ThePumpkins.net

Zeitgeist turns one year old today. How have your opinions changed on the longest awaited Smashing Pumpkins album? In another few years, how will Zeitgeist be remembered among the other albums in the Smashing Pumpkins catalogue? Will it be remembered as a successful return, another decent album, or a failed attempt?

A decent warm up to the best pumpkins album ever!

Seriously its not my favourite but its still got some damn good songs. I'm happy enough with it.

I'm in the same boat as pierowmaniac.

As for how it will ultimately be remembered....I think several years from now people's passionate opinions about it will die down, for better or for worse. The ones who passionately hate it will come to accept it, and the ones who passionately love it will either continue to do so or eventually get a little bored with it. I think most fans will rank it toward the bottom of their "favorite SP album" lists, but it's still an important piece to the SP puzzle. If the next album is dynamite, then Zeitgeist should ultimately get the respect it deserves from most fans.

Like most things Corgan’s done; it’s gotten better with age. I think Pumpkins fans are some of the most critical about his work, and therefore wrote the album off without giving it a proper chance. And I’m guilty of that as well. When I downloaded the leak I remember thinking “wow, this is not good.” I didn’t even like Tarantula. Plus knowing James and Darcy weren’t involved didn’t help people’s reaction. But my initial opinions have changed and over the past year I think I’ve learned more about the band and why they chose the path they did. I don’t think the album will go down as another masterpiece, but it does have some decent songs. Wait five years and people will be talking about how great the album is. Adore got the same reaction when it was released.

When I saw this video, I was really excited for the album.


(apparently you can't embed this video).

I’m just glad to have “my” band back.

I still think it's an awesome album. I like it more than Gish actually. In time I believe it will be like what Pete said, another Adore. Eventually it will be appreciated for what it is. There are some really really good songs on Zeitgeist!

PistolPete wrote:
For some reason I enjoyed the excerpt of Doomsday Clock in this video more than the whole song.

Me too. I remember hearing this, thinking the song was going to be awesome, but in the end was slightly disappointed.

That video was alright.... Zeitgeist is one of my favorite albums. I listen to it pretty much everyday. But then again I pretty much listen to all SP everyday.
Zeitgeist will get some love eventually from the fans that dislike it...

i can't belive it has been a year.

well, i love the album, it is great. i too listen too it every day, or at least a few songs from it.

i think that eventually it will get the love that it deserves.

ehh, worst album from them so far, and tarantula got me so excited. when i heard it i was like HOLY SHIT cause it was like the old pumpkins. then the whole album came out, and i was crushed. dont get me wrong, i dont want the pumpkins to make a copy of siamese dream, but i want it to have the quality that their previous albums had.

so overall zeitgeist was slightly dissapointing, but i do love a few of the songs.

i loved the album when it came out and i still love it now. The hiatus was well worth it to see the best band come back.

PistolPete wrote:
That video made me salivate for the new album. Yes, that piece of Doomsday Clock drove me wild!!!! Once I had the album, I was a bit disappointed, but I quickly allowed myself to accept it, and I think it is an overall nice album.
I can't really say more about it, because the rest of you have already said what I've been thinking about Zeitgeist.

I love the album, but I will say I prefer the way Flood produces albums. I wish "United States" was more dirty, if that makes any sense. The sound is almost "too clean". The same goes for "Superchrist", even though it was produced by Kerry, I wish it wasn't so cleaned up.

OH! And I wish "Starz" had that keyboard intro like it does live.

superchrist wrote:
I totally agree with you about United States. I didn't exactly know how to express what the song was missing, but you said it for me. He should have thrown more screams into the studio version, and in the middle instrumental part, he should have played the star spangled banner like he does live (but I don't know, maybe that would be more expensive). Billy definitely had opportunities to tear this song up, like XYU, but chose not to for some unknown reason.

zerohero84 wrote:

I think when he solos on Unites States it has a almost deathly-eerie sound and then it's like you get revived towards the end of his solo...
I love it sounds good
Superchrist has this guitar part where it sounds like the breaks are coming on to some roller coaster ride of your life..IDK just love those damn songs..I am going to listen to them right now

Reggaeluv2000 wrote:
I like that part as well, I just think it could have been done much better in United States

A year later, and I have no desire to listen to the album, except maybe the B-sides.

As a Pumpkins record, it is a failure.
As a commercial release, it is a failure.
As a rock album, it's alright.
In the race to be relevant in the 21st century, it is a failure AND a nuisance because of the multiple versions.

As a tour, though, it was bomb diggity.

I think a lot of people, including me. were dissapointed with the album because we'd all been salivating over the live versions from the early shows and when we got the album, it was all like "where's that killer guitar solo after Bleeding the Orchid" and "why is for God and country techno and not acoustic". And also they put the wrong tracks on. Substitute some of the weaker tracks for the other songs that eventually surfaced; Stellar, Ma Belle, Zeitgeist, - even Superchrist or Gossammer (yes I know they hadnt been written yet, but still...) and it could have been brilliant. I mean I probably listen to tha AOL sessions thing more than Zeitgeist. I wouldn't have minded if that vers. of HMM appeared on Zeitgeist haha.

It's by no means a bad album, in fact its pretty good but its not good enough for a pumpkins album in my opinion. I dont think it will be regarded highly in years to come like Adore because it doesnt have the emotional depth or interesting musicmanship. Its a solid rock album but I think Its kinda like Gish all over again, like many of you have kinda said. What comes next will be brilliant, and to a certiain extent already has. Zeitgeist era pumpkins are great, Zeitgeist album - not so much. That's it. Rant over.

I can't really add to anything that's already been said here, but some things that had me nodding in agreement:

ghostchild wrote:
PistolPete wrote:
Teej212 wrote:
I bet a lot of us wish we could be like doomsdayclock, instantly loving the whole thing on first listen.