The Smashing Pumpkins personified the loud/quiet/loud dynamic perhaps better than any band in the 90s (well, safe for Nirvana of course), but the interesting thing about Billy Corgan and company was their ability to push their sound to extremes in both directions. They could be blisteringly heavy (“X.Y.U.” anyone?) and on the opposite end of the spectrum, they could also write songs so sedate they could almost put you to sleep (i.e. “Spaceboy”). But they were arguably at their best when they could hit that sweet spot in the middle of those two ideas, and it’s no surprise that some of their best-known songs execute that dichotomy beautifully (like “Cherub Rock” or “1979” for example).
Indeed, most everyone knows the singles, but “Mayonnaise” is a great example of a deeper cut from the Pumpkins that somehow manages to sound incredibly heavy (thanks to that deep, slowed down, distortion-drenched groove), and downright serene at the same time. It’s an impressive trick that is executed nearly flawlessly (thanks to Corgan fumbling his lines midway through, which is kind of amusing) in this classic performance from The Metro in Chicago way back in 1993. Enjoy (and happy birthday to James Iha):
