I'm gonna have to side with the critics online. I thought the album was for the most part very bland.

Except United States. I can't get enough of it.

Death from Above, Stellar, and Zeitgeist are all notch above the standard album as well IMO.

I'm not terribly impressed with the album. Whenever I have to describe it to someone, I'm forced to say I probably wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't The Smashing Pumpkins.

The only songs I can really get into are Pomp and Circumstances and That's the Way. To me, they sound the most like the original Smashing Pumpkins. I just find myself skipping most of the other songs whenever they come up on my iPod when I have it on shuffle.

I'm quite disappointed with the album overall. I was really looking forward to this reunion so that I could finally see them live, but now I don't think I want to anymore.

I hate to be a Debbie Downer but ... I actually like the album less than I did initially. Some of the songs are blatantly BORING, morose and half-assed (Starz, Bleeding the Orchid, For God and Country.) Just way too reminiscent of TheFutureEmbrace for me (and yes, that IS a bad thing.)

Like a few folks here have said, I find the b-sides far superior to most of the regular material on Zeitgeist. Don't get me wrong - Tarantula, Pomp, Doomsday, That's the Way and Come On I'm enamored with but for SP, only having half an album with strong songs doesn't fly for me. Now, I'm not one who was clamoring specifically for the "old Pumpkins sound" but too much of this record sounds so passionless. I know it wouldn't have that adolescent angst Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie had but frankly, the thrill is gone. Or at least snoozing.

That said, I still cannot wait to see 'em in concert in Toronto!

superchrist link=topic=1915.msg31683#msg31683 date=1186372423]
i like all the songs on the new cd except for pomp and circumstances... i just can't get into that one, maybe after a while i will


Same here ... i can't stand it but the rest of the cd is growing on me except maybe that i must add that neverlost doesn't do it for me it's ok i guess just doesn't like me as much as the rest but with pomp and circumstances i just can't i find it so boring and all that la la la la it drives me insane i've to skip it most of the times =/ if sometimes i give it a chance it's because the lyrics are pretty and the guitar work is good

I'm surprised at how few time it took me to like Zeitgeist, hell i'm still digesting machina and i seriously love songs there

Trillian link=topic=1915.msg31824#msg31824 date=1186535446]
Now, I'm not one who was clamoring specifically for the "old Pumpkins sound" but too much of this record sounds so passionless


As much as i'm liking the album with every new listening i must admit you've some point there, i miss that kind of songs that totally get me everytime i hear it and so far none of the Zeitgeist material gave it to me, i enjoy the songs a lot they even warm up sometimes but isn't as deep as it is with some of their old material

I've had the album for over a month now, and here is what I think...

I think that at this point, the ecstasy of having a new Pumpkins album is starting to wear off, and instead of loving or hating all of their new work just because it is new, people are starting to judge it for how good the music actually is. When it came out, I loved it so much. I was so happy that it sounded like the mid 90's Pumpkins, and yet they changed enough of it to take it to a place Pumpkins music has never been before.

But now...

I am starting to agree that some of the songs sound like there isn't much passion in them. You don't get the same jolt down your spine as other songs give you. I still love the album as much as I did when I first heard it, but I am starting to finally look at it with a more critical eye. I don't hear that much passion in Billy's singing when it comes to songs such as Orchid, Starz, Neverlost, and United States. As far as that last one goes, if Billy added even just one scream in there, that would make sooooo much of a difference.

I still don't like Bleeding the Orchid that much (compared to the other tracks, or other Pumpkins music). The same goes for That's The Way and Starz and God and Country. As far as this album goes, I really love the loud rock songs more than the softer and stranger songs. But an exception to that is Pomp. It really hits me hard when I hear it. I think it's the lyrics that get me...

Here's my ranking as far as my favorites go...

1. Stellar
2. 7 Shades of Black
3. Bring the Light
4. Tarantula
5. Doomsday Clock
6. United States
7. Pomp and Circumstances
8. Zeitgeist
9. (Come On) Let's Go!
10. Starz
11. Death From Above
12. That's The Way (My Love Is)
13. Neverlost
14. Bleeding the Orchid
15. For God and Country

Billy is one of the greatest song writers of our time, and I think this album only adds to his legacy...

