Zwan - Mary Star Of The Sea

Well after a year and a half of being together, and a lot of sold out shows around the country, Zwan has finally released their first album entitled “Mary Star Of The Sea”. Ex Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, along with Paz (A Perfect Circle) on bass, Matt Sweeny on guitar, and David Pajo on guitar make up the band that people have been calling the “Sequel To Smashing Pumpkins”. Well I think with the release of this album all those thoughts are all wrong. Zwan is a totally different sound compared to the Smashing Pumpkins. There are a few songs that will bring back memories of those good old days, but only one song on the album sounded like it was a SP song. The album has a lot of reference to God and religion. Rolling Stone said that Zwan was a new Christian band, in ways it sounds like it is, but for the most part it is a full rock band. Mary Star… Is a great album, there is no doubt in my mind that they are going to be big, maybe not as big as the Pumpkins, but already, they have sold out shows, a great album, so lets hope the future releases are as good as this one.. By the time you are done with the album you will be saying.. “Smashing Who????”
I give the album 4.95 out of 5 stars… It would have gotten a perfect, but there was one song I did not like on the album, “Heartsongs”

Lyric – A good song to start off the Album. The lyrics are very catchy. The lyrics to this song are very powerful.

Settle Down – The highlight of this song is the incredible solo performed towards the end of this song.

Declarations Of Faith – This is one of my favorite tracks on the album. There are parts of the song that bring back that old Smashing Pumpkins rock. Just with “Lyric” the chores can be very catch. In time I am sure this song will be a single. “Maybe we were born to kiss another, maybe we were born to come together”

Honestly – By now I am sure everyone has heard this song on the radio. It is getting a lot of airtime. I really like this song. The chores “there’s no place I could be without you” makes me wonder what Corgan is singing about. Could it be what most people think, singing to a lover? Or is he singing about his former band(mates) Smashing Pumpkins, since Corgan wouldn’t be where he is now without them. Or is he singing about God. A lot of this album talks a lot about God. After hearing the whole album this song really sticks out, cause it really doesn’t sound like any of the other tracks.

El-Sol – I wasn’t sure what to expect from this song. It’s got a beat to it, that I know that I have heard before in the past but cant think of what it is.

Of A Broken Heart – When Zwan played their first concert, and a bootleg appeared on the internet, this song was the highlight. It is a soft gentle song, not like any of the other tracks on the album. This song has feeling like some classic Pumpkin songs, (Crestfallen, Perfect, For Martha). “Until I died of a broken heart” is the main lyric in this song, and with the soft guitar, gentle drumming by Jimmy, and backup vocals of Paz, I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the last single released on the album. If not, it will be a classic fan favorite.

Ride A Black Swan – When I first heard this song, I thought of the Pumpkin song “Wound” from Machina. Another fan favorite, this is classic Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin rock song, but with a twist of Zwan. Although it does bring back memories of the pumpkins, Zwan has their own sound, which separates the two bands. It isn’t hard to tell the two apart.

Heartsongs – A what sounds like Corgan solo doesn’t fit to well on this album. This to me is the worst song on the album. It sounds like b-side material. Nothing really grabs me about this song. I think Corgan could have put something better in rather then this.

Endless Summer – Another good rock song. Can’t say much about it, but it makes up for the track that was before it.

Baby, Lets Rock – Another highlight of the album is this song. Great guitar riffs, great drum beats, and good lyrics. “baby, im the greatest thing you got”

Yeah! – Sounds like a breakup song. Strong lyrics. An ok song

Desire – Sounds like an old Smashing Pumpkins song. I don’t know why, but this is the only song that sounds like it belongs on the Pumpkins last album.

Jesus I/Mary Star Of The Sea – Jesus I was played at all Zwan concerts since the beginning of the band. It is about a 7 minute song. Mostly singing about Jesus, as you would expect. The beginning of the song starts slow, and then Jimmy kicks in with a great drum beat, and then its all out rock. Then it goes quiet for about a minute with soft guitars, then rocks back into full rock with Mary Star Of The Sea. “Everything just feels like rain” The song ends at 14 minutes and by then you are so blown away by all you have heard on the album (except Heartsongs) you think that the journey is over, but one more song remains….

Come With Me – This song surprised me. A month ago when I heard a 35 second loop of part of the song, it sounded like country, and I thought this would be the worst song on the album. Not so. Yeah, it does have a country feel, but the beat, the acoustic guitars, and Billy beautiful lyrics make this song a good last song. “Won’t you come with me?” Billy asks, which to me he is asking will we follow him and his new band, and music style, and I would say YES.