John, I've brewed pumpkin ales for several years (not that you'd know it from last night's knuckle-brained activity!) and usually use both pumpkin and spices. I realized that the pumpkin contributes little in the way of flavor, but believe that it adds some depth and nutrients that aren't available in the spices. The "pumpkin spice" beers I've had I didn't enjoy as much as the ones which use