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Subliminal Plastic Motives is the debut studio album by the American alternative pop rock band Self,[3] released on October 24, 1995.[4]
| Subliminal Plastic Motives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 24, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1994–1995 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 43:01 | |||
| Label | Zoo/Spongebath | |||
| Producer | Matt Mahaffey | |||
| Self chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Subliminal Plastic Motives | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Pitchfork Media | 8/10[2] |
Background
editSubliminal Plastic Motives was recorded entirely by Matt Mahaffey and his brother, Mike, with small contributions by other artists like Seth Timbs and Chris James. It found some modest success with MTV and flagship radio stations like KROQ-FM. When Self was asked to go on tour with Cracker, Matt assembled a group of musicians who he could work with. Once the band was solidified, videos were made for "So Low" and "Cannon" in 1996. Notably, the music videos for Self's "So Low" and God Lives Underwater's "Don't Know How to Be" were set to be played by MTV, but were accidentally switched and aired at the wrong airdates. This lead to them becoming friends, and eventually forming Wired All Wrong in 2006.
The album was released by Spongebath Records and was immediately picked up by Zoo Entertainment (now Volcano Entertainment). Critical reception was very positive, with Mahaffey receiving praise for his cut-and-paste, eclectic take on rock music, and garnering comparisons to artists such as Beck and Beastie Boys. Many of Self's fans hold the album in high regard and most of the songs are now fan favorites. While the album featured a hearty dose of what could best be described as "modern rock" songs, elements such as hip-hop beats, jazzy piano, dense, complex arrangements, and triggers/samples were dispersed throughout, hinting at Mahaffey's versatility as a composer and Self's future musical directions. The song "Shelf Life" was rumored to have been recorded during the sessions for the album, having been cut. It later appeared in the 2001 compilation Selfafornia.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Self
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Borateen" | 3:09 |
| 2. | "Sophomore Jinx" | 5:14 |
| 3. | "Stewardess" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "So Low" | 3:53 |
| 5. | "Marathon Shirt" | 4:19 |
| 6. | "Lucid Anne" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Cannon" | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Missed the Friction" | 3:04 |
| 9. | "Superstar" | 2:35 |
| 10. | "Mother Nature's Fault" | 3:39 |
| 11. | "Big Important Nothing" (Co-written with Seth Timbs) | 2:47 |
| 12. | "Lost My Senses" | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 43:01 | |
Personnel
edit- Vocals - Matt Mahaffey
- Bass (Additional) - Don Kerce (tracks: 4, 5, 9, 11, 12)
- Performer - Matt Mahaffey, Mike Mahaffey
- Photography (Cover) - Brian Bottcher
- Photography (Inlay) - Jim Harrington
- Electric Piano (Outro) - Chris James (tracks: 4)
- Saxophone (Alto) - Sam Baker (tracks: 5)
- Trumpet - Brian Rogers (tracks: 5)
- Other (Handclaps) - Seth Timbs (tracks: 6)
Production
edit- Producer - Self
- Mastering - Bob Ludwig
- Mixing - Jim Faraci, Self
- Engineer - Jim Faraci
- Engineer (Assistant) - Pete Martinez, Sean McLean
- Sampler - Matt Mahaffey
- Sampler (Texturing) - Brian Rogers (tracks: 2)
References
edit- ^ "Subliminal Plastic Motives - Self | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
- ^ "SELFies: Press". September 2, 2004. Archived from the original on September 2, 2004.
- ^ Helligar, Jeremy (Jan 15, 1996). "Subliminal Plastic Motives by Self". People. Vol. 45, no. 2. p. 23.
- ^ Orr, Jay (20 Oct 1995). "Music City: Lyrics on band's 1st album won't expose too much of 'Self'". Nashville Banner. p. C1.
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