Smashing Pumpkins Zeitgeist: C

Music: 7/10 Vocals: 2/5 Lyrics: 1/5 Production: 4/5
Total: 14 of 25: C

Half of the Smashing Pumpkins (Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin) return for their first album since 2000. Being arguably the most successful 90's rock band, can this be the reunion to bring the back to their former glory?

First, Billy was never a good singer. So, his voice still sounds like a bandsaw drenched in lemon juice.

Second, Billy never really wrote very good lyrics. Most are horrible and then a few great ones come through.

Third, Jimmy is the best rock drummer alive today. Period.

Forth, Billy plays a real mean guitar.

Fifth, Billy writes some pretty crappy music sometimes.

So, Zeitgeist kind of sums up all of these points. Their good songs are really good, and their bad songs are really bad. Unfortunately, there is more bad than good. Out of the 12 songs on the album, I keep 7 on my iPod though I could easily trim that to 5.

The highlight is "Tarantula". A super saturated guitar with angry lyrics and booming drums. Oh, and lets not forget the rusty chainsaw guitar solo that melts into a turn reminiscent of their awesome song "Mayonnaise". A song that could easily be on any of their previous albums except Adore.

Next is the real oddball "Starz" (yes with a totally 13 year old teenager spelling). The lyrics about, well, Stars in the sky are absolutely horrible. Perhaps the worst he's ever written. But the crunchy guitar is spot on. And the drum. My god the drums. It is a masterpiece in drum work. The music alone makes this song a 10 but the lyrics bring it to an 8.

There are other good songs such as "Doomsday Clock" and "Come On (Let's Go)" which range from pure rock to more pop.

But then there is the other half of the album. I really don't care about Billy's revolution talk in "United States". Just let it rock. It doesn't. Oh, and it's over 9 minutes long. Crappy lyrics. Boring music. Terrible song.

There are others like the plodding "Bleeding the Orchid". Why does Billy love these types of songs? There's always one on every CD and it always sucks (except for the decent "Blue Skies Bring Tears"). Or how about the song that sounds like it was written and recorded in someone's basement "Pomp and Circumstances".

To sum it up, delete half the album and call it an EP and this thing is an A-. Throw in lots of crap? C.