Selfafornia

Selfafornia
Compilation album by
Self
ReleasedJuly 27, 2001
Recorded1994–2001
StudioBennett House (Franklin)
Ocean Way (Nashville)
Matt's House (Murfreesboro)
Treasure Isle (Nashville)
Matt's Old House (Murfreesboro)
Genre
Length32:41
LabelSpongebath Records
Producer
Self chronology
Gizmodgery
(2000) 		Selfafornia
(2001) 		Break out the Battle Tapes
(2006)

Selfafornia is the second compilation album by the American pop rock band Self, released for free via Spongebath Records as an internet download on July 27, 2001. It includes songs scrapped from Self's third and fourth studio albums Breakfast with Girls (1999) and Gizmodgery (2000) along with other demos, receiving positive reception.

Production

During the creation of Self's third and fourth albums, Breakfast with Girls (1999) and Gizmodgery (2000), frontman Matt Mahaffey wrote the song "Suzie Q Sailaway". He recorded the song with toy instruments for the latter album but was requested by DreamWorks Records to put the song on the former.[2] Mahaffey subsequently re-recorded the song with a full band, stating that he didn't want any toy recordings outside of Gizmodgery.[3] This process delayed the release of Breakfast with Girls, which, combined with the song's shift in style, led to a retroactive dissatisfaction with it.[2]

In November 1997, Michael Simpson of the Dust Brothers had started mixing music for Self's then upcoming album Breakfast with Girls,[4] he created a remix of the toy recording of "Suzie Q Sailaway". Mahaffey preferred this remix to the original version, stating a wish to use it on a future album.[3] Around this time, Mahaffey had met Ken Andrews of Failure through a mutual friend,[5] Andrews would later produce Breakfast with Girls with Mahaffey.[3] Andrews would additionally record three songs with Mahaffey in April 1998,[4] including "Shelf Life" and "Wednesday Again."[6]

Release

Selfafornia was intermittently released in portions through Spongebath Records in mid-2001, with the final set of songs releasing on July 27, 2001.[7] Available as a free internet download, it contains nine songs in MP3 format, primarily from the writing sessions of Gizmodgery,[1] and Breakfast with Girls.[8][4] Spongebath Records would close its doors shortly after the release of "Selfafornia" in late 2001.[9]

"See If You Swim" was previously featured in volume 9 of the Japanese pop fanzine Kheer in April 2001, with past label-mate Fluid Ounces,[10] and was later included on Self's third compilation album Porno, Mint & Grime, released on April 14, 2005.[11] "Resurrect" was included on Selfafornia's download page,[1] it was previously released as a part of the Japanese edition of Gizmodgery in April 2001.[12]

Reception

Laurent of Indiepoprock complimented the compilation's sound, describing it as encapsulating the band's bright and quirky instrumentation amidst a low budget.[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Matt Mahaffey except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."See If You Swim" 3:20
2."Wednesday Again"
3:29
3."America" 1:08
4."Shelf Life" 3:42
5."Waiting" 3:03
6."Anything is Impossible" 3:57
7."Baby, Can You Dig Your Man?"Seth Timbs4:04
8."Puppy Love"
  • Mahaffey
  • Timbs
3:47
9."Suzie Q Sailaway" (Mike Simpson Toy Mix)
2:49
10."Resurrect" 3:22
Total length:32:41

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Laurent (September 15, 2001). "Self - Selfafornia". Indiepoprock (in French). Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Harkey, Scott (September 11, 2000). "Self / Interviews". Silent Uproar. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Duritz, Darius (March 10, 2000). "The PiG Interview with Matt Mahaffey". PiG Publications. Archived from the original on May 16, 2001. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Robertson, Geoff (May 1999). "Self - News and updates". Splitt. Archived from the original on February 21, 1999. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  5. ^ Burleson, Ryan (June 5, 2014). "Failure's Ken Andrews: The Cream Interview". Nashville Scene. Archived from the original on May 4, 2025. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  6. ^ "Self - Discography". Jump.to. March 10, 2000. Archived from the original on October 29, 2000. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
  7. ^ "Self - News". Spongebath Records. Archived from the original on June 22, 2001. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
  8. ^ a b Self (2001). Selfafornia (liner notes). Spongebath Records.
  9. ^ Besecker, Gabe (December 11, 2023). "sElf-Indulgent: A Retrospective on the Band That Started Matt Mahaffey's Career". Woof Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  10. ^ "加茂いづみによるpop zine。Vol.9から最終号のVol.15の7号はCD付きのzineとして刊行された。". RadiodAze (in Japanese). Retrieved December 22, 2025.
  11. ^ "Self reveals Porno, Mint & Grime". Silent Uproar. Retrieved April 15, 2026.
  12. ^ Mailman, Craig (March 10, 2001). "Self announces new album, web site". Soluble Sound. Archived from the original on April 10, 2001. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
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