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Shapeshifter (Marcy Playground album)

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Shapeshifter
Studio album by
Marcy Playground
ReleasedNovember 2, 1999
StudioSabella Studios, Roslyn Heights, New York
Mushroom Studios, Vancouver
GenreAlternative rock
Length48:04
LabelCapitol
ProducerJohn Wozniak
Marcy Playground chronology
Marcy Playground
(1997) 		Shapeshifter
(1999) 		MP3
(2004)
Singles from Shapeshifter
  1. "It's Saturday"
    Released: 1999

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]

Production[edit]

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[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Edmonton Journal[15]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[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]

Track listing[edit]

All tracks are written by John Wozniak

No.TitleLength
1."It's Saturday"3:17
2."America"3:46
3."Bye Bye"2:49
4."All the Lights Went Out"4:55
5."Secret Squirrel"2:56
6."Wave Motion Gun"3:44
7."Rebel Sodville"5:02
8."Sunday Mail"2:49
9."Pigeon Farm"2:31
10."Never"3:50
11."Love Bug"4:12
12."Our Generation" (includes hidden track "Ol' Time Pigeon Farm")8:13

Personnel[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Marcy Playground Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Sansone, Glen (Nov 1, 1999). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Report. 60 (641): 22.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (Oct 30, 1999). "Marcy Playground unfolds 'Shapeshifter' on Capitol". Billboard. 111 (44): 12.
  4. ^ "Marcy Playground". Billboard.
  5. ^ Gurino, Mark (5 Nov 1999). "Marcy Playground with Blinker the Star". Daily Herald. Time Out. p. 4.
  6. ^ "Marcy Playground – Shapeshifter (1999, CD)". Discogs.
  7. ^ Taylor, Chuck (Oct 16, 1999). "Marcy Playground: It's Saturday". Billboard. 111 (42): 25.
  8. ^ "Marcy has a new playground". Vancouver Sun. 21 Oct 1999. p. C17.
  9. ^ Harrison, Tom (9 Oct 1999). "Art of tracking charts". The Province. p. A36.
  10. ^ Joyce, Mike (3 Nov 1999). "A Romp With Marcy Playground". The Washington Post. p. C5:1.
  11. ^ Blush, Steven (October 4, 2016). "New York Rock: From the Rise of The Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB". Macmillan – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Marcy Playground Album Cover Looks Familiar To Butthole Surfers". MTV News.
  13. ^ Thompson, Dave (December 18, 2000). "Alternative Rock". Hal Leonard Corporation – via Google Books.
  14. ^ a b "Shapeshifter - Marcy Playground | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  15. ^ a b Sperounes, Sandra (13 Nov 1999). "New releases". Edmonton Journal. p. C3.
  16. ^ a b "Shapeshifter". EW.com.
  17. ^ a b Weingarten, Marc (31 Oct 1999). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times. Calendar. p. 66.
  18. ^ a b Eliscu, Jenny (Nov 25, 1999). "Shapeshifter". Rolling Stone (826): 101.
  19. ^ a b Molitorisz, Sacha (7 Jan 2000). "CD reviews". The Sydney Morning Herald. Metro. p. 19.
  20. ^ Morse, Steve (4 Nov 1999). "MARCY PLAYGROUND SHAPESHIFTER". The Boston Globe. p. 8:5.
  21. ^ Carney, Shaun (16 Dec 1999). "Shapeshifter". The Age. Green Guide. p. 30.
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