Absence of melody
The overall tone of most of TheFutureEmbrace is decidedly downbeat and brooding. It is no surprise that Robert Smith of the Cure shows up as a guest. Downbeat and brooding is not a problem in itself. After all, Corgan's original group Smashing Pumpkins raised melancholia to a stunning art form. What Corgan seems to forget on his own is that one of the driving forces in the beauty of the Pumpkins music was the sense of melody that allowed songs such as "Disarm," "Tonight, Tonight," and "1979" to worm their way deep into one's musical consciousness. The intense electronic fuzz blooming through much of TheFutureEmbrace seems designed to hide the fact that these songs, for the most part, are simply not very memorable.
Bright spots too few and far between
There are highlights here. "All Things Change" kicks off the album in fine form with swirling guitar and synths, Corgan's inimitable voice, and a confidence that "we can change the world." A cover of the Bee Gees pop nugget "To Love Somebody," featuring the Cure's Robert Smith, is gorgeous emerging from a thick electronic haze due to the original song's bedrock pop melody. "I'm Ready" brims with a spiritual confidence to embrace the future.
Unfortunately, too many songs are weak enough that they get lost in the dense electronic swirl. "Mina Loy (M.O.H.)" kicks off with a Kraftwerk-inspired beat but ultimately seems static and lacking in direction. "A100" positively drowns in a fuzzy dance beat that buries the song instead of enhancing it. By the end of the album there are far too few songs that inspire repeated listening.
Return of the Pumpkins?
Multiple times Billy Corgan has implied or even insisted that Smashing Pumpkins would never reunite. In a fascinating turn of events, the release of TheFutureEmbrace was accompanied by a statement in Corgan's hometown newspaper The Chicago Tribune that "revisiting" Smashing Pumpkins was on his personal agenda. A return of the group would be a welcome occurrence. Billy Corgan's voice is still one of the most unique in popular music, and his tendency to embrace grandiose musical statements has resulted in a number of breathtaking recordings. We will patiently await Corgan's next efforts.
