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Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

post #1 of 29
7/9/07 at 1:05pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone interested in this one? I, er, obtained a copy of this a few days ago...it's not on par with Siamese Dream or Mellon Collie, but it's pretty good. I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. I just wish Mr. Corgan would get out of that "all that I wanna hear is midrange-y guitar tones" phase. The way some of his stuff is mixed sounds like one big, distorted mess.
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post #2 of 29
7/10/07 at 11:13am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Yeah I got this too. its alright. is it me or are the vocals very loud, they drown out the rest of the stuff. I wish he would write more stuff like Soma, Mayonaise and Hummer.

Ron, I have a TON of pumpkins stuff. if interested, pm me.
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post #3 of 29
7/10/07 at 11:35am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

No James or Darcy, why even call it Smashing Pumpkins?

I have liked what little Ive heard (I was one of the few who liked Zwan), and Im glad that the industrial techno whatever stuff seems to be gone.

Ill pick it up this week.
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post #4 of 29
7/10/07 at 11:57am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

I am actually a fan of Adore and Machina. Machina II stuff wasnt that great but the song "Dross" from Machina II kicks ass. Zwan stuff and Billy's solo cd Im not impressed with. I have to admit I wish James Iha would come back. A Perfect Circle is on hiatus I think. maybe the boredom will get to him.
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post #5 of 29
7/10/07 at 1:56pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonZ
No James or Darcy, why even call it Smashing Pumpkins?
That was my initial thought too but aside from the obvious (calling it Smashing Pumpkins sells more records), isn't Corgan the major creative force of the band?
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post #6 of 29
7/10/07 at 8:03pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Corgan pretty much is the band. Only a handful of songs had any input from Iha, not to mention that Siamese Dream is essentially all BC and Jimmy Chamberlin. I still wish James and D'arcy were there though; it was weird seeing other people on stage in their place last week.

As for Zeitgeist, I really enjoy it, but, then again, I'm one of the few people on the planet who considers Adore (which is neither industrial nor techno) the best Pumpkins album. I really liked Zwan, too, and I didn't think The Future Embrace was the worst thing in the world, either.

Major Pumpkins Fanboy,

Brett
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post #7 of 29
7/11/07 at 9:14am
Thread Starter 

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean D
Yeah I got this too. its alright. is it me or are the vocals very loud, they drown out the rest of the stuff. I wish he would write more stuff like Soma, Mayonaise and Hummer.

Ron, I have a TON of pumpkins stuff. if interested, pm me.

It's not you, they are mixed loud. He also doesn't treat his vocals with that effect that he used to use. To me, he sounds more nasally now w/o it.

Jean, I actually found a few sites the other day that were like hitting the motherload, so I'm good for a while. Thanks for the offer though!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean D
I am actually a fan of Adore and Machina. Machina II stuff wasnt that great but the song "Dross" from Machina II kicks ass. Zwan stuff and Billy's solo cd Im not impressed with. I have to admit I wish James Iha would come back. A Perfect Circle is on hiatus I think. maybe the boredom will get to him.

I doubt it...he's staying pretty busy with his record label (with one of the guys from Fountains of Wayne I believe) and producing duties. I think he just produced America's recent comeback CD.
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post #8 of 29
7/11/07 at 10:14am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by BrettGallman
Corgan pretty much is the band.

Yeah, in terms of creative input, but there comes a point when you have to wonder what makes a band a band? I mean, Corgan's the only constant in SP over the years - Chamberlin, D'Arcy and Iha have all come and gone. Now it's just BC and JC - how is that different than Zwan?

Anyway, I don't have the new album yet, but I saw SP last night at the 9:30 in DC. Up and down show, partially because I don't know the new stuff and it dominated. Oh, they still did plenty of old tracks, but I didn't recognize more than I did.

LONG, LONG show - it became a real endurance test, to be honest. I mean, I admire the fact that Billy gives fans good value for their money, and I think a three-hour show for $30 qualifies. However, it became very self-indulgent at times, and the club was only about 1/2-full by the end. (Or maybe 2/3rds - hard to tell, but a lot of folks had definitely left.)

