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I Am the Movie is the debut studio album by American rock band Motion City Soundtrack, released on June 24, 2003, through Epitaph Records. The band had recorded several EPs prior to recording a full-length album, and their first attempts at doing so were unsuccessful.

The album was originally recorded in 10 days at Black Lodge Studios in Eudora, Kansas, with producer Ed Rose in February 2002. The band found the sessions stressful considering the lack of time. They started distributing the album in mid-2002 at their concerts (in the form of a CD hand-packaged inside a floppy disk) and online. The group attracted attention from several labels by the end of the year and signed with independent label Epitaph in January 2003. They returned to Black Lodge for additional recording and remixing, with new bassist Matthew Taylor dubbing over the original bassist's parts, who had since left the band.

Epitaph's version of the album—which included four new songs—was released on June 24, 2003, to critical acclaim. In the U.S., the album peaked at number 42 on Billboard Independent Albums chart. It was supported by the singles "My Favorite Accident" and "The Future Freaks Me Out".

Background

Motion City Soundtrack was formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1997 by singer-songwriter Justin Pierre and guitarist Joshua Cain, who had previously played in a number of bands. The band went through several lineup changes. Through these, Cain and Pierre would often have to take over keyboard duties during shows. The group's first release was a 7-inch single, "Promenade / Carolina", released in 1999. Their next two releases, both extended plays—Kids for America and Back to the Beat—were released the following year.

Over the course of the early 2000s, the band continued to tour and shuffle through members. In late 2001, while touring in Milton, Pennsylvania with the band Submerge, they convinced two of its members—bassist Matthew Taylor and drummer Tony Thaxton—to join Motion City. The band originally recorded an album prior to making I Am the Movie that they were unsatisfied with. The members of the band Ultimate Fakebook, with whom Motion City would often play shows, suggested they employ producer Ed Rose. They sent the original album to Rose in hopes of salvaging some material, but he advised them to just start over. Jesse Johnson, a friend and co-worker of Cain's, joined the band as keyboardist just three weeks before the band recorded the album. Johnson had never played the keyboard before but Cain taught him the parts that had already been written. The title of the album came from Cain's older brother, Brian. Pierre considered each song from the album like a scene from a film, and he considered the title a joke on him. The sessions with Rose were difficult; he would insult the members if they made a mistake. "It was a combination because he had some weird sort of back surgery that week; we sucked as musicians and thought we could do the whole album in ten days," Pierre recalled. Though they budgeted for a $4,000 recording, the original version of I Am the Movie ended up costing $6,000 to make.

Release

I Am the Movie was first released in the summer of 2002, as a hand-packaged floppy disk; the band cut open floppy disks and packed a CD-R inside. These were available on the band's website and at their concerts. By the end of 2002, the band began receiving offers from various record labels, including Universal, Triple Crown Records, and Drive-Thru Records, and they performed at industry showcases. Motion City became part of a slew of Epitaph signings, including Matchbook Romance, Scatter the Ashes and From First to Last, amid concerns the Southern California label had strayed too far from its roots, and seemed "a little too emo."

With more time and money available, the band returned to Red House for additional recording over a period of 12 days.

Three different versions of this album exist. The original, unsigned release had eleven tracks. The first two versions of the album were housed in 5¼" floppy discs and their respective paper sleeves. The second floppy disc release also contains a credit card with a track listing. Four new tracks were added for the Epitaph release. These new tracks replaced "1000 Paper Cranes", which is not found in the regular version (but is included as a "bonus track" on the vinyl LP, briefly available from the band's website, and on the Japanese import).

Track listing

All songs written by Motion City Soundtrack.

Original release

  1. "Cambridge" – 2:30
  2. "Shiver" – 2:54
  3. "The Future Freaks Me Out" – 3:37
  4. "Indoor Living" – 3:45
  5. "My Favorite Accident" – 3:21
  6. "Boombox Generation" – 3:11
  7. "Don't Call It a Comeback" – 1:51
  8. "The Red Dress" – 2:37
  9. "Mary Without Sound" – 3:00
  10. "1000 Paper Cranes" – 2:29
  11. "A.O.K." – 3:39

Epitaph release

  1. "Cambridge" – 2:30
  2. "Shiver" – 2:54
  3. "The Future Freaks Me Out" – 3:36
  4. "Indoor Living" – 3:47
  5. "My Favorite Accident" – 3:20
  6. "Perfect Teeth" – 3:29*
  7. "Boombox Generation" – 3:07
  8. "Don't Call It a Comeback" – 1:51
  9. "Modern Chemistry" – 2:22*
  10. "Capital H" – 2:52*
  11. "Red Dress" – 2:36
  12. "Mary Without Sound" – 3:00
  13. "Autographs & Apologies" – 3:52*
  14. "A-OK" – 3:47
  15. "1000 Paper Cranes" (Japanese bonus track) – 2:20

Personnel

Personnel per 2003 edition booklet.