Smashing Pumpkins
Zeitgeist

THE REVIEW

A long-awaited return from the Smashing Pumpkins with Billy Corgan confident in his compositional abilities still sharp as those of the past decade. Many hoped for this operation until the new line-up was announced with two notable absentees like Iha and Wretzky and only Chamberlin holding up the brand.

Corgan's latest episodes have not been excellent, constantly changing direction countless times over a few years and returning to square one; furthermore, it's been almost ten years since he composed an album capable of making musical history like "Adore" from 1998.

"Zeitgeist" was preceded by the first single "Tarantula" which left everyone (or almost everyone) bewildered, both for the cover, depicting Paris Hilton holding the cover of the new upcoming CD, and for the composition, opening with as much distorted guitar as possible and the roll of Chamberlin, who immediately shows himself to be in great shape. It then kicks off with a very fast guitar riff and a catchy chorus. Numerous bridges between verses and chorus, bode well for the audience, making the song good, but not exceptional, as the production is headed by Roy Thomas Baker, skilled at working with groups like Queen, Darkness, David Bowie, Cars, but a debutant when it comes to alternative rock. The producer's big mistake was to highlight Billy Corgan's voice, no longer as edgy as it once was although still recognizable. However, it will prove to be one of the best on the album it contains.

However, 7/7/07 arrives, the release date of the new album after 7 years. Translated from German as "Spirit of the Age," "Zeitgeist" presents itself with a cover that is not at all optimistic, depicting the Statue of Liberty immersed in a sea of blood. The cover seems fitting for the songs included on the CD. Noisy, raw, distorted, not very melodic, bad, edgy and not at all comforting, different from previous albums, focused on finding a new audience, but disappointing some old fans. The tracks that best describe this new genre are "Doomsday Clock," "7 Shades Of Black" Only "Neverlost," "Starz" (which in some respects seems like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings") seem extracted from old sessions of the group. "Bleeding The Orchid," "(Come On) Let's Go" instead are midway between these two genres. The last two tracks are "experimental". Two extremely garish pieces, without bite, a mix between Enya's music and a solo by Brian May, arrangements that leave something to be desired, without a doubt disappointing. "That's the Way (My Love Is)" and "Bring The Light" cannot be compared with the previous ones, but neither are they exciting.

However, there is one track worth the price of the CD, perhaps one of the best ever composed by the group and the progenitor of a new sonic direction for the group. Track number 7 titled "United States," capable of uniting all the critics and the public. Almost ten minutes of sonic delirium, where you hear exclusively a drum with relentless syncopated movement and the electric guitar distorted and obsessive. The cover could be an excellent image to describe the track in question. A sonic punch this song that raises, and by no small measure, the quality of this return of one of the groups that marked the '90s.

Some questions remain about this production: how to return to success by proposing tracks that are not catchy? How long will this return last?

Questions to which we will only find an answer by living.