Anyway, I hope when SP come to town again, it's someplace with SEATS. After standing in one spot for four hours, I hurt!
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post #9 of 29
7/11/07 at 10:55am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Oh, I agree that, without James and D'arcy, something is definately missing. I was just backing up the point that it's pretty much always been Billy's thing in terms of creativity. I think he just has a comfort level with using the SP name or something. Like I said, it's weird seeing someone else in place of D'arcy and James.

Colin, the show you went to sounded like the one I attended last week at the Orange Peel. The setlists were similar, too, except I was already somewhat familiar with the new stuff because I had been listening to concert recordings. My feet were killing me by the end, too, but the place was still jam-packed and we were begging for even more after 3+ hours. There is going to be a fall tour, so I'm hoping for some seated venues as well. The hardest part was standing there for two hours before the concert even started. With seats, that wouldn't be a problem.
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post #10 of 29
7/11/07 at 1:58pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean D
I am actually a fan of Adore and Machina. Machina II stuff wasnt that great but the song "Dross" from Machina II kicks ass. Zwan stuff and Billy's solo cd Im not impressed with. I have to admit I wish James Iha would come back. A Perfect Circle is on hiatus I think. maybe the boredom will get to him.

From what I've read A Perfect Circle is on a permanent hiatus according to Maynard.
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post #11 of 29
7/12/07 at 6:27am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

"Now it's just BC and JC - how is that different than Zwan?"

Yea that was pretty much my point.
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post #12 of 29
7/12/07 at 3:54pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Comments from the Washington Post echoed my own thoughts:

"A truly excruciating 20-minute unreleased jam called "Gossamer," which for some reason was saved for the second encore and sent a good third of the audience scurrying for the exits."

That nails it. "Gossamer" was really, really painful. During the interminable keyboard solo, a woman behind me said "this is like being in church, but not in a good way"...
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post #13 of 29
7/12/07 at 5:27pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Anyone know? Best Buy's version has an extra track, and so does Target (or CC, can't remember which), is it the same track?

BB's is Death from Above (I think; I got it today at lunch).
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post #14 of 29
7/12/07 at 6:21pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin C Brown
Anyone know? Best Buy's version has an extra track, and so does Target (or CC, can't remember which), is it the same track?

BB's is Death from Above (I think; I got it today at lunch).

Target's extra track is the title track "Zeitgeist". This is a number with just Billy's voice and acoustic guitar. A much better song than DFA in my opinion.
Also, the itunes exclusive is "Stellar" a more atmospheric, spacey song, unsurprisingly. Also better than DFA, but I guess it depends on what type of stuff you like out of your Pumpkins.
Either way, I wish I had gotten the Target version instead of the Best Buy.
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post #15 of 29
7/13/07 at 12:26pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Well in australia, besides the poor quality of iTunes, we get the basic version. no nice packaging ala the special edition, no bonus tracks on CD.

im downloading a lossless version now to tide me over until my special edition from amazon arrives, and even then i'm keeping hold of the two lossless bonus tracks i've procured. and this is coming from a huge pumpkins fan who was nearly tempted not to buy it at all because of all the bonus track bullshit, but the book version is too nice to pass up.
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post #16 of 29
7/13/07 at 6:13pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
A much better song than DFA in my opinion.

Crap. Now I have to go get the Target disc.
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post #17 of 29
7/14/07 at 3:45am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

for one song? crazy. wait a month or so and buy it used.
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post #18 of 29
7/14/07 at 1:28pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

For a specialty disc like this, the price might actually go up. But your point is well taken.

