Zeitgeist

Changed and all the same The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins fans are extremely happy: on the initiative of the eternal leader Billy Corgan after a seven-year break their favorite team is together again although with significant changes in the line-up. Musicians Ginger Reyes and Jeff Schroeder have substituted bassist D'arcy Wretzky guitarist James Iha accordingly. During the last seven years Corgan has managed record a solo work The Future Embrace, to form and dismiss a supergroup Zwan, and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has created his own rock/jazz project The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex. All that however did not prevent them to return to the past to construct a new present. The first thing to do has been a new album with a symbolic title Zeitgeist, which is translated from German as "The Spirit of Time". Although at first sight it is all the same The Smashing Pumpkins something has changed. There has appeared even more image interlace in Corgan's lyrics, and the band's general sounding has become more harmonious. Most of the songs on Zeitgeist are devoted to the theme of apocalypses, yet with all the sullenness of The Smashing Pumpkins the album is not devoid of positive moments as well.

Each track on Zeitgeist can become a revelation

Impetuous opener Doomsday Clock amazes with powerful accompanement and ominous lyrics dwelling on the end of the world, and a heavy composition 7 Shades Of Black is great on drums, especially by the ending. A calmer song Bleeding The Orchid reminds of the old times of The Smashing Pumpkins and is remarkable for guitars which seem to sing along with Billy Corgan, and soaring That's The Way (My Love Is) is different from the rest of the album because of the feeling of hope throughout. First single off the album Tarantula is based on a hard drum beat and  pleases with guitar solos in the background of Corgan's penetrating singing. One of the album's most interesting tracks is epic United States which lasts almost ten minutes and conquers with the most unrestrained sounding of Corgan's vocals singing of revolution, a drum solo at the beginning and at the most powerful guitars at the end. The text of a softer song Neverlost is again rather optimistic as compared to the general slant of Zeitgeist, and track (Come On) Let's Go! pleases with a catchy melody. The album closes with another highlight which is a slow and mysterious song Pomp And Circumstances. On the whole if one catches all the nuances and thinks over the texts each track on Zeitgeist can become a real revelation.

The best rock release of the year

It is now high time has come to be surprised for all those who have been sure that the epoch of The Smashing Pumpkins has come to an end. Understanding that no matter how talented he is he has got used to his musicians, Billy Corgan has left all the attempts to pursue a solo career and restored the collective which has almost split up. The experience has taught him a lot, which could not but reflect both on his singing and lyrics. Slow compositions now sound more magnificent and thoughtful, while the heavy ones have become even harder. He has also got some ideas how it is possible to make the sounding more volume and chose to produce some of the tracks himself. For work on the other songs he invited Roy Thomas Baker who is known for contributing to many albums of Queen, and Terry Date, who produced creations of Deftones, Pantera and Soundgarden. Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin also worked on a couple of compositions. For those and many other reasons that everyone who listens to the album can easily couch Zeitgeist can be rightfully considered the best rock release of the year so far.