Shapeshifter (Marcy Playground album)
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Mushroom Studios, Vancouver
| Shapeshifter | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 2, 1999 | |||
| Studio | Sabella Studios, Roslyn Heights, New York Mushroom Studios, Vancouver | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 48:04 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | John Wozniak | |||
| Marcy Playground chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Shapeshifter | ||||
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Shapeshifter is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Marcy Playground, released on November 2, 1999, by Capitol Records.[1][2]
The album's first single was "It's Saturday", which peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[3][4] The band promoted the album by touring with Blinker the Star.[5]
Produced by frontman John Wozniak, Shapeshifter was recorded at Sabella Studios in Roslyn Heights, New York, and mixed at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver;[6] Wozniak ended up buying and renovating the latter venue.[7][8][9] The majority of the songs had been in the band's live set for years.[10]
The album cover artwork is by Mark Ryden.[11] It was originally commissioned for the Butthole Surfers, from an idea by their guitarist Paul Leary; Marcy Playground were unaware of its origins when they chose it for Shapeshifter.[12][13]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Edmonton Journal |  [15] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[16] |
| Los Angeles Times | [17] |
| Rolling Stone | [18] |
| The Sydney Morning Herald | [19] |
Entertainment Weekly thought that "Wozniak’s winsome lyrics set the trio above other alterna-pop hopefuls."[16] Rolling Stone determined that "rather than build on the promise of Marcy Playground's amateurish fun, the boys cling too tightly to watered-down grunge riffs."[18] The Los Angeles Times concluded that "the guitars are a little louder and the melodies more forceful, but Wozniak's sense of wonder is intact, which makes Shapeshifter a loopy pleasure."[17] The Sydney Morning Herald noted that "'Rebel Sodville' includes one of the longest sustained high notes this side of Jeff Buckley."[19]
The Boston Globe stated that Wozniak "writes inviting melodies that slide smoothly between folk-rock and electric hard-rock peaks."[20] The Age wrote that "Shapeshifter actually rocks out from time to time, with the Gothic ballad 'All the Lights Went Out' crashing out in true arena epic style."[21] The Edmonton Journal deemed the album "doleful, dotty rock," writing that it is "nowhere near as lethargic as Marcy's first disc."[15]
AllMusic wrote that "this faceless alternapop trio tosses together more harmless songs that don't have much to say yet manages to lumber along anyway."[14]
