Smashing Expectations

This is a song for a bald guy.

Between departing members, albums of dubious quality, and frontman Billy Corgan’s constant drama, one need look no further for musical drama these days than the (current and former) members of The Smashing Pumpkins. But sometimes, even the worst rainstorm leaves blooming flowers in its wake. Or something like that.

At least, that’s the thought that today’s Pumpkins-related news leaves me with. With their respective projects solidifying, Corgan and former drummer Jimmy Chamberlin can now settle down to doing what they do best: Cranking out some good music.

Corgan and the new Pumpkins, as you may remember, announced the gradual online release of a free 44-track album a couple of months back, to be entitled Teargarden by Kaleidyscope. Today, the band made the first track from that album – called “A Song for a Son” – available for your listening pleasure. And, surprisingly, it’s good. Really good. As in, easily the best rock-based song that they’ve released since Mellon Collie. If the band can keep up this level of quality, I’ll be eagerly awaiting each and every new release.

Chamberlin, meanwhile, has been working behind the scenes on a new project of his own. Though the band name (”This”) may be cliche in that awful, hipster-ironic sense, it’s Chamberlin’s description of their style – “progressive, symphonic pop” – that sets my hopes alight. Can we expect a project in the style of, say, Transatlantic or IQ? I certainly hope so, as the guy definitely has the chops to pull off some amazing things on his drum kit.

Will these projects pan out as they – and we – hope they will? Maybe. In the meantime, let’s just sit back, put “Song for a Son” on repeat for a bit, and try to forget about what James Iha has been doing recently.