Do the Smashing Pumpkins Love Third-Tier Jake Gyllenhaal Movies?

According to Billboard, the typeface on the cover of the first Smashing Pumpkins album in seven years, Zeitgeist, “mirrors that used on the Pumpkins’ debut single, 1990’s ‘I Am One’ b/w ‘Tristessa.’” We guess we see it, although given that the Pumpkins currently include neither D’Arcy nor James Iha, the comparison doesn’t really do Billy Corgan’s band any favors. But maybe Corgan is just trying to call attention away from Zeitgeist cover artist Shepard Fairey, who goes a little bit overboard in explaining the intricate symbolism of his design:

“I think global warming is an issue that is currently relevant, time sensitive, and a symptom of the shortsightedness of the U.S.,” Fairey says. “As a broader metaphor, the drowning Statue of Liberty, a revered icon of the U.S., symbolizes the eminent demise of many of the ideals upon which the nation was founded. Civil liberties, freedom of speech, privacy, etc. have been decreasing since 9/11. The sun in the image could either be setting or rising and this ambiguity shows that there is still hope to turn things around.”

Uh, or Fairey’s just been watching a lot of HBO-Z, where Jake Gyllenhaal weather-porn extravaganza The Day After Tomorrow plays seemingly every third day.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Smashing Pumpkins Unveil ‘Zeitgeist’ Artwork [Billboard]