It's hard not to be cynical about reunion albums, but I'm afraid Zeitgeist - the new record from the Smashing Pumpkins - will fall victim to "Eyes Wide Shut syndrome." That is to say critisc won't be able to separate their preconceived notions from the actual quality of the work, being either overly harsh or heaping too much praise. I've been listening to Zeitgeist a bit, and there are moments of brilliance reminiscent of classic Pumpkins. Billy Corgan sounds far more excited and reenergized than he did on Machina or either of his ill-fated post-Pumpkins projects. Then again - wasn't the Pumpkins legacy perfect as it is? Why taint with that - especially with new members?
Entertainment Weekly referred to it as the relaunching of a "brand" and as that, this reunion has worked brilliantly. Corgan is able to headline festivals and sell out arenas in a way he hasn't before. He's taken over MySpace with live videos and cut deals with chain stores. One has to wonder if this isn't at least a partial financial move. James Montgomery writes, "so far no one has been able to adequately explain why these Smashing Pumpkins are really the Smashing Pumpkins at all. To me, they seem like little more than Corgan's backing band." He follows that with a string of criticisms for the band's new music video, deemed "a mess."Thus, the problem when reviewing an album such as this - argue that the capitalist explanation renders the work meaningless or wax nostalgic about your favorite band being back together, even if in name only. Or maybe just skip past the hideous artwork and enjoy a handful of songs showing what Corgan does best.
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