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07-01-2007, 12:30 AM | #91 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,521
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i'd agree with getting rid of come one and pomp, and throwing gossamer on there.
but two epics on one record would be a bit too much. so eh. hw about signal to noise then? |
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07-01-2007, 12:30 AM | #92 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,785
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07-01-2007, 12:32 AM | #93 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,785
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My only beef with the album is that it felt too short. I wanted more (than life could ever grant me LOLOL IM SO FUNNY). Once the bonus tracks are out, we're going to have one long-ass Zeitgeist love fest going on here. Can't wait
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07-01-2007, 12:33 AM | #94 |
Ownz
Posts: 577
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Give it up for Jimmy's Drumming on ZG
ok, i've listened to the album about 3 times... holy shit. give it up for jimmy. his drumming is PERFECT on this record. the drum rolls, the way he builds up the climax's and the way the mood of his drumming changes with the mood of the guitar. so powerful and fantastic. just perfect.
jimmy, once again you have proven to be my god. |
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07-01-2007, 12:33 AM | #95 | |
Minion of Satan
Posts: 6,302
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Billy was {qq} cut my wrists "im a boy and im sensitive" before emo was a twinkle in SDRE's eye. I don't think platinum within a year is entirely out of the question |
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07-01-2007, 12:34 AM | #96 |
*sigh*
Posts: 8,845
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yes, this album is pretty jimmy intense. he is doing a great job flapping his arms around back there!
awesome drumming on United States |
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07-01-2007, 12:35 AM | #97 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,785
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Yeah Jimmy is on fire on the Geist.
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07-01-2007, 12:36 AM | #98 |
Braindead
Location: I was just reading, right?
Posts: 15,023
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i sware he has a third arm that no one can see
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07-01-2007, 12:38 AM | #99 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 1,158
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meanwhile, most of the bass is buried.....
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07-01-2007, 12:40 AM | #100 | |
Ownz
Posts: 577
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07-01-2007, 12:47 AM | #101 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,521
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wrong john, the bass is sound absolutely excellent on this record. put on some headphones if you have 'em.
but yes, the jimmy. the jimmy. like i said before, the man gets better with age.. why this band continues to be so fucking great. he also made zwan tolerable. |
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07-01-2007, 12:51 AM | #102 |
Ownz
Location: sansanatomy.com
Posts: 871
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the only rock drummer even in the same stratosphere around today is danny carey.. JC is godlike, yes yes
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07-01-2007, 12:51 AM | #103 | |
Pledge
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 55
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Wow, never seen a complete opposite like this. Here's mine: 1. Machina 2. Adore 3. Siamese Dream 4. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness 5. Gish 6. Machina II 7. Zeitgeist Maybe Zeitgeist will move up, but so far, I love the others like wild. And no songs on any of the other albums make me say, "Eh, skip it." |
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07-01-2007, 12:51 AM | #104 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 1,158
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07-01-2007, 12:52 AM | #105 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Billy's Buttcrack
Posts: 1,687
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I love how many of the songs on Zeitgeist seem based around JC's drumming, such as Doomsday Clock and United States.
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07-01-2007, 12:54 AM | #106 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 2,999
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HOLY SHIT. |
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07-01-2007, 12:54 AM | #107 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,521
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i also like how dry the drums sound.. took getting used to on first listen but it really works great for these tunes
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07-01-2007, 12:54 AM | #108 |
Banned
Location: Year Zero
Posts: 739
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It'll go Platinum. I guarantee you this album will be a huge hit.
