Customer Reviews

Against Perfection

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'll cut right to the chase here. Adorable's hugely overlooked and grossly underappreciated debut album, "Against Perfection", is easily among the finest pieces of pure pop pleasure I have in my ridicously bloated CD collection. If you enjoy the darker, moodier side of pop music (especially if you listen to British alt/indie rock), and if you have a sweet tooth for the 3-4 minute single, then this album is for you.

Opening track "Sunshine Smile" is simply breathtaking. This song is so good, it is worth the price of the CD alone. Alternating between an infectious arpeggiated guitar melody (with an absolutely killer harmony part that sounds sooooo good!) and a crushingly heavy guitar riff that would make the Reid brothers weep with envy, this track encapsulates what the very essence of the Adorable sound is: unbelievably catchy and emotional vocal lines combined with melodic and abrasive sounding guitar parts that work in tandem to create something that is at once both beautiful and destructive.

Many Adorable fans cite the track "Homeboy" as the band's zenith and it's easy to see why. This track is easily one of the most infectious pop tunes I have ever heard. The fact that I sing this song in the shower almost daily is a testament to that (laugh). Combining a brooding bass line with simple but effective guitar parts and moody vocals, this track is a homerun for British pop music. Whoever thought that something this dark, moody and angry sounding could also be so incredibly infectious? Adorable proves it can be done with flying colors (as long as those flying colors are all different shades of black---laugh)...

While the band largely stick to this winning formula throughout the record, they do manage to eschew the "one-trick pony" trappings of such bands as The Jesus & Mary Chain by offering songs with wider and more spacious dynamics, such as the introspective sounding "A to Fade In" and the quiet, but still brooding, "Still Life" and "Breathless."

The album closes on a triumphant note with the dramatic "I'll Be Your Saint"---another song that could easily serve as an exemplary example on How To Write A Good Pop Song for all prospective musicians.

To sum up, this is a wonderful record from start to finish. And you don't have to enjoy bands like Jesus & Mary Chain, Echo & the Bunnymen & The House of Love to appreciate it. This album is for anyone who treasures well-written pop melodies and music with genuine feeling and emotion. Give yourself a nice little treat and order this album as soon as you can!

Unless this is reissued, you're never going to find it cheap nowadays. But with the shoegaze "revival" that's been going on recently, and the great import reissues from Ride and Slowdive (with formerly impossible to find EP tracks included, the Claire Records reissues (Secret Shine "After Years," Ecstasy of St.Theresa "Sussurate"), etc there are really only three hard to find, expensive shoegaze albums out there: this one, Lilys "In the Presence of Nothing," and Drop Nineteens "Delaware." OK, there's the impossibly expensive early Moose stuff and "Mrs. Dolphin" but Moose was overrated and the first two Pale Saints EPs aren't that hard to find. If finances are an issue, this is unquestionably the one to get. The Lily's is a blast, but it really does sound a lot like MBV. "Delaware" is likewise a must-have, but it isn't on the same level as this album. Against Perfection is unlike anything else, really. "Sunshine Smile" is at least as incredible as described by other reviewers, and the rest of the album really rocks out from behind a ceiling-high wall of beautiful guitar noise. There isn't a dud on the album, and the stellar tracks are really about as good a pop music gets, period. The only problem is not wearing out the repeat button on your remote after "Sunshine Smile."

Adorable is more popular now than they have ever been. Ironic, considering their break-up was due to lack of interest from the press and their label Creation.

What I can say about Against Perfection except it is perfection. When you look back at the shoegaze movement, Adorable did not exactly fit the mold of the genre. While acts like Slowdive, Chapterhouse, My Bloody Valentine and Ride had the definition defined, Against Perfection took many of the elements of shoegaze and added the backbone of Echo & The Bunnymen and Jesus & Mary Chain. If you saw them live, the crowd was not looking at their shoes - they were jumping around, having a ball.

If you do not have AP, you might as well get the US release once distributed through SBK. The UK edition will not include three tracks, one being Sunshine Smile, the song that put Adorable on the map stateside.

I have owned this since it was released about 10 years ago - Adorable and their 1st single "Sunshine Smile" were absolutley what I wanted to hear back then. I thought they sounded like The Smiths, although most music critics compare them to Echo and the Bunnymen.

My favorite tracks are "Glorious", "I Know you too Well" and of course the brilliant "Sunshine Smile" (which by the way was NOT available on the Import version I own - but was made available on this domestic release). Good for you - it's Adorable at their best.

For those interested: Their 2nd album, "Fake" was quite a bomb in the press & they disbanded shortly thereafter. The lead singer formed a band Polak in the late 90's.

If you like this band, check out Lush or Slowdive.

There is no doubt in my mind that this cd is one of the greatest CD's ever made. It boggles the mind to listen to this CD, hear the complex, layed songwriting and not wonder what could have been for Adorable. I saw them perform two shows in one day in support of this CD (Golden Gate Park and Slim's) and was absolutely blown away. I have seen all of the great ones, the chameleons uk, blur, oasis, ministry, you name it and nobody could hold the jock of these guys. It's just a damn shame what Creative did to this band. Do yourself a big favor and pick up this cd if you can afford it, you can thank me later.

...I bought this CD from a small used CD store near my house, I saw the CD in the store like 10 times but I never was sure to buy it, until one day I did it... and let me tell you something... I regret that I did not do it before... it's one of the best CD's that I have in my collection... I like it becouse the music is just different from everything I've have heard... songs like "homeboy" and "breathless" are really amazing... and the fastone "Favourite Fallen Idol" makes you scream the song all loud! I think even 5 stars is not enough for this CD

Hard to pigeonhole England's Adorable. Equal parts shoegaze and punchy power pop, maybe blend in some Catherine Wheel and Ride for good measure.

The American release is definitely the one to own, otherwise you would miss the brilliant "Sunshine Smile" with its swirling guitars, plucky bass and outstanding vocals. It's a tune that still amazes me today. All the singles from the album are superb, "Glorious", "I'll be Your Saint", "Homeboy" and "Sistine Chapel Ceiling".

This CD makes a strong argument that the early 90s really was the pinnacle of the "alternative" scene in England.

I am always on a quest to discover great unsung bands, and I was first introduced to Adorable with the song "Homeboy". Immediately I was blown away by this impeccable single and later I came to enjoy songs like "Glorious", and "Sunshine Smile" on a similar level. This album is truly an incredible effort, crafted with the same brilliance as Whipping Boy's "Heartworm", Gene's "Drawn To The Deep End", and Catherine Wheel's "Chrome". It ranks among the great efforts of the 1990's. I am normally wary of paying import prices for albums, but this one is well worth the amount. However, I have seen this album twice in bargain bins at used CD stores, and I live in an area not known especially for its diversity in music. So since I was able to snag this gem for a mere $3.00, I suggest you hunt for this album and who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised. Otherwise, purchase this album at whatever cost and consider yourself one of the lucky few who have been exposed to Adorable.

adorable existed only for a short time, putting out only two albums, but there existence will be remembered to any who have heard their music. They are truly an incredible band.....a must have album, for anyone into the British alternative scene. This is definately my favorite album ever...

Quite possibly the best album I have ever heard. Each song has a perfect mix of melody and lyrics - I had this cd stacked away for years and put it into my car player and just fell in love all over again. It is the type of album that shakes you and breaks you and shows you what it means to be in love with great music. Take it away....