on 2009-03-24 Sinist3r Punk Said:

I actually thought this album was pretty good. SP will never return to their glory days, but at least this was a step in a different direction.
Not Rated

Review:

on 2007-07-22 SolitaryMan Said:

I've listened to this album repeatedly, trying to find things to love...trying so hard not to hate it simply because of the name imprinted on the cover. But, I'm ready to face facts, and the biggest one is that Corgan has totally forgotten why the Pumpkins struck such a large chord. It wasn't that they were ever trying to be rockstars, it's that they fell into it. That innocent, disconnected essence stuck on every second of their greatest albums. It's totally lost here. Instead, we get Corgan trying to rehash the Pumpkin's ancient hard-rock hits "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "Zero" for 3/4 of the album, only at the end realizing he forgot to add some of the atmospheric rock-lite that kept balance in the past. And even then, the cracks in his voice cripple what's being offered. All that being said, this isn't a terribly bad record, just not one that I feel meets the standard the band had left for itself when it bowed out. Could they have reached that point? Perhaps. This product feels rushed, most songs feel lifted from "Machina" and the political lyrics on some songs are laughable at best. A little more time, and more attention paid to what worked instead of what works for others now would have paid off. This is more an average Corgan record, because if you call it a Pumpkins record, it has to rank somewhere between Pisces Iscariot and Machina as their lowest point. The previous reviewer ended by stating we should give the new Pumpkins some more time to develop...I say stop waiting, you've been doing it since Zwan and you're probably going to be disappointed when Billy bows out yet again when the cash stops pouring in.
Rating: 4/10

Review:

on 2007-07-22 mschmitt Said:

Billy Corgan just can’t win this one. It’s impossible, and the sooner he gets through this rough re-introduction period the better—and he knows it. There’s the people who are expecting too much of him. The Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness fans who are eagerly awaiting more of the same from those blissful moments (which are usually coupled with massive amounts of nostalgia, something a new release can’t combat). To them I say this: Zeitgeist is not those albums, and shouldn’t be. There’s the people who believe The Smashing Pumpkins should have ended after MACHINA/The Machines of God (or MACHNA II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music to be more exact). Nothing Corgan can do under the guise of the orange vegetable can be accepted—for reasons ranging from previously mentioned nostalgia to the fact that not all the original band-members are included. To them I say this: Don’t rule Zeitgeist out before listening. In fact, no one should rule this album out after even a first listen. The age-old “It’s an album that grows on you” rule applies here, because Zeitgeist’s first hit is weak. The songs feel artificial, Corgan too loud, and the whole production minimally entertaining. But look deeper, take a few more listens, and you’ll find the Pumpkins within what appears to be a continuation of Corgan’s solo work. There’s the obvious example, the pre-released single “Tarantula.” Bits and pieces of the guitar work are taken straight out of Gish; raw distorted guitars recall days of flannel and grunge pits, while the polished, calculated sense of the melodies blows away the randomly drawn-out solos of the ’91 release. In fact, most of this album feels taken from the Gish mentality, and perhaps there’s some symbolism there worth dwelling on. This is the Pumpkins new beginning. To start again, Corgan had to find his original roots: in ‘90s grunge and alt-rock, bent to modern perceptions. From there, perhaps he can develop into the same monumental territory that yielded Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. Zeitgeist must be listened to like this: as a stable starting point for the reconstruction of a musical dynasty. You can’t expect E.T. quality out of Steven Spielberg if he hasn’t worked with the same crew in 7 years, and the same applies to Corgan. Give the new Smashing Pumpkins another album to develop – don’t give up on Zeitgeist – and eagerly await what new masterpieces might be churned out.
Not Rated

Review:

on 2007-07-13 green_clash Said:

Yeah, I think that's the biggest obstacle to get through to enjoy this. You can't compare the albums. Sure, there's something old and familiar here, but with it comes something new. For their first effort together since 2000 it's a solid start. And also, I don't think it's fair to compare Corgans/Chamberlin's non-Smashing Pumpkins efforts to this. I think they were in a totally different mindset, trying to get away from the dark alternative neo-psychodelic outfit that was the Smashing Pumpkins. I'm sure other critics would agree that this is a bitch to review and categorize in the discography of this band. I think that if you understand that this isn't Siamese Dream (or trying to be it) and that most of the other Pumpkin efforts were not well-recieved when released.
Rating: 8/10

Review:

on 2007-07-12 Symphony Said:

Good review, but I can't enjoy this knowing what Smashing Pumpkins used to be, this just isn't nearly as good as the rest of the discography.
Not Rated

Review:

on 2007-07-12 hstisgod Said:

Very nice review bro...Though, Im not sure is I understand. The few sample tracks I've dug out of this album-cause well, I cant stand the whinyness of their last few Mellon Collie and Adore, sounded a bit retro to Gish...was I wrong? You said it went back to their hayday or something towards that affect, but I'm still a bit confused. I dont want Siamese Dream, but I do want something less poppy than 1979! Anyways... still a great review, and thanks for not letting other reviewers affect your opinion.
Not Rated