The Smashing Pumpkins- Zeitgeist

As the newest full length release by The Smashing Pumpkins, Zeitgeist is in some ways brilliant, and in others a total letdown. It’s hard to call this album a Smashing Pumpkins album since the only original members are singer/guitarist/songwriter Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. On the record, Corgan also provides bass parts, played keyboards and produced the album, along with Chamberlin. In essence, it is Corgan and Chamberlin collaborating, not a Smashing Punpkins album. Still, there is some good music to be found here, and it does show off the talent of these two individuals, if nothing else.

Say what you will about Billy Corgan but it’s hard to deny the man is a talented musician. After this album, it seems that it has become “cool” to rip Corgan for even creating this album in the first place. All Music said that “returning to his marquee name gave this reunion a sense of desperation, as if he had nowhere else to go.” That sentiment was not uncommon by music reviewers when the album came out in 2007 on Reprise Records. Still there were some positive reviews with Rolling Stone giving the album four stars. The fans have spoken, as the album was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2007.

From the opening song, Doomsday Clock (one of the heaviest Pumpkins songs yet) to the ending Pomp and Circumstances the album is a roller coaster ride. With heavy studio-enhanced guitar work, Corgan also layers the parts to such an extent where it almost becomes too much to handle. It’s like he went for the most complicated compositions he could come up with. Modesty has not been the hallmark of the Pumpkins over their long career and this album is no different.

Chamberlin shows on this album that he is still among the top echelon of rock drummers. It could be argued that he is at his best here. He sure had to be, since a sub-par performance would have dragged this album down from average to a failure. The work of Chamberlin is really what makes this album what it is. Corgan has always made grand statements with his music but it seems at this point that he has gone overboard, almost like he is trying too hard.

Grade---C-