My review. Zeitgeist flows better than Siamese Dream; but it's not as good. It's a lot better than anything I could have possibly expected out of Zeitgeist though. So many instant classics and so many good and solid listens. 1. Doomsday Clock-Furious guitar riffs and the vocals are pretty bad for the most part; but the chorus is pretty catchy and the bridges kick ass. 3/5 2. 7 Shades of Black-Don't know what the big deal is with this song. It's good; but there's better.. Some nice guitar riffs, the vocal layering is awesome and the riffs are great and the drums are nice, but it's not catchy and there's not much of chorus. 3.5/5 3. Bleeding The Orchid-Pretty freaking awesome; sounds like an older, downbeat Pumpkins song that's remotely catchy and James drumming carries the song. 4/5 4. That's The Way-Zwan outtake. The guitars are lighthearted; but Jimmy's drumming is fantastic and the chorus is great. There's so much more than Zwan had though; it's got heart and Pumpkins-esque atmosphere. 4/5 5. Tarantula-What should I say? Guitar work is kickass, fast, and crazy. Corgan's vocals are a bit irritating in parts, but the chorus is catchy as hell and it's just a really fun song. It's one of Zeitgeist's best. 5/5 6. Starz-Here's another Zeitgeist classic. The song's beginning is cool, and the whole 'WE ARE STARZ!' thing is pretty cool. The breakdown kicks my ass and the guitar riffs are furious in the parts. It's not catchy, but it's pure fun and feels retro Pumpkins. 5/5 7. United States-The middle keeps cranking out the classics; it's furious, loud, angry, and really fun. The song is too long though and overdrawn. It's still good, but it would be better if it were shorter. 4/5 8. Neverlost-It's dreamy, and the xylophones are great. The guitars are great in this song and Billy's vocals are dreamy and some of the best I've heard in years. 4/5 9. Bring The Light-More greats, the song is catchy, manages to be mellow and loud, and feels like a Mellon Collie outtake. It's really cool; and the riffs are fast and loud. 5/5 10. (Come On) Let's Go-Wow. It's another fast, guitar-driven song with fast riffs; and the chorus is catchy and the whole song is mixed about as well as they can. The vocal layering in the chorus is awe-inspring. 5/5 11. For God and Country-The best on Zeitgeist and one of the best Pumpkins songs ever. The synths are perfectly necessary in this song, the vocal loops add to the 80s feel of it, and the basslines are great. Billy's vocals are nice, and it's catchy as hell and pretty simple. Wow. Wow. Wow. Why couldn't have this been the single? 10,000/5 12. Pomp and Circumstance-Billy took the keyboards and synths a bit too far as it sounds like TFE; and almost like a little kiddie playground anthem. Not enough guitars, and Billy doesn't like it either; he never plays it. 'La la la la la'...wtf? 1.5/5 The middle of Zeitgeist is freaking unbelievably great. For God and Country is freaking unstoppable. Too many classics on Zeitgeist; it's overwhelming. But, Zeitgeist ends on a bad note...Pomp and Circumstance is almost as bad as Death From Above. That's right I said DFA. Bad word. |
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07-01-2007, 12:56 AM | #109 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Posts: 1,785
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07-01-2007, 12:56 AM | #110 | |
Pledge
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 55
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7 shades of black - 3/5 bleeding the orchid - 3/5 thats the way - 5/5 (strongest on album) tarantula - 5/5 starz - 3/5 united states - 2.5/5 (still needs to grow on me. middle im lost; the ending rocks.) neverlost - 4/5 (very dreamy) bring in the light - 5/5 (catchiest song on the album) come on lets go - 3/5 (bland) for god and country - 3.5/5 (should be the acoustic version) pomp and circumstance - 1/5 (worst pumpkins song to date. should have been gossamer) Album grade so far: B I need to listen to it more, well considering it's only been out a few hours, but a lot of it feels thick and to me, Corgan's written catchier songs for ZWAN than on here. |
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07-01-2007, 12:56 AM | #111 | |
Banned
Location: Year Zero
Posts: 739
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Machina and Adore ahead of Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie? Holy shit. Dude, how can you not like Zeitgeist outside of Pomp and Circumstance? |
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07-01-2007, 12:59 AM | #112 |
Pledge
Posts: 213
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I might be in the minority, but I am dissapointed in the album in general.
1. My first big gripe is that each song seems to have some production smoke and mirrors with Billy's Vocals that distract not only from the song, but also give this artificial aesthetic that doesn't seem to please. The vocal effects seem overused and they become expoenentially worse when the.... 2. Lyrics absolutely suck. It feels like Billy is writing a sonnet to a 10 year old Valley Girl. There is no darkness, no depth, no variety. I just can't relate to it, and I'm sure most of you will agree. There is no "God is empty// Just like me..." but "We are STARZ!!" 3. The album feels like somewhat of a cheap stab at trying to be the new king of 'pop rock'. I could see it get Radio play, but I could never see it be the choice for critical listener's. 4. The instruments feel like they are secondary. Of all the pumpkins albums, Billy's voice has always been kind of hidden or on level with the instruments. Here is the first time where the vocals are so overpowering its hard to make sense of the harmony in the songs. The reason I bring this up- is because it feels like some songs sound like the production in Backstreet Boys songs. Yeah don't laugh, you know it. 5. Quality is VERY inconsistent. I've listened to the album for the third time now, and I just can't help but want to skip some tracks. United States is quite possibly one of the most boring tracks I have ever heard. It just rolls on and on and on and finally appears to culminate but not before boring you to tears. Pomp and Circumstance would be a great song if I was Autistic. However, its great to see the Pumpkins back. I've been a fan for a long time, so I've learned to roll with a punches. Here's to hoping the next album has more substance and less Starz. Overall, its a decent record. Its not bad, not great, just one of those albums you own but never really look back at. Last edited by thuway : 07-01-2007 at 01:07 AM. |
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07-01-2007, 01:01 AM | #113 |
Pledge
Posts: 154
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JC has a more agressive sound than DC. The drums on Zeitgeist are what seal the deal for me. intense
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07-01-2007, 01:06 AM | #114 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,521
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thats teh way is much much better than any zwan tune.
