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

thumb|left|upright=0.8|Self during the recording of Breakfast with Girls in 1998.

During the creation of Self's third and fourth albums, Breakfast with Girls (1999) and Gizmodgery (2000), lead member 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. Mahaffey subsequently re-recorded the song with a full band, stating that he didn't want any toy recordings outside of Gizmodgery. 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. 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. Andrews would later produce Breakfast with Girls with Mahaffey.

Release

Selfafornia was intermittently released in portions through Spongebath Records in mid-2001, with the final set of songs releasing on July 27, 2001. Available as a free internet download, it contains nine songs in MP3 format, primarily from the writing sessions of Gizmodgery,

"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, and was later included on Self's third compilation album Porno, Mint & Grime, released on April 14, 2005. "Resurrect" was included on Selfafornia's download page,

Reception

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

  • Matt Mahaffey – guitar, vocals, drums, production
  • Seth Timbs – piano, vocals
  • Ken Andrews – guitar (2-4), vocals (2)
  • Mike Mahaffey – guitar, backing vocals
  • Chris James – piano
  • Mac Burrus – bass
  • Justin Dietz – bass
  • Swan Burrus – backing vocals
  • Jason Rawlings – drums
  • Michael Simpson – production, mixing
  • Todd Kinnon – mastering (1–4, uncredited)
  • Brad Ross-MacLeod – artwork (uncredited)

References

  • Selfafornia archived download at Selfies.com