Smashing Pumpkins - "Ava Adore" and "perfect"

[halo19]

Yeah, this one is a double-song topic, and because I felt like making it one. They both have enough things that would make them worthy of mention.

First of all, they're both from what I would consider the band's best album, Adore, although I'm in the minority. Most people prefer the more familiar rock sound of Siamese Dream, and everyone loved Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. This is where they decided to alienate the fan base, and use Depeche Mode-style music.

The former song, "Ava Adore", is awesome because the music resembles a washing machine and yet it still works out as a song. It proves to be melodic, and I like the post-chorus melody. It's one of those that's electronic and rock hard simultaneously, and I love that sound.
"Perfect" is similarly good. The lyrics are some of Billy Corgan's best. It's a song that's happy and sad simultaneously, which was proved to be a strength back in the "Today" days. Musically it's cool too, equally electronic and acoustic. I personally consider the album, and the two big singles career highlights from them.

I wonder what the others here think.

[iceman]

I really like "Perfect", one of their better ones.

[singingsparrow]

The "Melon Collie & The Infinite Sadness" era would have to be their golden age to me, yet "Ava Adore" deserves to be deemed a worthy highlight of their career.

"Perfect" has never exactly stood out to me among the rest, but Billy Corgan puts his heart into much of the material he writes and so "Perfect" itself is quality to my ears.

I am curious where his solo album is going. More upbeat in the Zwan direction or more downbeat in the Smashing Pumpkins direction, or a little from Column A, a little from Column B. Perhaps we're all way off and must accept this as a new era of Billy Corgan.

Personally I'd love his solo album to have a lounge style to it. Throw in some acoustics and perhaps poetry from his forthcoming book can blend in there. Make a more intimate setting to his music and voice.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Deleted]

I like "Perfect". "Ava Adore" is pretty good, but I like "Perfect" much more. Neither are my favorites by them though.

[Walking Contradiction]

I love both these songs, and I think Adore is a very underrated album.

I also really liked the two soundtrack cuts they released prior to this album, "Eye" and "The End Is The Beginning is the End," both of which were sort of precursors to the sound of Adore. (Actually, I think the former was actually a Billy Corgan solo track but was credited to the Pumpkins.) It's too bad I never hear these songs on the radio anymore.

By the way, was "Pug" released as the third single from Adore? I know it got played on the radio here, and I happen to like that one even better than the first two singles.

[Rob64]

"Perfect" sounds like too much like "1979" for me. "1979" is among my favorite songs of the 90's. AWESOME song. The video was great

[halo19]

mikibacsi1124 said:

(Actually, I think the former was actually a Billy Corgan solo track but was credited to the Pumpkins.) 

I didn't really know that. Although I knew that the band didn't have drummer Jimmy Chamberlain anymore, who ironically got together with Billy Corgan for Zwan (also highly underrated and beautiful). Funny thing was that they were done with after 9 months!

I do see where "Perfect" sounds like "1979". But I still love it. I like the chord progression of it. It does sound different enough and well-written enough for me to appeciate almost as much as "1979".

I think I read somewhere that "Tear" was originally a track that was made for the Lost Highway soundtrack, but didn't make the cut. Not one of the better ones on Adore, but I still love it. "Eye" was definitely a highlight. One of the better things about KMYZ is that I remember how they still played this one. Actually, I love a lot of songs from that soundtrack.

[cartman2002]

Ava Adore got to #42 and Perfect reached #54 on the Hot 100 in 1998

[joker]

I like 'em both... not quite as much as their best on "Mellon Collie" or especially "Siamese Dream"... but still quality quality stuff.

[A Thug Named Slickback]

"Perfect" remained in heavy rotation with me for a long time... Great lyrics.

[Deleted]

I don't remember "Perfect" that well actually but I did like it, "Ava Adore" is one of my favorite songs from them.