the lyrics are just as cheesy as anything on MCIS at times, but it's one aspect i like about this band. |
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07-01-2007, 01:08 AM | #115 |
Pledge
Posts: 213
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I really like the lyrics on MCIS, shrug. Referencing to my review, I've always like his lyrics pre-Zwan.
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07-01-2007, 01:09 AM | #116 |
Pledge
Location: Belém, Brazil
Posts: 162
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I'll proper review when I'm sober but, for me, 9 amazing songs ans 3 poor ones (Neverlost, For God and Country and Pomp & Circunstances).
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07-01-2007, 01:11 AM | #117 | |
Ownz
Location: really exploring the studio space this time
Posts: 536
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07-01-2007, 01:12 AM | #118 |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: Portland, Maine
Posts: 1,158
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Well.
As most of you know, The Smashing Pumpkins are my favorite rock band/musical act ever. Obviously not the best in anyway, but I'm a huge fan of the songs Billy Corgan has been able to spit out in all these past years. Zwan and other side projects have always entertained me as well and I think Jimmy Chamberlin has always been able to knock anyone off the charts with his crazy jungle jazz rock drumming. Well a week before the official release of The Smashing Pumpkins' latest incarnation (Zeitgeist) will be released, the internet has graciously intervened and handed the fans the album in usual mp3 format. Here's a knock-out drag-out review of the tracks: 1. "Doomsday Clock" - The intro and verses remind fans of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness' track "Bodies" immediately, but not in a straight-forward manner. The lyrics of "Is everyone afraid? / You should be ashamed" are incredibly amateurish as well as the struggling vocals before the last chorus of "You should want it all". Overall an enjoyable track despite the lyrics. 2. "7 Shades of Black" - Similar to "Doomsday Clock" in guitar and vocal approach but with perhaps the most interesting arrangement I've heard from Billy Corgan in way of song structure for a hard rock song. Incredibly interesting in a way that leaves you actually wanting more than a three minute and seventeen second tune. 3. "Bleeding the Orchid" - I've heard this on the recent prerelease tour and residencies the past month or so and I've come to the conclusion that the album version seems to lack energy. Still a song that you can absorb quickly and may grow on fans in time. 4. "That's the Way (My Love Is)" - Reminds me of "Wound" and "Untitled" as well as some Zwan material in ways of good arrangement and catchiness. It's quite the pop-tune without heavy guitars, but driving Corgan vocals and Chamberlin drums. So far one of my favorite songs from "Zeitgeist" and can compete with pop tunes Corgan has constructed in the past. 5. "Tarantula" - The first leaked track and single of the newly reformed The Smashing Pumpkins and it's quite the winner. I'm a big fan of the way Smashing Pumpkins tunes have been formulated in the past and this totally takes the cake in the hard-rock circuit. Breakdowns are smooth and the solos are quite interesting with the pleasant breakdown near the end that reminds you of Cheap Trick or a hint of Scorpion fun. The ending vocals add up the reoccurrence of the Corgan Machine with "If it's a white-hot soul they want, It's a black heart they'll get." 6. "Starz" - Nothing special into this track until you get the vocal layering of "We are Stars" and you wonder what Queen record Billy indulged himself into. It does get heavier and becomes some smooth area-rocker with up-tempo articulate choruses driven by Chamberlin's drumming. 7. "United States" - Jimmy Chamberlin. This is a pure track for Jimmy. Bar none drumming. The track in itself is sort of tiring for an album full of radio-catchy ideas; though is energetic live and reveals classic Pumpkins in context of a jam-derived song. The delay ridden guitar work in the middle seems incredibly useless and redundant. The track is similar to "Glass and the Ghost Children" in context of oddly *******d tunes for an album. 8. "Neverlost" - Similar in traditional Pumpkin song structure. The song has a glockenspiel in the background as well as multiple organ/synths which for some reason reminds me of songs from Machina / the Machines of God or TheFutureEmbrace that I would rather not relive. This is the first sing on the album where I found the almost un-audible bassline to be interesting. 