Smashing Pumpkins bad boy and musical whiz-kid Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin have teamed up with Paz Lenchantin (of A Perfect Circle), David Pajo (guitarist of Slint) and Matt Sweeney after the demise of the Pumpkins three years ago to form Zwan. A comparison to the Pumpkins is inevitable, especially with Corgan’s unmistakeable whiney voice on vocals. But where the Pumpkins often revelled in angry, pompous rock of epic proportions, on Mary Star of the Sea (Gallo) Zwan tone down the mood and produce a welcome brand of warm, happy, guitar-heavy pop-rock. Written and produced by Corgan, one gets the feeling that Zwan is a labour of love. The instrumentation is rich and textured, layers of guitar hooks and drum beats supporting Corgan’s strong, confident lyrics. It’s much more robust than the popular, predictable radio rock of Nickelback, Creed and their ilk. Tracks like Honestly, Endless Summer and Lyric are lively and melodic rock, instant favourites that are of similar origin without being repetitive. Of a Broken Heart is a downtempo rumination on love with a delicate cello accompaniment. Jesus I/Mary Star of the Sea is self-indulgent, moody guitar rock for 14 minutes, but taking into account the rest of the album’s blissful vibe, it’s forgiveable. Pumpkins fans won’t be disappointed, and Corgan can expect a whole new generation of fans.
BBMak: Into Your Head (Telstar)
BBMak’s second album of confident, likeable, singalong boy-band pop, more rock-flavoured than Westlife, slightly blander than the Goo Goo Dolls. The boys write their own music, which counts for a lot. — Riaan Wolmarans
Scooter: 24 Carat Gold (Sheffield)
Yet another repackaging of this commercial techno outfit’s chart hits. Lots of beats, little excitement. — Riaan Wolmarans
Solange: Solo Star (Columbia)
Solange’s debut album is not your usual, laid-back R&B, but has instrumentation that is irritatingly similar to that genre. The composure of the album is inventive, with fast-paced lyrics in most of the songs. What could have been more entertaining is listening to the artist fully taking advantage of her voice, using it varied and deeply. This younger sister of Destiny’s Child lead singer Beyoncé has talent and her maturity in this genre is certainly bound to develop if improvements are made on her next project. The album is well-suited for a party mood. Most of the tracks have lyrics relevant to young folks who have just fallen in love. Notable numbers are the title track and Feelin’ You. Collaborations with rappers like Lil’Romeo add flavour to Solange’s voice. — Reggy Moalusi
Various: The Transporter (Gallo)
The movie was all action with more plot holes than bullet holes. The soundtrack, however, is a solid mesh of R&B and hip-hop beats, from Tweet’s sexy, disco-sounding Boogie 2Nite and Knoc-Turn’Al’s irresistible hit single Muzik to the dependable Missy Elliot (Scream aka Itchin’) and soulful love vibes by Gerald Levert. It ends with boring soundtrack orchestral tracks by Stanley Clarke and Replicant, as well as Fighting Man, an upbeat scratch track by DJ Pone. Good stuff, mostly. — Riaan Wolmarans