There are sidekicks and there are stars. Melissa Auf der Maur -- who spent years backing Courtney Love in Hole and Billy Corgan in Smashing Pumpkins -- certainly knows the difference.

And with her self-titled solo debut, the waifish, corkscrew-haired bassist makes it clear which one she is. Patently, disappointingly clear.

While these dozen cuts rework Melissa's resume with their post-grunge wallop and post-grad artsiness, they possess neither the confrontational sexuality of Hole nor the overdriven melancholy of the Pumpkins (though she's closer to the latter on psychedelic metal like Lightning is My Girl).

Even worse, her songs don't pack strong hooks or choruses. Like many a novice, Auf der Maur tends to overdo it; between their meandering arrangements, layers of overdubs and obsessively detailed production, these tracks are far too busy for their own good -- and for Auf der Maur's lightweight Kim Deal voice.

Ultimately, what catches your ear are things she's borrowed -- the Paranoid lyrics in I'll Be Anything You Want, the Barracuda riff and Veruca Salt vibe of Skin Receiver, the Pretenders-Zep swagger of I Need I Want I Will.

Even on her own CD, it seems, Melissa ends up playing sidekick to the stars.

Track Listing