Initially conceived as the sophomore solo album by singer/songwriter
John Wozniak,
Marcy Playground's fourth album,
Leaving Wonderland...In a Fit of Rage, never quite shakes the feeling of being the work of one man: acoustic guitars outweigh the electrics and a hazy spirit of eclecticism hangs over the album, as do circular
Lennon-esque psychedelic melodies, all fueling a feeling of introspection. This means
Leaving Wonderland sounds quite a bit different than its loud, grungy predecessor, MP3, not to mention
Marcy Playground's eponymous 1997 debut, but its weathered, worn sounds feel appropriate for the band 12 years on from "Sex and Candy." Elements of that early version of the band can be heard here, largely in
Wozniak's facility with a hook -- best heard on the lightly propulsive "Star Baby" -- and also how the group can occasionally grind out some noise. But this isn't about pop or rock; it's a nicely inward-looking collection of adult rock. It does feel a bit like a solo album, but it's better that it's released under the group's name, because it deserves to be heard by a wider audience as it proves that there's more to
Marcy Playground and
Wozniak than one grunge-era hit. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine