Pitchfork

Front page photo by Shervin Lainez

Just in case you were trying to come up with a good excuse to buy another copy of the Smashing Pumpkins' Zeitgeist, well, how's about some more bonus material? Today, January 2, Billy the kid and his ragtag crew released American Gothic, a four-song EP, which is available in the U.S. exclusively through iTunes. You can purchase the EP all by its lonesome or as a bribebonus for picking up a copy of Zeitgeist for your iThing. Outside the U.S., the disc will emerge in physical form sometime later this month.

The tunes were mostly penned during the band's summer residencies in Asheville, North Carolina and San Francisco, and laid to tape at L.A.'s Pass Studio while the band rested up between tours late last year. One notable exception is "The Rose March", which will be familiar to some who caught Billy solo after the release of his 2005 solo LP The Future Embrace. Pete Townsend is apparently a fan of the track, and balked when young Corgan told him the tune wouldn't be appearing on Zeitgeist. Maybe if he'd bought the right version! Oh, right, here we are.

That respite between tours is coming to a close later this month when the band hits the European circuit. They'll follow that with four stops on the previously reported V Festival down there in Australia.

American Gothic:

01 The Rose March
02 Pox
03 Again, Again, Again (The Crux)
04 Sunkissed

Dates:

01-27 Belgrade, Serbia - Arena
01-29 Budapest, Hungary - Arena
01-30 Prague, Czech Republic - T-Mobile Arena
01-31 Vienna, Austria - Stadthalle
02-02 Milan, Italy - Forum
02-03 Bologna, Italy - PalaMalaguti
02-05 Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion
02-06 Paris, France - Bercy
02-09 Dublin, Ireland - Royal Dublin Society
02-10 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Kings Hall
02-12 Glasgow, Scotland - SECC Hall
02-14 Nottingham, England - Nottingham Arena
02-15 Manchester, England - MEN Arena
02-16 London, England - O2 Arena
02-18 Den Bosch, Netherlands - Brabenthalle
02-19 Brussels, Belgium - Forest National
02-21 Munich, Germany - Olympiahalle
02-22 Frankfurt, Germany - Jahrhunderthalle
02-23 Berlin, Germany - Arena
02-24 Oberhausen, Germany - Köenig-Pilsener Arena
02-26 Hamburg, Germany - Colorline Arena
02-27 Copenhagen, Denmark - Valbyhallen
02-29 Oslo, Norway - Spektrum
03-01 Stockholm, Sweden - Hovet
03-03 Helsinki, Finland - Ice Hall
03-29 Sydney, Australia - Centennial Park
03-30 Gold Coast, Australia - Avica Resort
04-05 Melbourne, Australia - Showgrounds
04-06 Perth, Australia - Esplanade