Smashing Pumpkins
onezebra12
The wailing, heavy metal guitars and OTT production means this sounds quintessentially Pumpkins, Jimmy Chamberlain's drums also sound mightily impressive. The trouble is, while this may have that Smashing Pumpkins 'sound', it lacks any of the classic songwriting or sheer inventiveness of their peak, attributes that were abundant on Mellon Collie.
Songs start off with great ides or riffs, 'Bleeding the Orchid' being an example, but they are stretched on until they become interminable. Similarly, 'United States' tries to be ominous and atmospheric, but ultimately falls flat under the weight of its own pretentiousness.
It's not all doom and gloom though, 'Tarantula', wisely chosen as the lead-off single, is a triumphant glam stomper, worthy of a place in the Corgan canon. Also, 'That's the Way (My Love Is)' is a welcome relief from the oppressive murkiness that hangs over the album, and sounds more like Corgan and Chamberlains now defunct, Pumpkins-on-Prozac band, Zwan. In this case that is no bad thing.
When the Smashing Pumpkins grace the stage at this year's Carling Weekend,
you can bet your bottom dollar the crowd won't be screaming for tracks from
Zeitgeist.
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