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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Zeitgeist
EMAILPRINTby The Smashing Pumpkins
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 29 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 280 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Martha's Music/Reprise
Release Date: 10 July 2007
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
The Smashing Pumpkins return from a seven year hiatus with their latest album. Best Buy, Target, and iTunes will each have CDs with different tracks from those available at other retailers.
Also By This Artist: Machina II: The Friends and Enemies of Modern Music MACHINA/the machines of God
Also On The Web: Criticulture Official Artist Site Wikipedia
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Amazon.com
Overall, Corgan's captivating effort to mine both the spirit of these turbulent times and the soul of his defining band is a smashing success.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
The sort of vocal layering Freddy Mercury would be proud of, chord progressions that convey triumph as often as they do disenchantment, and the use of marimbas and orchestras (and is that a gong in “Pomp and Circumstance”?) all indicate a willingness to go beyond the formula even as they spend most of their time sticking to it like glue.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
Thanks in part to the presence of Pantera producer Terry Date, this is the Pumpkins' hardest-rocking record ever.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
The best thing about Zeitgeist is that Corgan is back to what he does best: hard-rock architecture.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
If you're nostalgic for the '90s, Zeitgeist is like curling up with a warm Marshall stack.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
The album is surprisingly effective in musical terms: drone-laden and distortion-jacked, it sounds about as tough as anything this band has produced.
Read Full Review >Sputnikmusic
While not enough to stand among the best the Pumpkins have to offer, Zeigeist nonetheless stands fairly well on it's own
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Zeitgeist may not boast any platinum-plated singles of the kind that typified their peak, but it's mercifully far less flatulent than latter-day Pumpkins.
Read Full Review >Blender
Zeitgeist’s orgy of avalanche rhythms, cascading riffs and sky-licking guitar is as grandiose as ever (the solo on "Tarantula" sounds like a nuke hitting a Guitar Center), but the bombast is softened as Corgan reaches out for shame-sharing community.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
Zeitgeist ends up sounding like a Corgan career retrospective in B-side form.
Read Full Review >Hot Press
The best you can offer is that it’s not a disaster – now do you want to tell Billy or should I?
Read Full Review >Under The Radar
Zeitgeist fails to capture not just the spirit of the cultural times, but of the true Smashing Pumpkins. [Summer 2007, p.84]
musicOMH.com
A record which stares back at you with the appeal of an ex you'd rather not have bumped into.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
It's best treated as a curio in the Smashing Pumpkins' legacy; and for those who grew up on 'Today', '1979' and 'Ava Adore', you're better left with your memories.
Read Full Review >Drowned In Sound
Zeitgeist sounds like a watered-down version of the best bits from Mellon Collie…, meaning it just ends up being too similar to Machina… for its own good.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Far more aggressive than any other record in their catalog - perhaps a preemptive response to charges of getting old and mellow. Unfortunately, that leaves the record rather homogenous.
Read Full Review >Filter
Zeitgeist is mostly a grinding, straightforward affair that demonstrates none of the innovation and vision of the band’s previous efforts.
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
This is no-frills rawk that's been dumbed down for mass consumption.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
If you remember the unconsciously naff hilarity of late-period Suede, you will recognise that there's some fun to be had from Zeitgeist, albeit in small quantities.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
Corgan repeatedly buries his threadbare melodies beneath squeals of guitar that are too processed to either soar or sear. More than anything, it's this digitally dulled sound that saps Zeitgeist from any impact it may have.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
Zeitgeist is the Pumpkins' most aggressively metal album to date. But heaps of guitars, vocal overdubs, and ridiculous effects don't mask a lack of inventiveness or even plain ol' quality songwriting.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
It’s all just too "over-" - overcooked, overheated, whatever you want to call it.
Read Full Review >Hartford Courant
The title of the Smashing Pumpkins' new album seems like wishful thinking. So does the music, for that matter
Read Full Review >Tiny Mix Tapes
And the mixing problems extend far beyond Corgan’s voice. The Band of a Hundred Murderous Guitars has turned into a modern-radio-rock band.
Read Full Review >Delusions of Adequacy
This record is easily on par with Corgan's solo record as one of the worst things he has ever done.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 280 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Abe gave it an8:
A Really Good Comeback!
Jonathan M. gave it an8:
As good as this album is (by the way, the mixing is shocking), it might be good album, but remember this is the Smashing Pumpkins, not a dingle dangle dongle lets see how this goes album. The expectations of this album were naturally high.........I guess thats for some. The problem is, yes there is not James or Darcy. Well that is the problem. Of course Billy Corgan writes all the songs and records all the parts!! But he's not that guy from Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor) he still needs a band! James Iha contributed alot to the band and its noticable, no matter what the whinging pretentious Billy Corgan might say (and thats coming from a "fan" who understands him) Anyway.......better luck next time, its alright for a listen but after that.
Amâmdio J. gave it a9:
This is a great album, I love smashing pumpkins and this has really great songs. Its god to see that Billy doesn't lost is talent. I recommend it.
Kaitarn D. gave it a3:
Chicago's totally changed when Billy and his companions recorded the triad Gish-Siamese-Mellon Collie. I'm one of the class A fan. But i cannot give this album more than a chance. No more charming lyrics, no surprising change of a chord, nothing but a rock LP without ideas. Solo album was at least admirable for courage. This is crap.
Antonio L. gave it a10:
This album was amazing. It rocked as hard as anything they had ever done and was a great comeback. I love it!
Roy O gave it an8:
It's good, not mellon collie or siamese dream good but still.
Jake gave it a0:
For 7 long years I hoped and waited for a Pumpkins reunion, not a Billy and Jimmy reunion who picked up two hitchhikers. I find it hard to believe that a man who was the driving force behind some of the best records of the 90's (or all time for that matter) has come up with the trainwreck that is Zeitgeist. I waited for what seemed like forever to get this record, only to be beyond disappointed. Every aspect of this record is overdone and watered down. But most disappointing is the songwriting. Billy seemed to have an endless supply of hooks which to pull from record after record. I can pretty much pick one killer lyric from any pre-Zeitgeist Pumpkins song yet hear is an entire album without one. It kills me to write this, it really does because I love The Pumpkins as much as anyone. In my mind they still broke up in 2001 and were never heard from again. For the girl who said they were 'awesome' live, you must have seen a different Smashing Pumpkins. I saw them and they were awful. I wanted a Pumpkin reunion as much as anybody but Billy really should have left the Pumpkins dead and buried.