I don't know what is ... maybe it's because Billy isn't the same person he was before when he gave the greatest songs... maybe when a band or an artist reached the perfection they reached back in 94-96 (hell even 98-2000 left us a few amazing songs) isn't possible to give more than that, hopefully they'll shut me up with the next album but so far it makes me sad that i didn't connect with Zeitgeist the way i hoped it would, i try not to think about it cause i really enjoy Zeitgeist and they really did a dignified comeback album but it doesn't feel enough. I guess i'll continue enjoying Zeitgeist for what it is and i'll keep waiting to see if in the future the pumpkins would conquer my heart completely again with new material

I liked it on fist listen and like it even more now. Rating it as joint 3rd with Adore in the Pumpkins album list. Those two are so different I find it hard to say which is best. Either way, I rate both of them just behind Siamese Dream and that's saying something.

i love the album. I was blown away by tarantula and i love the video. my favorite is the aforementioned followed by 7 shades, orchid, doomsday clock bring the light, and neverlost

I find that time has highlighted both the positive and negative aspect of the album for me. The enitial joy of having a new pumpkins album has worn off to the major extent (yet i still have an overwhelming sence of joy when the radio says "new smashing pumpkins single!".

Negatives:
*Billy's vocal production is severly overdone on the tracks which they didnt have RTB producing them, it overwhelmes the guitars/drums.
*The choice to replace the always orgasmic bolly scream with a "woo" on united states, which completely destroyed the climax of the song for me
*Lyricaly, i find the album to be a little impersonal, i understand what billy was trying to do with this, but it just lost alot of the directly personal lyrics from older material, even machina, which was about a fictional story maintained a deeply personal lyrical content, which i find zeitgeist is lacking.
*Vocaly, as well as being too overpowering, i find it (as many seem to) to be for the most part passionless, it seems dry and unemotional.

Positives:
Most of the songs are great in themselves, some great catchy riffs and melodies, Particulaly, bring the light, which i think is easily the best song on the album, it was one of the tracks RTB produced and as such the vocals are at an acceptable level, this song could have fitted in on any of the post siamese dream albums. This song brings forth true joy to me. It would be in my top 10 of all time.
*Jimmy's 10 minute drum track on united states is truely epic, when i found out it was done in one single take i was even more impressed, as billy said, that alone is probably one of the highlights of his musical career. I think its pretty clear that he is one the (if not the) greatest drummers in the world at the moment. Without Jimmy zeitgeist would have fallen on its ass in my opinion.

It's not a "woo" It's an "ow."
And it's my favorite moment on the entire album .___.

I AGREE YOURMUM!! it is the best bit in the song.......wait.the best bit i think is when he sings LET ME BE SOMETHING GOOD......good....good....good....good!! ihave to rewind that bit everytime!!!!

SamC link=topic=1915.msg32015#msg32015 date=1186731938]
It's not a "woo" It's an "ow."
And it's my favorite moment on the entire album .___.


it's good, but in comparison to what it could be, it's extremely weak. that's the point dougy was making. listen to the real scream coming that just emerges from deep in his gut and flows out of him at that part of the song when it's played live. and then listen to the "owww!" on the album. no comparison.

dougydarkangel link=topic=1915.msg32011#msg32011 date=1186724412]
*Jimmy's 10 minute drum track on united states is truely epic, when i found out it was done in one single take i was even more impressed, as billy said, that alone is probably one of the highlights of his musical career. I think its pretty clear that he is one the (if not the) greatest drummers in the world at the moment. Without Jimmy zeitgeist would have fallen on its ass in my opinion.


agreed...just further proof of what i've argued for over a decade now...he is the best drummer in rock music. and it could be aruged that most, if not all, of their albums would have fallen on their asses without Jimmy. is the man!

It has its moments. Still can't compare with the other albums. An ok listen when I'm in SP demo mode.

i cant believe you guys..............this album is great.......stop judging it by what it wasnt and judge it by what it is.

OK, Robert, it IS a relatively passionless record, at least to my ears. It IS a vanity project with mildly entertaining results.