The song describes a woman nostalgically remembering a love affair from her youth, mostly through impressionistic and surreal imagery, with the refrain: "oh, how many years / is it now Maurice?".

Sarah Cracknell's flat, tupperware vowels are almost Cocteauesque — imagine hearing an old Dusty Springfield record in a dream, through the silvery haze of recollection, in slow motion, soft focus, idealised by the process of memory."

"[4] Armond White from Rolling Stone named it one of the "high points" of the album, "an elegiac report on an English day that folds and unfolds in choruses of onomatopoeia.

The eclectic sense of rhythm that has revitalized British pop through raves, techno and other aural experiments allows Wiggs and Stanley to make "Avenue" one of the most breathtaking set pieces since Roxy Music's "Amazona".

[6] Tim Sendra from AllMusic felt "Avenue" is "one of the best the group ever released", describing it as an "epic ballad built around a pastoral melody, a genius arrangement, and a lovely vocal by Sarah Cracknell.

"[7] Melody Maker ranked "Avenue" number 11 in their list of "Singles of the Year" in December 1992, writing, "Symhonic, idyllic, nostalgic for a semi-imaginary golden age.