- TheFutureEmbrace
Infobox Album | Name = TheFutureEmbrace
Type =Album
Artist =Billy Corgan
Released =21 June 2005
Recorded = October 2004 - March 2005
Genre =Alternative rock
Length = 45:21
Label =Reprise Records
Producer =Billy Corgan
andBon Harris
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wianqj6eojda link]
*Drowned In Sound (4/10) [http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/12674.html link]
*Pitchfork (6.4/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/16517/Billy_Corgan_The_Future_Embrace 20 Jun 05]
*PopMatters (3/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/c/corganbilly-future.shtml 19 Jul 05]
*Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau|dud [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Billy+Corgan link]
*"Rolling Stone " Rating|2.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/7396368/billycorgan?pageid=rs.ReviewsAlbumArchive&pageregion=mainRegion 20 Jun 05]
*Ultimate Guitar (9.3/10) [http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/compact_discs/billy_corgan/the_future_embrace/index.html link]
Last album =
This album = "TheFutureEmbrace"
(2005)
Next album ="TheFutureEmbrace" is the first, and, thus far, only solo album by
Billy Corgan , ofThe Smashing Pumpkins andZwan . Released in June 2005, the album's sound was markedly different than most of Corgan's earlier work, eschewing his characteristic "drums, bass, (and) big-guitars sound" in favor of an electronic sound punctuated with heavily distorted guitar parts reminiscent ofshoegazing .Corgan, Billy. "Blue Room Interview, Part I." Recorded 2005. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neC8TzeR0tg]Overview
"TheFutureEmbrace"'s instrumentation and programming were mainly performed by Corgan and
Bon Harris ofNitzer Ebb . There is an absence of live drums, and guitar overdubs are kept to a minimum. Typically, each song on the album has only one guitar part throughout, with little to no use of rhythm guitars. Regarding the atypical sound of the album, Corgan remarked,The album also features a collaboration with
The Cure lead singer Robert Smith on a cover of theBee Gees ' song "To Love Somebody", while "DIA" features electronic drums played by Corgan's longtime creative foil, Smashing Pumpkins drummerJimmy Chamberlin , as well as the violin and backing voice ofEmilie Autumn .Also of note is the cover art and booklet photography, by
P.R. Brown , which focuses on parts of Corgan's body that he has traditionally and publicly been ashamed of, most notably theport-wine stain that covers his left hand and much of his left arm, and his poorly aligned teeth."TheFutureEmbrace" was Corgan's second album to be largely recorded at his Pumpkinland studio, the first being the 1995 Smashing Pumpkins album "
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness ".Promotion
In the lead-up to the album, Corgan generated considerable attention when he started publishing an autobiography, [http://billycorgan.livejournal.com/tag/confessions "The Confessions of Billy Corgan"] , on his website, piece-by-piece. The postings are notable for Corgan's candor regarding his family, personal relationships, and activity during different eras of The Smashing Pumpkins. Corgan updated the Confessions on a frequent basis, but after posting an entry titled "Following the Moon (1974)" on
July 1 2005, the entries stopped.The album was preceded by the release of a single and music video release of "
Walking Shade ". In addition, "A100" was played by several radio stations prior to the album's release, includingWKQX andWXRT of Chicago. Corgan, with his touring band, performed "Mina Loy (M.O.H.)" onLate Show with David Letterman the day before the album's release. Corgan also appeared onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno , and played "ToLoveSomebody."Those who pre-ordered the album from the iTunes store received a bonus track from the TheFutureEmbrace recording sessions, "Tilt." "Tilt" was also included on the Target retail stores exclusive release, Red Room Vol. 4.
Billy Corgan, with Matt Walker,
Brian Liesegang , andLinda Strawberry , embarked on a club tour in support of the album in the summer of 2005.Reception
"TheFutureEmbrace"'s critical and commercial reception was mixed. The album was released amid a fairly high degree of buzz, particularly in Corgan's hometown, Chicago.
Jim DeRogatis of theChicago Sun-Times said the album represented Corgan's "most distinctive and consistent music." [DeRogatis, Jim. "Ready for love on 'Embrace'" Chicago Sun-Times:19 June 2005 . Showcase, Page 6.] To punctuate the importance of the release date, Corgan also took out full-page ads in the Sun-Times and theChicago Tribune promoting the album and announcing his intention to reform the Smashing Pumpkins, even going so far as to say that "TheFutureEmbrace" "picks up the thread of the as-of-yet-unfinished work of the Smashing Pumpkins." [Corgan, Billy. "A Message to Chicago From Billy Corgan" (Advertisement) Chicago Sun-Times:21 June 2005 . Page A49.] Despite these efforts, it charted at #89 in the UK and peaked at #31 in the U.S., beneath Corgan's usual chart successes. As of February 2006, the album's domestic sales were a mere 69,000 units sold. [cite web | author=| date=| title=Smashing Pumpkins Reunite... Sort Of | format=http | work=Pitchfork Media | url=http://pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/35839/Smashing_Pumpkins_Reunite_Sort_Of#35839 | accessdate=2007-05-14]Track listing
"All songs written by Billy Corgan except where noted."
# "All Things Change" – 3:59
# "Mina Loy (M.O.H.)" – 3:53
# "TheCameraEye" – 3:04
# "To Love Somebody" (ft. Robert Smith ofThe Cure ) (Barry Gibb ,Robin Gibb ) – 4:00
# "A100" – 4:23
# "DIA" (ft.Jimmy Chamberlin &Emilie Autumn ) – 4:20
# "Now (And Then)" – 4:43
# "I'm Ready" – 3:44
# "Walking Shade " – 3:14
# "Sorrows (In Blue)" – 2:48
# "Pretty, Pretty Star" – 3:46
# "Strayz" – 3:31;Bonus track
#- "Tilt" (
iTunes exclusive)Chart position
Album
Personnel
*
Billy Corgan - vocals, guitar, programming, producer, mixing
*Bon Harris - programming, producer
*Bjorn Thorsrud - producer, mixing, engineer
*Brian Liesegang - additional programming
*Matt Walker - additional programming
*Robert Smith - additional vocals and guitar on "ToLoveSomebody"
*Paul P-Dub Walton - recording of Robert Smith's parts
*Jimmy Chamberlin - drums on "DIA"
*Emilie Autumn - additional vocals and violin on "DIA"
*Alan Moulder - mixing
*Nikola Dokic - assistant engineer
*Dave Reiley - assistant engineer
*Todd Brodie - assistant engineer
*John Maschoff - assistant engineer
*Ron Lowe - mix engineer
*Howie Weinberg - mastering
*Roger Lian - final digital editing
*P.R. Brown - photography and designNotes
External links
* [http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2674472?htv=12&htv=12/ The Future Embrace Short Film]
- "Tilt" (
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.