Loki Cat.
It gives me a really great feeling when I hear it

Second long waited stuff, and much more better than Billys' self-made album. Jimmy Chamberlins' jazz influented drum sound is one of the best i've ever heard! Absolutly perfect and very powerfull! All the music with this drummer is awsome! There is a song with Billy of course LokiCat, one of my favorite track with his "silent" sound on "Life begins again". Please Jimmy,if it's possible do more!!!

my title says it all.

I do not give five stars just because I'm not a drummer and feel left apart sometimes when listening. But it's definitly a great piece of work by Jimmy the octopussy.

Jimmy put a project together with Billy Mohler(bass, vocals) Sean Wolstenhulme(guitar, vocals), Adam Benjamin(Fender Rhodes) and called it the Jimmy Chamberlin Complex with various guest vocalists. They recorded an album called Life Begins Again. I was curious to hear it and was in my local vinyl store when my buddy there gave me this promo copy!

Well i didnt need to listen for long before i was hooked big time! I listened to it in one hit like a lecture as the album really works for me that way. As a guitarist/singer who once had a band i gave a copy to my drummer and said "Hey! Play like this!!". Heres what i made of it.
STREETCRAWLER comes in with Jimmy displaying his magnificent finesse and warm rich tones. A deep full sound making good use of his kit with some intricate fills and build ups playing to a jazz pattern.The Fender Rhodes is quite superb giving that retro feel throughout the album. But make no mistake this is cutting edge stuff. Full on jazz fusion rock with a 21st Cent production to boot!
LIFE BEGINS AGAIN sees Rob Dickinson(Catherine Wheel) on vocals and displays again the man's rock solid style. More great build ups although more restrained here playing to song structures.
PSA is just a crazy jazz piece with all the usual minor sevenths and alternate signatures he plays so effortlessly but its the mid section where Mohler's bass comes out of nowhere and Jimmy lets rip with some jaw dropping fills. Frightening!
LOCI CAT invites Billy C in to sing this lovely song(that Jimmy wrote)in his distinctive style. You can see why they make a great pair, both driving each other to bring out their best.
CRANES OF PREY moves more into the grunge sound although carefully controlled with more precision playing and lovely fretless jazz bass from Mohler and Jimmy just goes wild! You can hear him really enjoy himself, in his element as the jazz overtones come back full swing!
LOVE IS REAL features Sean on nice frontline guitar and vocals with Jimmy driving this song seemlessly.A bit perplexing as both Sean and Rob have similar voices, i couldn't tell them apart!
OWED TO DARRYL is pure hardcore jazz with a potent bassline and Jimmy is in his element again utilising every bit of his kit displaying his superlative capabilities. Adam's Fender Rhodes is superb here creating a very retro 70's sound and he's off again with more incredible fills. Listen to that ending man, he leaves me breathless!
NEWERWAVES reminds me of the Machina II outtake Because You Are with Mohler on vocals.
TIME SHIFT has some more prominent basslines creating a lovely fusion with guitar, keys and some excellent drumming breakdowns. In a word, stunning. Indeed Billy Mohler's basslines really lock in with Jimmy forming the cornerstone of the sound on this album.
LULLABY TO CHILDREN features guest vocalist, the legendary Bill Medley(Righteous Brothers) and is a superb lounge jazz penultimate ballad sung in his distinctive deep voice. The lovely LOKI CAT theme closes this superb showcase album of unbelievable skills.

What makes it all so special though is Jimmy wrote all the lyrics to the material here experiencing a re-birth of sorts
putting his drug addiction behind him and getting back to making the best music on the planet.Listen to this record and you will see why Billy could never have pulled off that Pumpkins sound we all know and love without him. He has stood by him thick and thin. Life indeed begins again. God bless you Jimmy.

As a drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin has been a major inspiration for me. So it's no wonder why I had to buy this album. And I don't regret it one bit. This is one of the best albums I've ever listened to!

