The problem with supergroups constructed from bits and pieces of other bands is that they often end up with the least essential component of the original—bringing with them the name association, but rarely the creativity, of their former group. Zwan is a band in this vein, bringing Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin (Smashing Pumpkins), Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle) and David Pajo (Slint/Tortoise) together with less than outstanding results.
Zwan’s Mary Star of the Sea is a showcase for former Pumpkins’ songwriter Corgan, who wrote and produced the album in addition to singing and playing guitar. The album takes a more straightforward and accessible pop approach than the Pumpkins ever did, churning out choruses and melodies meant to embed themselves in your head. The problem is they’re all too damn mediocre to make much of an impression.
Some of the tracks that sound less like the others: “Honestly” features harmonized vocals from Corgan and Lenchantin set against the ever-present drone of his flanger pedal (you know, the one with that whooshing sound that sounds like an airplane taking off). “Broken Heart” finds Corgan sounding as heartfelt and sincere as he possibly can with his high-pitched, whiny voice as acoustic guitars and strings play on softly. The 15-minute “Jesus/Mary Star of the Sea,” with its gradual build from a simple riff to a full-on wall of guitar, is reminiscent of Pumpkins-type rock. It might be the best song on the album if it ended 10 minutes earlier, but instead it drags on, losing its immediacy and purpose somewhere along its 14 minute running time.
The album just seems to meander from one forgettable song to the next with little distinction among them, save that some songs have a heavier guitar sound and some a softer one—with the occasional acoustic track to mix it up. And while Chamberlin’s oft-uptempo drumming is able to punch through the guitar-laden sound, Lenchantin’s bass is all but buried beneath two guitars and Corgan’s vocals. Mary may be the star of the sea, but Corgan makes sure you know he’s the star of the band, with his vocals and guitar work clearly at the fore of the fray.
While largely forgettable, there are brief flashes on the album where Corgan makes you hate him for not choosing a better comeback vehicle to front after the Pumpkins, or at least fading quietly into obscurity. Instead, what we get are songs like the cringe-inducingly titled “Baby Let’s Rock!” where the mediocre power-pop wannabe posturing makes lyrics like “Baby, I’m the greatest thing you’ve got” seem all the more galling. Need more evidence? How about the “Whatever I can do, I will, ‘cuz I’m good like that” chorus on “Settle Down”? Is this really all that the creative force behind albums like Siamese Dream and Gish can muster to prove he’s still relevant?
Zwan’s Mary Star of the Sea can be seen as a shaky first step back by a former rock god getting back on his feet after the end of one epoch in his musical career, or as a step toward a future VH1-type musical melodrama, depending on how much credit and/or time you’re willing to give Corgan to develop his latest pet project. While it may be too early to rule out one of rock’s most innovative and enduring frontmen, be sure to keep your VCRs ready.
