Stereogum: "Hear Sponge Take On Morrissey For New Album Of 1994 Covers" (September 17, 2024)

Back in 1994, Detroit alt-rock band Sponge released their debut album Rotting Piñata, which yielded the hits “Plowed” and “Molly (Sixteen Candles).” They’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of that breakthrough with 1994, a covers album exclusively focused on songs from the titular year. The tracklist includes tunes by Sonic Youth, Alice In Chains, Mazzy Star, Stone Temple Pilots, Jawbox, Urge Overkill, and both Oasis and Blur. And for today’s lead single, Sponge offer a revved-up take on Morrissey’s “The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get.”

Sponge’s Vinnie Dombroski offers:
The band considered many great songs for the album but the Morrissey song was a STAND OUT and perhaps not an obvious choice for Sponge. That’s what makes it even cooler. With the tempo double timed from the original at the suggestion of producer Tim Patalan, the new version sounds like something off of Sponge’s 1999 New Pop Sunday album.

Sponge Cover Morrissey's "The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get": Listen

From their new album of 1994 covers, '1994.'

www.stereogum.com

 

[spiritual atom bomb]

Rather hear Chino Moreno’s take

 

[gonzax]

Excellent cover!

 

[deco105]

He sounds like a male version of Britney Spears

 

[ACTON]

Informal definition of 'sponge':

obtain or accept money or food from other people without doing or intending to do anything in return.

Sounds about right for that nausea inducing shitfest of a pointless cover.

 

[Eyebrows]

singer kind of looks like damon

 

[Seymour Glass]

Awful. Who are these clowns?

 

[Anonbloke]

The drumming is abysmal...

 

[Eldritch]

For a moment I thought this was SpongeBob and got excited.

 

[Ashley_TakeABow]

For a moment I thought this was SpongeBob and got excited.

Now that.. is tickidy-boo.

 

[threebarfight]

Hear Sponge Take On Morrissey For New Album Of 1994 Covers​

No.

 

[bored]

I like it. They did something different instead of karaoke. I have always liked Sponge and Plowed is a great song.

I liked the seediness of the bar. The lip syncing was abysmal. Don't try so hard. Just sing the song and the lips will do the right thing.

 

[Vesper Nocturne]

Always wanted to hear this song in a weird and terrible, totally affected accent while watching a fat hooker not be able to hoist herself up on her pole

 

[Anonymous]

Sponge? Sounds more like spooge to me.

 

[Gerb]

Great cover. You have to look away from the purity of the original. Sponge had some great tunes. Bravo for Vinny covering an icon like Morrissey.

 

[Redacted]

Ewwww

 

[William Fisher]

Ghastly

 

[gashonthenail]

Was the video made by SER?

 

[Redacted]

Was the video made by SER?

 

[Southpaw Slugger]

Was the video made by SER?

Hahaha!

 

[Tuvicartu]

Apart from the tempo being slightly faster, this is pretty much the same as the original. I don't understand the point of covers, unless an artist really makes a track their own. Why bother?

I'm not a big fan of covers either, but have recently gained an appreciation for them enabling me to reflect on older lyrics anew and for the possible clarity of any mondegreens (for better or for worse).

This is likely lost in any translations of our great benefactor as I'd imagine we all pretty well know the lyrics close to heart.