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THE REVIEW
One could dwell on the band's white costumes for the concerts, so kitschy and out of place that they make Kiss seem like sober English gentlemen; we could debate Mr. Corgan's decision to revive the old Smashing Pumpkins insignia, question the reason behind such a shabby album cover artwork, or even worse, be disgusted by the fact that this album will be released in 1000 different versions with bonus tracks and various surprises, perhaps to rake in as much cash as possible. Let's talk about something else instead... music, for example.
First listen: something different immediately catches the ear... Corgan's voice seems to have changed quite a bit, the characteristic tone remains, but the scratchy vocal outbursts of the past have given way to clean and ethereal melodic lines; the result is appreciable but in the long run leaves an aura of "anonymity," Corgan seems to have focused more on his voice and perhaps this is precisely why he lost spontaneity.
What was said about the voice also applies to the album's atmosphere and compositions, everything seems perfectly polished without particularly salient moments, it's all a mash of old rock tricks as old as my grandma, loud guitars ("Doomsday Clock," "7 Shades Of Black"), very melodic choruses and solos halfway between Jimi Hendrix ("Tarantula") and Queen (note the massive use of octave effects). There are also clear plagiarisms of the old Pumpkins; "Starz" sounds a little too much like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "Come On, Let's Go" seems like a sweetened version of "Zero", there are also strong echoes of Zwan in "Neverlost" and "That's The Way". The album concludes with two garish songs, "For God And Country" and "Pomp And Circumstance" which sound as if they came from an Enya album. Disappointing and banal lyrics, zero ideas, flat sound.
The only positive notes are the long and martial "United States" and Jimmy Chamberlin's drumming that, as always, never disappoints. Surely, compared to "The Future Embrace" and "Mary Star Of The Sea," steps forward have been made, if you can say so... Corgan gives the impression of having run out of ideas and wanting to continue being a rocker for who knows what reasons... more than disappointment one just feels resignation.
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Summary by Bot
The review critiques Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist for its overly polished sound and lack of originality. Billy Corgan's vocals have lost their rawness, resulting in a more anonymous feel. The album recycles old rock elements and past Pumpkins motifs without delivering fresh ideas. While Jimmy Chamberlin's drumming is praised, overall the album feels disappointing and uninspired, failing to live up to expectations.Tracklist Lyrics
The Smashing Pumpkins
American alternative rock band formed in Chicago and led by Billy Corgan, famed for 1990s albums such as Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness.50 Reviews
Other reviews
By MiciaTigre
This new one is ugly, gaudy, overly produced with five hundred overdubbed guitars, a plastic production that induces nausea.
The pumpkins ended after the release of the beautiful 'Adore', the rest is not Smashing Pumpkins.
By Deviljin
This 'Zeitgeist' is the most inane, monotonous, and fake thing I've listened to in years.
It’s pointless to fill an album with thousands of effects and some guitar licks if the songs aren’t there, don’t exist, and it’s like listening to nothing for over an hour.
By zaireeka
After the fourth/fifth listen, you’ll realize it’s not like that, and even tracks such as "Doomsday", "Pomp and Circumstances"... can ultimately be counted among the best things by SP.
"United States", the most "extreme" track... will make you feel like you’re on vacation in Iraq, in the midst of a cheerful bombing.
By billyburke
"The beginning is overwhelming, 'Doomsday Clock' grows with each listen, with a dark riff and apocalyptic lyrics."
"'Bleeding the Orchid' is, in my opinion, the masterpiece of the entire album, embodying the soul of the best Smashing Pumpkins."
By Torre Ste
"United States is a sonic punch that raises the quality of this return by one of the groups that marked the '90s."
"The noisy, raw, distorted sound is different from previous albums, disappointing some old fans while trying to find a new audience."
