Mary Star of the Sea
Having dramatically misjudged their audience's loyalty to skewed, art-damaged heavy metal, theSmashing Pumpkinscalled it a day shortly after the release of 2000's low-grossingMachina/The Machines of God. Three years later, frontman Billy Corgan returns with an all-star team of mostly Chicago indie rockers at his side, includingSlint/Tortoiseguitarist Dave Pajo, Skunk guitarist Matt Sweeney,A Perfect Circlebassist Paz Lenchantin, and fellow Pumpkin Jimmy Chamberlain on drums. But Zwan has not blunted the singer's flamboyant edge. His bonkers vocal gymnastics and whisper-to-a-scream choruses remain at the black heart ofMary Star of the Sea, as the group works its way through the rich melodies of new classics like "Honestly" and "Endless Summer," and pleasingly shifts into downtempo mood on the gorgeous "Of a Broken Heart" and gripping "Desire." And while Corgan's tendency toward self-indulgence results in the tedious 14-minute "Jesus, I/Mary Star of the Sea," it is just a minor lapse considering the rest of the big, glamorous rock on display here.--Aidin Vaziri