The Smashing Pumpkins - Zeitgeist
These things DO come along in threes! First we had Dinosaur Jr recapture the Nineties and now my favourite navel gazing grungers return with a much hyped release. There has been much derision following Senor Corgan’s comeback, and not all of it unfounded. It’s difficult to refute the ATM release label when you release 5 (That’s FIVE ) versions of the album, each with a different bonus track! You have to buy the album at Target to get the title track! Just have a think about that for a second, we’ve got time.
The second critical point is that James Iha and D’Arcy didn’t rejoin the fold, so how can this be a Pumpkins album? Well, they were barely on ‘Siamese Dream’ either, Corgan played all guitar and bass parts.
It would be very easy to dismiss this release on the paragraphs above, and I admit it is with some reluctance that tell you that Zeitgeist isn’t bad. Dammit. The first single ‘Tarantula‘ is not at all awful. As a matter of fact, it rocks along quite nicely. Corgan’s cat strangle vox is a little more prominent in the mix than previous releases, but that’s not such a bad thing. ‘Neverlost’ showcases Chanberlin’s precision drumming nicely, while rekindling our fondness for pumpkins catchy ‘ballads’.
Zeitgeist is a little slow for my liking, with too many down tempo slow burners. On the plus side, he does mention Saint Patrick for in ‘7 shades of Black’. I have no idea why, but it’s nice to hear he’s out and about, albeit out of context.
THINK: Pre Machina sonics from rejuvenated SP’s
READ: SP’s homepage, myspace or billy’s blog
WATCH: Paris, France May 22, 2007
BUY: zeitgeist