I'm listening to the disc now. I like it more than I thought I would, to be honest.
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post #19 of 29
7/14/07 at 1:50pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

I've been listening to it w/ one ear bud all day today in the background while I talk to customers. It's ok, so far I like "Bleeding the Orchid", it reminds me of another SP song, but I cant think of it right now. something off of MCIS though.
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post #20 of 29
7/15/07 at 6:54am
Thread Starter 

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Miller Time
Target's extra track is the title track "Zeitgeist". This is a number with just Billy's voice and acoustic guitar. A much better song than DFA in my opinion.
Also, the itunes exclusive is "Stellar" a more atmospheric, spacey song, unsurprisingly. Also better than DFA, but I guess it depends on what type of stuff you like out of your Pumpkins.
Either way, I wish I had gotten the Target version instead of the Best Buy.

It really pisses me off when they do this. I'd rather they give you access to a website where you can hear all the possible bonus tracks and then choose the one you like rather then have no idea and get whatever one comes with the retailer you bought it at.
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post #21 of 29
7/15/07 at 6:58am
Thread Starter 

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin C Brown
I like it more than I thought I would, to be honest.

It's really not as bad as some reviewers made it out to be. I think the Allmusic Guide review was WAY over the top in it's hatred of Billy.

A buddy of mine has never seen them live and they're his favorite band, so we got tickets to the Fox Theatre show in the ATL yesterday. I just hope they sound better live than the last two times I saw them (once around the time of SD and then when they were headlining Lollapalooza after Cobain passed). From what I saw on Letterman Friday night, they were pretty good, aside from Billy's vocals.
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post #22 of 29
7/15/07 at 11:11am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colin Jacobson
Now it's just BC and JC - how is that different than Zwan?

the name "Smashing Pumpkins" guarentees higher sales than "Zwan" or "Billy Corgan" do. All we have to look at is how Billy's solo album struggled to break the top 50 but yet Zeitgeist is looking at possibly debuting at #1 next week, and a surefire top 2 regardless. Corgan wants to sell albums, Smashing Pumpkins sells albums moreso than Zwan or by his solo namesake.
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post #23 of 29
7/23/07 at 8:08am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Pretty damning live review
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...sn=001&sc=1000
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post #24 of 29
7/23/07 at 5:30pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

There was a likewise not very good in the SJ Mercury about that same show.

I learned an important concept in Econ 101. Utility. If someone gives me a cookie, I'm a happy camper. Someone gives me 2 cookies, I'm excited. Someone gives me 3 cookies, that just about perfect. But someone gives me 10 cookies, I'm just not as happy anymore.

I love the Pumpkins, but they should remember that old saying: always leave them wanting more. 3 hrs, I think, is about 1 hr past that point, no matter how strong the back catalog is.
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post #25 of 29
7/24/07 at 2:37pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin C Brown
I love the Pumpkins, but they should remember that old saying: always leave them wanting more. 3 hrs, I think, is about 1 hr past that point, no matter how strong the back catalog is.

But SP ALWAYS played really long shows - this isn't a new phenomenon. I remember equally lengthy shows back in 1996. The difference is that the current shows include lots of new material, not just well-known stuff - and this is a band just getting its feet wet, not one that'd been together for years. I don't recall gripes about SP playing too long 10 years ago...
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post #26 of 29
7/24/07 at 6:15pm

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Ive been listening to the album more and more. Its growing on me, but it still will not be in my top SP albums. I wish Billy would go back and master some old demo's from pre Siamese Dream era. One of my favorite Pumpkins songs is an unreleased demo called "Nothing and Everything".
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post #27 of 29
7/25/07 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jean D
Ive been listening to the album more and more. Its growing on me, but it still will not be in my top SP albums. I wish Billy would go back and master some old demo's from pre Siamese Dream era. One of my favorite Pumpkins songs is an unreleased demo called "Nothing and Everything".

I'd personally love to hear Siamese Dream in high res audio.
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post #28 of 29
7/26/07 at 3:44am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Definitely!
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post #29 of 29
8/11/07 at 9:41am

Re: Smashing Pumpkins "Zeitgeist" 7/10

Quote:
No James or Darcy, why even call it Smashing Pumpkins?
Exactly.
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