I'll say upfront: I was never a huge fan of Smashing Pumpkins. However, unlike some of his contemporaries in the ubiquitous alt rock scene of the 1990s, I do respect Billy Corgan's song craft and his band's spot in the cultural landscape of that decade. But I just never warmed to their sound: the production always sounded a little too glossy, the mix a little too claustrophobic, the riffs a little too stadium-ready, and Corgan's voice a little too much like a bitchy cheerleader who smoked three packs a day.
(Sorry, Billy.)
Then, amid the turmoil of firing their drummer Jimmy Chamberlin (who had overdosed on tour in 1996) and the death of Corgan's mother on the heels of his divorce, the band released the fan-maligned, electronica-tinged Adore in 1998. Suddenly, I took notice. The ballads seemed less self-consciously bombastic; they were stripped to their bare, lovely bones. The faster, more rocking tracks chugged along with a feeling of spaciousness and groove that hadn't existed previously. And Corgan's voice felt like it was in the right context for a change--not too shrill, not too whiny. It all fit.
Anyway, while I still think Adore is a very good album overall that deserves a second listen, the track "For Martha" was (and is) a standout for me. The song is a tribute to Corgan's mother, Martha, who died of cancer. Its intimate lyrics reflect the personal nature of the subject matter and embody a touching honesty that few songs (by the Pumpkins or otherwise) can match. Also the piano melody that repeats throughout the song is, quite frankly, haunting--this is no coincidence, I'm sure. Corgan also structures the song brilliantly, having it swell and then retreat back to a whisper every few bars. (If you've ever lost a loved one, you'll recognize that those musical ebbs and flows mirror the churning sea of emotions that one feels when trying to cope with loss.)
It's just a well-crafted, beautiful song.
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