9. "Bring the Light" - Incredibly pop-rock. Similar to "Nothing and Everything" (old demo song from late eighties) with the frantic chase feeling in the tune, with a crazy double tracked solo that highlights the album's use of catchy guitar hooks placed in the background. Incredibly Boston sounding. 10. "Come On (Let's Go)" - Reminds me of "Zero" mixed with a neat Thin Lizzy verse. Some parts remind me of Machina II material like "White Spyder" in the bridge. Also reminds me of some random area-rocking tunes. 11. "For God and Country" - I heard a version from the first show back from Paris, May 22nd and my god- it sounds nothing like this album version. Sort of a Machina sessions driven with synths and deep muffled bassline that reminds me of "In My Body" but popier. And like some Machina songs- sound completely different than how fans first get to know the tunes. Depeche Mode may have written this song once or twice... 12. "Pomp and Circumstances" - Odd. Different instrumentation than you may have ever heard for a Pumpkins song. Slow and Waltz-like- the deep staccato-strings and resonate percussion sound like an actual depiction of "Pomp and Circumstance" some pit band may have played in the world. The odd "La la la las" with guitar make the song an odd slow end cap that I can see as a mix of every song The Smashing Pumpkins have had as album closers. Final First Review: The Smashing Pumpkins are back; and have this time added a hint of mid-nineties nostalgia while still able deny overpowering the themes that Green Day was miraculously able to grab out of their ass with American Idiot. Ridden with small amounts of political views (very small, but evident with the cd art as well as the horrid SP flag design) as well as the usual apocalyptic material the album is oddly mixed with reminiscent Zwan ideals in the later half of the track list. Most of the rockier tunes can be related to MCIS era jams as the synth tunes seem to be left over Machina themes. Lyrics overall are tiring for the first time in years for Corgan (odd for a man who's best vocal/lyrical work stems from the last four years...and I’m not talking about TheFutureEmbrace) and vocals are concentrated for balanced attack while the panning of mounted chorus lines make an impression that Corgan wanted to be in the group Boston years ago. Although the layered vocals are welcome, the album is heavily reliant on them as well as nuance effects, synths, and random 'beeps and boops'. The live versions of a percentage of these tunes work incredibly well with mixed Pumpkin tunes but suffer as a new album. Zeitgeist lacks dynamics that TSP, The Pixies, and other bands exploited so well along with the screaming and energetic primal screams that Corgan once exerted so easily. Age has most likely push the yelling into retirement (used rarely for a hit like "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" live) while Corgan has learned from his Zwan / Djali Zwan years that he doesn't necessarily have to scream to get his message across. The basslines are almost lost in the sea of guitars, which doesn't surprise me whatsoever unfortunately. Overall this album is quite enjoyable and can top 2000's Machina / the Machines of God quite easily. I'm just glad there's no horrible clipping due to mastering (IE see Machina and Zwan's Mary Star of the Sea) and I am delighted that Corgan is once again writing radio-friendly pop rock songs. The new lineup of Billy Corgan (vocals + lead guitar), Jimmy Chamberlin (percussion), Ginger Reyes (vocals + bass), Jeff Schroeder (guitar), and Lisa Harrington (keyboard) are as solid as the Pumpkins have surprisingly EVER been live- cranking out classic Pumpkin tunes as well rehashing oddities than only hardcore fans may remember ("Translucent" !!!). For a band that's only played 20+ shows in a month together live, The Smashing Pumpkins are using Zeitgeist to pave the way through the uneasy state of rock and roll today and proving their relevance in today’s music. Corgan and Chamberlin have burned the lies off my soul and crushed me into dust with Metal. Thanks Boys. 8/10 so far.... |
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07-01-2007, 01:14 AM | #119 | |
Apocalyptic Poster
Location: the order of the buffalo hunt
Posts: 1,026
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07-01-2007, 01:15 AM | #120 |
Minion of Satan
Location: up a tree
Posts: 7,521
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well i actually love the lyrics on MCIS, SD, and especially Adore quite a bit. I couldn't understand what he was singing about at all on TFE, and this one so far i'm listening to just the music a lot.. but so far the lyrics to starz stand out in that corny/fun song manner much in the same way songs like we only come out at night and lily did.
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