Howdy Powdies

Has anyone been listening to the Smashing Pumpkins' new album
"Zeitgeist"? (Yes, the one with the Statue of Liberty sinking in an
apocalyptic red water).  As the sticker on the CD cover says it's
their first album in 7 years, with Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin
still flying the flag.  Musically, it opens with a really heavy, thick
(metal?) sound which eases during the album, but not before the 9
minute (count 'em!) and twenty something seconds of "United States" in
which Billy asks "What will they do to me?", before calling for
REVOLUTION.  The best track would be "Come on let's go" (no.10) or
"That's the way my love is" (no.4), but there's also the delightfully
cheesy "Stars" (no.6), which sounds like the Lithuanian/Ukranian
Eurovision entry from a few years back ("We are the weeeeners, of
Eurovision.  You will vote for us.  We are the winners, of
Eurovision").  Billy's accent is also a real treat, it's so rich and
stylish.  Lyrically, the new album has a really strong gospel slant,
with tracks like "Bring the light", "God and country" ("my soul is so
alive...I want to live where no-one's watching my way home.  I want to
give until I'm bustin' with unknown"); all processed and filtered
through the same muse that brought us "Bullet with butterfly wings".

t

MOC: Martin was once asked what he'd been listening to recently, and
replied that it was the Ps.