I’m going to say something controversial. If I were to pick my top 200 albums–the ones I can listen to from cover to cover–I’d throw in Sponge’s Rotting Pinata.
One of the offerings, “Pennywheels” is eccentric, strange of subject, and its lyrics obscure, more tribal chant than narrative “Hey-hey-ey-ey-ey-ya.”
It starts with a quiet, watchful ambiance, with a pensive guitar strum and a meandering bass line following a strange tug. Then quiet ambiance, water lapping the shore, a distant call of wildlife or flute. It’s a still, subdued “Pet Sounds” kind of production. We think we’re safe in this quiet reverie, that we night even be able to doze off to it. But after a seemingly interminable build, the song starts to take off, long about one minute, 37 seconds, acoustic guitar is traded for electric onslaught and drummer Jimmy Paluzzi begins to beat the drums like they owe him some money.
And then there’s a full take-off 2 minutes, 7 seconds in. That’s when Sponge goes hard, like Metallica hard, like Smashing Pumpkins heavy. Vinnie Dombroski displays a power-house of a voice, tuneful and just a bit of grungy gruffness. It’s as though he’d roughed up his larynx with fine-grained sandpaper.
And then, when you least expect it, the song takes a side rode. It moves from pensive alt-rock to Guns ‘N Roses brass. Hear how cool this song is. And it’s just a deep-cut B-side track off Rotting Pinata. We’ve got the radio-cute “Molly,” a peon to cutest redhead (sorry Eric Stoltz) in her turn as birthday-snubbed Samantha in the movie ‘Sixteen Candles.”
One of the best tracks is the title track, “Rotting Pinata.” Its rock at its most cathartic, both savage and melodic, and has all the momentum of a rambling, racing, raging river.
From the sound of it, a Rotting Pinata would be a soggy mess, full of morning dew and mold and spoiled candy. Instead, it’s one of those rock albums you want to listen to, start to finish, on a road trip.
–Sarah Torribio
Listen to more songs of the day HERE
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