Smashing Pumpkins - "Zeitgeist"Billy's back ...
There may have been Zwan and the solo album but Billy Corgan is Smashing Pumpkins and "Zeitgeist" is a welcome return for the angry wee man who appears to be falling out of love with his homeland ...
"Zeitgeist" is Billy Corgan's call to arms for the American people to wake up and realise what's going on in the world in the name of the war on terror and the deflection from the domestic problems of the good ole US of A. For the average European who is used to the "f**k the system attitude" of most alternative & punk bands for the past 30 years, this all sounds a bit tame ... but lets not forget that American's publicly questioning their position in the world is about as popular as a bag on your hip !!!
Musically, this is a classic rock album and retains the classic Pumpkins washed out guitars and precise drumming sound ... only Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums) remain from the original line up but its the voice and the drums that define the Smashing Pumkins so, business as usual then.
"That's the Way (My Love Is)" sounds like the output of Corgan's first post Pumpkins project Zwan and shows he's still a softy at heart ... don't tell him I said that mind !!!
"Tarantula" delivers the definitive track on the album, no surprise it was the first single released ... Its only trumped by the 10 minute classic "United States" that appears to sum up Corgan's view of his motherland both lyrically and musically ... this is a monster of a track that conveys the political anger that only Rage Against the Machine can top.
Many will say that Corgan only reformed the Pumpkins because the solo work was bombing but Corgan has admitted that he feels musically devoid when he's not working in a Smashing Pumpkins project, regardless of who's working with him.
But who cares what Corgan calls his projects, if they keep sounding like this then its win-win all over.
"Zeitgeist" is Billy Corgan's call to arms for the American people to wake up and realise what's going on in the world in the name of the war on terror and the deflection from the domestic problems of the good ole US of A. For the average European who is used to the "f**k the system attitude" of most alternative & punk bands for the past 30 years, this all sounds a bit tame ... but lets not forget that American's publicly questioning their position in the world is about as popular as a bag on your hip !!!
Musically, this is a classic rock album and retains the classic Pumpkins washed out guitars and precise drumming sound ... only Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin (drums) remain from the original line up but its the voice and the drums that define the Smashing Pumkins so, business as usual then.
"That's the Way (My Love Is)" sounds like the output of Corgan's first post Pumpkins project Zwan and shows he's still a softy at heart ... don't tell him I said that mind !!!
"Tarantula" delivers the definitive track on the album, no surprise it was the first single released ... Its only trumped by the 10 minute classic "United States" that appears to sum up Corgan's view of his motherland both lyrically and musically ... this is a monster of a track that conveys the political anger that only Rage Against the Machine can top.
Many will say that Corgan only reformed the Pumpkins because the solo work was bombing but Corgan has admitted that he feels musically devoid when he's not working in a Smashing Pumpkins project, regardless of who's working with him.
But who cares what Corgan calls his projects, if they keep sounding like this then its win-win all over.
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