Musicwhore.org Great. Another music blog. (2005-2013)

Billy Corgan may have a very high opinion of himself, but for some reason, I tend to perceive James Iha as being more emblematic of Smashing Pumpkins than its auteur leader.

Perhaps it’s because Iha is the rare Asian-American in what is essentially a white man’s music. Maybe it’s because he has enviable hair. Most likely, it’s because he could provide serious crunch to a generation-defining rock band, when his own music is far more sunny.

His only solo album, Let It Come Down, bears no resemblance to his work with Smashing Pumpkins. It’s that ’60s-era revivalist pop sound which informs his collaboration with Japanese pop artist Chara on "Skirt".

Iha wrote the music for "Skirt", while Chara provided the lyrics. I almost wish the pair recorded an entire album together. Iha’s retro writing fits well with Chara’s aesthetic, and her distinctive voice suits his sound wonderfully.

"Skirt" appears on the 2001 album Madrigal.

[File expired.]