{{safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst-infobox||$params=italic_title,name,type,longtype,artist,cover,border,alt,caption,released,recorded,venue,studio,genre,length,language,label,director,producer,compiler,chronology,prev_title,prev_year,year,next_title,next_year,misc|$extra=italic_title,longtype,border,caption,language,director,compiler,chronology,year,misc|$aliases=italic title>italic_title,Italic title>italic_title,Name>name,Type>type,image>cover,Cover>cover,Border>border,Alt>alt,Caption>caption,Longtype>longtype,Artist>artist,Released>released,Recorded>recorded,Venue>venue,Studio>studio,Genre>genre,Length>length,Language>language,Label>label,Director>director,Producer>producer,Compiler>compiler,Chronology>chronology,Misc>misc|$flags=override|$B={{#ifeq:{{#invoke:Is infobox in lead|main|[Ii]nfobox [Aa]lbum}}|true|{{#if:Template:Has short description | |Template:Short description|noreplace}}}}{{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Category handlerTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox album with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y|italic_title |type |name |image |cover |border |alt |caption |longtype |artist |released |recorded |venue |studio |genre |length |language |label |director |producer |compiler |prev_title|prev_year|next_title|next_year|chronology|year|misc}}{{#if:{{#invoke:String|match|error_category=Music infoboxes with Module:String errors|A|1=Wax Ecstatic1996studioRotting PiñataSponge-Rotting Piñata.jpgSpongeAugust 2, 19941993–1994The Loft (Saline, Michigan)Template:Flatlist53:47
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Rotting Piñata is the debut studio album by the American rock band Sponge, released on August 2, 1994, through Work Group. Hit singles from this album, such as "Plowed" and "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)", helped launch the band's career and the album was certified gold by the RIAA in July 1995.
ReleaseEdit
Rotting Piñata is Sponge's best selling album, having sold more than 500,000 copies. Although released in August 1994, the album did not enter the Billboard 200 until February 1995, following the success of its second single "Plowed". Rotting Piñata peaked at number 58 and remained on the chart for 40 weeks.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Critical receptionEdit
Template:Music ratings Rotting Piñata received mostly positive reviews. However, AllMusic staff writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album was derivative of Pearl Jam or Stone Temple Pilots, with a few good songs but otherwise featuring "half-finished ideas".<ref name="allmusic"/> Trouser Press was more positive about the album, noting "Plowed" and "Molly" as having "catchy hooks and hummable choruses" while also being "colored by murky sonic structures that layer a bit of lead around their listener-friendly cores." They also wrote "Elsewhere on Rotting Piñata, Sponge shows an affinity for density and drone— particularly in 'Pennywheels' and the metallic chug of 'Neenah Menasha'— while 'Giants' explores tense instrumental dynamics."<ref name="TP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Track listingEdit
All songs written by Sponge (Vinnie Dombroski, Joey Mazzola, Mike Cross, Tim Cross, Jimmy Paluzzi) and produced by Tim Patalan and Sponge.Template:Track listing
A special edition included a bonus CD featuring Sponge live at Rock am Ring Nürburgring on June 2, 1995.
All songs written by Sponge except where noted.
PersonnelEdit
SpongeEdit
- Vinnie Dombroski - vocals
- Mike Cross - guitar, backing vocals
- Tim Cross - bass
- Joey Mazzola - guitar, backing vocals
- Jimmy Paluzzi - drums, backing vocals
Additional personnelEdit
- Andy Patalan - production assistant
- Tim Palmer - mixing
- Mark O'Donoughue & Brandon Harris - mixing assistants
- Tim Patalan - mixing on "Rotting Piñata", "Neenah Menasha", "Miles" and "Molly"
- Pablo Mathiason - A&R
- Howie Weinberg - mastering
- David Coleman - art direction
- Michael Halsband - photography
ChartsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Weekly chartsEdit
| Chart (1995) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
58 |
Year-end chartsEdit
| Chart (1995) | Position | |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
139 |
SinglesEdit
| Year | Title | US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Neenah Menasha | - | - | - |
| Plowed | 41 | 5 | 9 | |
| 1995 | Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain) | 55 | 3 | 11 |
| Rainin' | - | 34 | 18 |
CertificationsEdit
Template:Certification Table Top Template:Certification Table Entry Template:Certification Table Bottom
TriviaEdit
- The title of the album (and song of the same name) came from a conversation the band had regarding controversial punk rock singer GG Allin. Allin promised for several years that he would die by suicide on stage during one of his concerts, but instead died from an accidental drug overdose. The band wondered if Allin would want a posthumous tour instead, where his corpse would be present at the shows and fans would be able to hit or take a whack at it. The band's soundman Chris remarked that if that happened, the corpse would be like a rotting piñata.
- Neenah and Menasha are two cities in Wisconsin.
- Track number five, "Miles", includes the last two lines of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" ("And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.").
- Lead vocalist Vinnie Dombroski came up with the lyrics for "Plowed" while shoveling snow in his hometown of Detroit.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- The vocals for "Molly" were re-recorded for the single release, retitled "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)". The song was partly inspired by a story the band had heard about a 16-year-old girl who fell in love with one of her teachers and attempted suicide after he rejected her advances.