Billy and the boyz are back with a new album called CYR. I have been a lifelong fan of the Smashing Pumpkins and they were particularly important during my formative years.

The last decade of their output has been a bit of a disappointment, but I try to approach every new album with renewed optimism.

I fully understand that the songwriting can never return to the days of old as the angsty feelings and raw musical ideas were only possible in the mid 90s. That’s just the way it is.

With this new album, I like the vibe and the future sound sensibilities. It reminds me a bit of Billy’s solo album The Future Embrace along with a small peppering of Machina.

While the songwriting is quite a bit better than some of the previous SP albums, I can’t help but feel that this is a new Billy solo album (more so than usual). I just don’t hear the rest of the band and specifically the amazing drumming of Jimmy Chamberlin is pretty non-existent. It’s just a steady robotic flow of programmed beats.

I like the music for what it is and not what I want it to be. I think it is a solid SP album and kind of makes sense to release something like this at a time when touring is not happening. Billy can fart around with his techno toys in isolation and we get a funky electronic album out of it.

COOL BEANS.