Zeitgei$t

Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin return as The Smashing Pumpkins with new members Jeff Schroeder (guitar) and Ginger Reyes (bass) in tow for their 7th album (released on 7-7-2007, officially on Tuesday 7-10-2007). This is the first SP record since the original lineup (including James Iha and D'Arcy Wretsky) parted ways earlier in the decade. Their last album was Machina II, leaked to the fans via the Internet, with no official CD release. Billy Corgan put out an album with Zwan and a solo record. Jimmy Chamberlin put out a record as The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex (Billy guested on "Loki Cat").

From what I've heard from live bootlegs (Paris, Belgium, Germany and residency shows at the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC), the new material meshes well with old school Pumpkins, more so than the Machina records in my opinion. There is definitely a return to extended psych-metal jams like "Silverfuck" off Siamese Dream on "United States" and non-album live cut "Gossamer." Moments of "Doomsday Clock," included on the Transformers soundtrack, even bring "Tristessa" to mind.

"Starz" has a new wave meets metal kind of feel, and is usually paired with "Zero" live, but I'm not totally sold on it yet. First single "Tarantula" is starting to grow on me, but hasn't become a staple of every live set. "Bleeding The Orchid" is probably my least favorite of the new material that I've heard (it reminds me of the sub-par moments on Machina). "For God And Country" is up there with the better ballads off Mellon Collie and Machina. A live reworking of Adore track "Shame" fits in well the new material also.

I'm looking forward to listening to the new album all the way through, once I decide which of the many versions to get! Warner Brothers is employing the annoying practice of releasing a different bonus edition at nearly every different retailer, in addition to the usual regional versions. See the list I've compiled below:

Standard version (red sleeve)
Special edition (red - 76-page book-style packaging)
UK Limited edition (yellow sleeve)
HMV version (green sleeve)

1 Doomsday Clock
2 7 Shades of Black
3 Bleeding the Orchid
4 That's The Way (My Love Is)
5 Tarantula
6 Starz
7 United States
8 Neverlost
9 Bring The Light
10 (Come On) Let's Go!
11 For God And Country
12 Pomp And Circumstances

Best Buy version (yellow sleeve)
Japanese version (red sleeve)

1 Doomsday Clock
2 7 Shades of Black
3 Bleeding the Orchid
4 That's The Way (My Love Is)
5 Tarantula
6 Starz
7 United States
8 Neverlost
9 Death From Above (BONUS TRACK) - B-side of the UK Tarantula CD/7" single
10 Bring The Light
11 (Come On) Let's Go!
12 For God And Country
13 Pomp And Circumstances


Target version (purple sleeve)

1 Doomsday Clock
2 7 Shades of Black
3 Bleeding the Orchid
4 That's The Way (My Love Is)
5 Tarantula
6 Starz
7 United States
8 Neverlost
9 Bring The Light
10 (Come On) Let's Go!
11 For God And Country
12 Pomp And Circumstances
13 Zeitgeist (BONUS TRACK)


iTunes version (blue sleeve)

1 Doomsday Clock
2 7 Shades of Black
3 Bleeding the Orchid
4 That's The Way (My Love Is)
5 Tarantula
6 Starz
7 United States
8 Neverlost
9 Bring The Light
10 (Come On) Let's Go!
11 Stellar (BONUS TRACK)
12 For God And Country
13 Pomp And Circumstances

*pre-order by July 9th and get an advanced download of "Doomsday Clock," a Ticketmaster pre-sale password for the Pumpkins upcoming North American tour, and these 5 Smashing Pumpkins covers (originally streaming on MySpace; these 5 + 5 more on CD with July issue of Spin Magazine):

“Rocket” by The Bravery

“Tonight Tonight” by Panic! at the Disco

“I am One” by +44

“Mayonaise” by The Academy Is…

“Ava Adore” by Test Your Reflex