"Life Begins Again" really showcases Jimmy's skill as a drummer in both jazz and rock. This album fuses to two together so well. For those of you skeptical about this album being half instrumental and half with vocals, don't let that stop you from buying it. Every track is amazing!

And especially to any jazz/rock musicians, this is the perfect album for you!

billy is a genius so jimmy must be a genius too. billy wouldnt play in a band with jimmy if he wasnt cool so im going to get my mom to buy this album for me for my friday treat this week. i gotta go to bed now because im not supposed to be on the internet this late. i love you billy. benny

I bought it the day it came out, and I absolutley love the album, the transfusion of jazz with rock and Jimmy showing off how bad ass he is, its a great album to put on and relax

I wasn't being critical when i said it's a great album to fall asleep to...I can never get to sleep, and this is one of my favourite albums to listen to to clear my mind and fall asleep to

Is an amazingly lovely record. The lyrical themes are really simple and powerful, and the music is rich and...refreshing!

It's a great cd to put on to do homework to...or to fall asleep to

...jimmy is the best!...there's nodrummer like him! ...just the one and only!

Don't compare this with other SP-releated albums.

Favourite tracks: Streetcrawler, Loki Cat, Newerwave

Worst track: Love Is Real

As someone who loves a great drummer, what can you say about Jimmy? He's one of the best.

Great drumming album. Jimmy is another king of the single-stroke roll. Most of the CD peaked my interest - a couple of tunes I'd shorten a bit...some repetetiveness, but a great listen for jazz and rock drummers alike. Hope to catch 'em live sometime - maybe when SP takes a breather...?

Jimmy Chamberlin Complex "Life Begins Again"

Jimmy Chamberlin is one of the most influential and inspiring drummers of the past 15 years. With the massive critical and commercial success, Chamberlin's name will always be synonymous with the alt-rocker's [The] Smashing Pumpkins.

Amalgamating Jazz with Rock like no other drummer before him - the secret to his distinct style and popularity lies in the sheer variation of beat. Combining technical “wizardry” with impeccable feeling - it is not often that you hear a drummer fit so perfectly between layers of Vocals, Guitars and "other sounds" quite like Chamberlin does. He is both a “drummers drummer” and a “band player”.

To my ears at least, what makes Chamberlin so exciting as a musician - is that he is exactly that - a musician. He uses the drums as a voice, an instrument. He is not like a casio keyboard stuck on pre-progrmaed "rock" mode. He is unlike so many other drummers seem to be happy sat behind the music. This is not to say at all that Chamberlin is abrasive as Keith Moon more a fusion of Bonham, Paice, Powell, Rich, Krupa and Webb.

In his first ‘solo’ album Chamberlin showcases his chops, his inventiveness (see particularly Loki-Cat) and his dynamism (Streetcrawler) and gives the listener a tantalising glimpse into his influences, not necessarily apparent in his previous works. “Life Begins Again” languishes in it's heritage - it fits perfectly into the continuum of progressive jazz rock records with drummer led bands pioneered by (amongst others) Cobham and [Tony] Williams. Life Begins Again – is an album loosely based on the concept of cycles. The notion becomes clear in the tracks with lyrics (penned by Chamberlin), most obviously in the title track. The cyclical nature of life, is echoed in the instrumental pieces both thru their tone and form.

Through listening to this album it becomes apparent just how much influence Chamberlin had in the nu-prog-rockers [The] Smashing Pumpkins. It becomes clear when reflecting on the vast body of the work that both Chamberlin and Corgan have been involved in making, that within the idea that is "The Smashing Pumpkins - Corgan's musical visions were shared and made possible only thru collaboration with Chamberlin.

[Now I may be repeating myself a little here (but if a points worth making – it’s worth making twice)] >>> In retrospect [and with the new 'Pumpkins record release imminent] if nothing else "Life Begins Again" will give it’s listener an insight into a notoriously ('scuse the pun) complex musical group and come to appreciate that [The] Smashing Pumpkins were never just the realisation of one mans’ vast musical vision – but at the very least two.

Drevpile