music from Now (And Then) and Sorrow. There is a nice guitar solo at the end that sounds sort of distant and accompanied by a nice drum beat you wish it was in a better song. 2.5/5

Track Twelve - Strayz

A slow song, no real music, just Billy singing.Ultimatey forgettable. 1/5

Four great songs on an album of rubbish B-sides. I was disappointed by this album. Alot of the songs were so substandard, not alot of thought seemed to be put in to them. The songs that are on it that are good are REALLY good, a really original sound and style of guitar that I think Corgan should have spent more time developing. I spent £11 on it, I really don't think it was worth it but for the great songs that are on it I wouldn't have left it out of my album collection. The album book has alot of self-indulgent pictures of a seemingly naked Corgan (you only see him from the shoulders up) posing 

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Walking Shade promotional video image