LIFE BEGINS AGAIN  -  THE JIMMY CHAMBERLIN COMPLEX

YEAR:  2005
LABEL:  Sanctuary
TRACK LISTING:  Streetcrawler,  Life Begins Again,  P.S.A.,  Loki Cat,  Cranes of Prey,  Love Is Real,  Owed To Darryl,  Newerwaves,  Time Shift,  Lullabye,  Loki Cat (Reprise)
IMPRESSIONS:  Categorized as jazz fusion, "LIFE BEGINS AGAIN" features the monster drumming of the Smashing Pumpkins' Jimmy Chamberlin (particularly on the opening track "Streetcrawler").  Jimmy brings along a couple lead singers from Catherine Wheel, the Righteous Brothers (!) and . . . oh, well look at this . . . Smashing Pumpkins as well!  There are also a couple songs with lead vocals from Chamberlin's co-songwriter Billy Mohler as well as some choice instrumentals.  This album is a really nice antidote to most albums of the noughties in that it's actually really enjoyable to listen to and your ears never become bored.  The Complex mixes up the sounds with every subsequent track; contrasting instrumentals with vocals and then varying the vocals between several singers.   The "jazz fusion" label is a little problematic in that several songs are out-and-out rockers; the title track, frinstance, sounds like Soundgarden while the instrumentation on "Loki Cat" does resemble Coldplay quite a bitty bit.  But all of it's tasty!  All that and a pretty little birdy on the cover.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  Streetcrawler,  Life Begins Again,  P.S.A.,  Cranes of Prey,  Love Is Real,  Owed To Darryl,  Newerwaves,  Time Shift,  Lullabye
GUEST ARTISTS:  Rob Dickinson (lead vocals on "Life Begins Again" and "Love Is Real"),  Billy Corgan (lead vocal on "Loki Cat"),  Bill Medley (lead vocal on "Lullabye"),  Linda Strawberry (backing vocals on "Lullabye")
FACT SHEET:  LIFE BEGINS AGAIN is the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex's first album. The Complex features Jimmy Chamberlin (drums, producer, writer), Billy Mohler (bass, keyboards, guitar, writer, lead vocals on "Newerwaves"), Sean Woolstenhulme (guitar, writer),  Adam Benjamin (Fender Rhodes), Paul Chamberlin (additional drums on "Loki Cat") and Corey Wilton (lead guitar on "Love Is Real", additional guitar on "Time Shift").  The cover was designed by Corey Wilton.