Pitchfork is going to destroy this album.

However, I love it. I picked it up yesterday at the store and have played it three times all the way through and it gets better each time. Zwan had some decent songwriting, but it felt like Corgan just wanted to get back into the scene as soon as possible and unfortunately rushed the product.

The Future Embrace is much better. If you're into groups like New Order and Joy Division or enjoy the Adore period of the Smashing Pumpkins, it will sit really well with you. The drums are very 80s-sounding and simple (kick, snare, kick, snare) on this thing, so don't expect some wild Jimmy Chamberlin or Danny Carey acoustic drumfests. Think the tracks Corgan produced for Marianne Faithfull a few years ago.

If you lost interest in the Pumpkins after Siamese Dream, you probably won't like The Future Embrace, but for those who think Corgan made some good moves with his later records, you should check it out.

that Walking Shade song was awful, musically and lyrically. Is the res t of the album like that?

Damn it, I was about to start a thread about this too.

Yeah, this album is a cut above the mostly disappointing Zwan album but not quite as good as SP in their heyday: Siamese Dream, Gish, etc.

Touring with New Order really influenced Corgan's songwriting because TheFutureEmbrace sounds like an ode to their earlier music in the 80's. Heavy synth and retro drums galore which isn't a bad thing to these ears
but I expect so much more from him at this point. I've heard what he's capable of doing and this album doesn't really reflect that. Its almost if he just made this album to see if he could pull it off. There's nothing wrong with it and he's proven here that he can do a good imitiation but it lacks originality and most of all, inspired creativeness.

Highlights: A100, and Mina Hoy.

Machina 3

Someone has got to explain to me what was so disappointing about Zwan. I thought it was great - the best thing he'd done since Siamese Dream, easily, aside from the horrible mastering. Not to mention it was actually upbeat, he didn't sound like he was whining, which freed him from trying to pass off his "poetry" lyrics as anything but a bunch of "teen-angst" crap (which sounds bad as a teen and especially stupid as an adult.)

I loved the first 2 Machina albums, especially #1. In fact, it's probably my favorite SP album along with Adore



I don't understand the amount of hate for Zwan either. It's not something I listen to all the time, but it's fun to listen to Corgan sing happy, upbeat songs for once.

I know, and that's one of the reasons I think you're a tard.

Tard: People who link movie avatars that are too dark to see.

i think the review on pitchfork is pretty bad/good....

how schizophrenic can the reviewer be: i have to rip apart the album, but i can't risk not liking the album....

Good article/interview with Billy in yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times.
He comes off as a lot less egomaniacal than you'd expect -- admits to past mistakes and past boneheadedness with band members. Hell, he even admits to being egomaniacal at times.

No, those are just black people, Limbaugh.

Borg, you can't be serious. this album is a piece of shit attempt. corgan needs to give it up.

I agree stick a fork in him.

I love how spastic that Pitchfork review is. If you can forgive his lyrical badness, it's a kinda good record...I think that's fair, even though I'm not quite sure what that means, exactly. I don't think his words are less faux-poetic than Siamese Dream, especially considering how similar they are to his "real" poetry.

Oddly, I once hated Machina but now I really like it, so maybe the same will happen here.

I can't believe that frikkin' cover.

yep. the cover needs to be added to the pantheon of worst cover art of the year.

I saw this in a Sunday paper circular, and nearly blew coffee out of my nose. Bad, bad cover.

See people, I'm not the only one who likes Machina!

I can't believe this got a better rating on Pitchfork than The Screaming Trees.

i am a huge smashing pumpkins fan, however this new album is JUNK in my opinion. i know corgan can do ALOT better then this.

everything after adore (which is mediocre at best) has been downhill. and its not because of the "electronica" touch to these albums...