Cotillions is the new album by Billy Corgan.

Is he a visionary or did he just go crazy during the Gothic stage of Smashing pumpkins when they gave us 2 songs for the new Batman films?

To scatter one’s own opens the album – well, Corgan’s iconic voice blooms as he strums his guitar, there’s some light choir vocals and held out chords by a 2^nd guitar, it’;s an interesting opening….. A BALLAD!

Hard times is next, well it isn’t a hard rock/grunge number, THAT BE AWESOME, it’s the kind of song you’d listen to at the beach with a cocktail. Jubilee ( a South Park reference to the classic episode would be too good) No, this is a country get up song, NO DRUMS OR BASS!? But, Jubilee is lively and pretty fun. Banjo, with harmonica or maybe violin and some sweet crawling solo remedies.

Fragile, the spark, is fragile, a delicate number. Again, nothing new or fresh, just Billy and his guitar, talking about loving someone more… Cotillions, the title track, well, it sounds like an Elton John/John Lennon number, THERE’S PIANO, so, something different, yet, there’s so much to be said, but, just lay back and listen, it’s a bit haunting, so, there’s the gone crazy coming back. Best song on the album.

Faithless darling is a light acoustic jam with not much else to spread on your mind. Colosseum, well if you’re not entertained by now, may as well take a bullet with butterfly wings and disarm from this album.

Martinets, again, no difference, a little extra guitar giving some light, but all just is what it is.Buffalo boys is another country song, but, it ain’t too special.

Dancehall, well you’ll  just slightly dip your head up and down, maybe a, I dunno, there isn;t much more to say about an album with songs too much the same, no drums, bass, the occasional piano, other guitar and guest vocals, but this is, boring.

Some may love it, and that’s ok, but the creativity of the 90’s isnt here, no avant-garde, inspired life guided charm, no twists or angst, just, well, no ego, just a man telling stories.

I’ll let you imagine what the rest of the album is like, probably a zero.

4.5/10

Scary.