Genre: rock Label: Reprise Release date: July 10 Producer: Roy Thomas Baker, Terry Date, Jimmy Chamberlin, Billy Corgan Related Links: Last fm site / Official artist siteSure, Billy Corgan may be a pretentious fame-whore. And sure, the current lineup doesn’t quite resemble the Pumpkins in their glory days. But seminal ‘90s alt-rockers the Smashing Pumpkins made their comeback this summer with “Zeitgeist” - which, for better or worse, marks Corgan’s nasal-voiced, politically minded return to the limelight.

Overall Grade: C+ (7 Votes)

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“Overall, Zeitgeist picks up where the Pumpkins left off. It’s loud and violent, with verbal allusions unlike anything Corgan has ever written.” - Jason Dronkowski, Daily Emerald
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Grade: A-

“‘Zeitgeist’ is enjoyable enough and capable of bringing the rock in spades (and it helps if your expectations are low enough), but it’s sadly not an effort worthy of the legendary Smashing Pumpkins name.” - Adam Pringle, Daily Forty-Niner
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Grade: B

“Approach this album for what it is — basically a Billy Corgan solo album — and you will probably enjoy it.” - Josh Brock, Kentucky Kernel
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Grade: B-

“Corgan’s demeanor reeks of self-assurance bordering on conceit, while his voice sounds like an unsure, insecure and humble plea for attention.” - Lisa Lewis, Daily O’Collegian
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Grade: C+

“The hubris and self-importance of Corgan’s return to the fray strikes a pretty clean parallel to the current administration’s swan dive into Iraq.” - John C. Schlotfelt, The Daily Iowan
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Grade: C

“Once, Smashing Pumpkins were looked to for a way out of a suburban teenagers life. Now, those teenagers have grown up and they not looking for the same answers that they were looking for before.” - Amir Prellberg, Daily Eastern News
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Grade: C

“Maybe it would have been better if the Smashing Pumpkins never put out another album at all.” - Alicia Wade, Daily Egyptian
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Grade: D