As a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins I've been keeping tabs on Billy Corgan's new project Zwan. Joining the Mastermind of the Midway are Pumpkin's drummer Jimmy Chamberlain, A Perfect Circle's Paz Lenchantin on bass, And Matt Sweeney and David Pajo on guitar.

After officially disbanding the great Pumpkins one would expect Billy to explore different musical terrain in this new incarnation. Thankfully Mary Star of the Sea, finds Corgan returning in mid-season form--seemingly picking up where Siamese Dream left off.

Though this record resonates with Corgan's trademark sound, it's not like he's digging up soggy old Pumpkins. There's nothing that sounds rehashed on Mary Star. In fact several tracks smack of the Cure. And lyrically Corgan steps out of character toward a decidedly more spiritual place. Still and all, most people that hear a Zwan song for the first time will miss these subtleties and assume that the Pumpkins have released a new one.

At the end of the day you can take the boy out of the Pumpkin but you can't take the Pumpkin out of the boy. Just because he's going by a different name doesn't mean he's out of his Gourd.