{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Selfafornia | type = compilation | artist = Self | cover = Selfafornia.jpg | released = July 27, 2001 | recorded = 1994–2001 | venue = | studio = Bennett House (Franklin)<br>Ocean Way (Nashville)<br>Matt's House (Murfreesboro)<br>Treasure Isle (Nashville)<br>Matt's Old House (Murfreesboro) | genre = *Pop rock<ref name="IPR">{{cite web |author=Laurent|url=https://www.indiepoprock.fr/chroniques/albums/self/selfafornia/|title=Self - Selfafornia|website=Indiepoprock|language=fr|date=September 15, 2001|accessdate=November 26, 2024}}</ref> *internet music *power pop *electronica | length = 32:41 | label = Spongebath Records | producer = *Matt Mahaffey *Michael Simpson *Todd Kinnon (uncredited) | prev_title = Gizmodgery | prev_year = 2000 | year = 2001 | next_title = Break out the Battle Tapes | next_year = 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== 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.<ref name="SU">{{cite web |last=Harkey|first=Scott|url=https://silentuproar.com/interviews/3/self/|title=Self / Interviews|website=Silent Uproar|language=en|date=September 11, 2000|accessdate=November 26, 2024}}</ref> Mahaffey subsequently re-recorded the song with a full band, stating that he didn't want any toy recordings outside of ''Gizmodgery''.<ref name="Pig">{{cite web |last=Duritz|first=Darius|url=http://www.pigpublications.com/Archives/selfpart3.htm|title=The PiG Interview with Matt Mahaffey|website=PiG Publications|language=en|date=March 10, 2000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010516123408/http://www.pigpublications.com/Archives/selfpart3.htm|archive-date=May 16, 2001|accessdate=November 26, 2024}}</ref> 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.<ref name="SU"/>
In November 1997, Michael Simpson of the Dust Brothers had started mixing music for Self's then upcoming album ''Breakfast with Girls,''<ref name="Splitt">{{cite web |last=Robertson|first=Geoff|url=http://www.splitt.net/self/news.htm|title=Self - News and updates|website=Splitt|language=en|date=May 1999|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990221140033/http://www.splitt.net/self/news.htm|archive-date=February 21, 1999|accessdate=January 15, 2026}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Pig"/> Around this time, Mahaffey had met Ken Andrews of Failure through a mutual friend,<ref name="KenCream">{{cite web |last=Burleson |first=Ryan |url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/failures-ken-andrews-the-cream-interview/article_1cb79215-296e-5765-9583-6a0bf56a206e.html |title=Failure's Ken Andrews: The Cream Interview |website=Nashville Scene |language=en |date=June 5, 2014 |accessdate=January 19, 2026 |archive-date=May 4, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504224908/https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/failures-ken-andrews-the-cream-interview/article_1cb79215-296e-5765-9583-6a0bf56a206e.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Andrews would later produce ''Breakfast with Girls'' with Mahaffey.<ref name="Pig"/> Andrews would additionally record three songs with Mahaffey in April 1998,<ref name="Splitt"/> including "Shelf Life" and "Wednesday Again."<ref>{{cite web |last=|first=|url=http://jump.to/self|title=Self - Discography|website=Jump.to|language=en|date=March 10, 2000|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001029195238/http://jump.to/self|archive-date=October 29, 2000|accessdate=December 31, 2025}}</ref>
==Release== ''Selfafornia'' was intermittently released in portions through Spongebath Records in mid-2001, with the final set of songs releasing on July 27, 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spongebathrec.com/self/news.html|title=Self - News|website=Spongebath Records|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010622152045/http://www.spongebathrec.com/self/news.html|archive-date=June 22, 2001|accessdate=November 24, 2024}}</ref> Available as a free internet download, it contains nine songs in MP3 format, primarily from the writing sessions of ''Gizmodgery,''<ref name="IPR"/> and ''Breakfast with Girls''.<ref name="liner"/><ref name="Splitt"/> Spongebath Records would close its doors shortly after the release of "Selfafornia" in late 2001.<ref>{{cite web |last=Besecker |first=Gabe |date=December 11, 2023 |title=sElf-Indulgent: A Retrospective on the Band That Started Matt Mahaffey's Career |url=https://woof-mag.com/2023/12/11/self-indulgent-a-retrospective-on-the-band-that-started-matt-mahaffeys-career/ |accessdate=December 24, 2024 |website=Woof Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
"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,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://radiodaze.g2.xrea.com/KKK00kheer.htm|title=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。|website=RadiodAze|language=ja|accessdate=December 22, 2025}}</ref> and was later included on Self's third compilation album Porno, Mint & Grime, released on April 14, 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://silentuproar.com/news/7654/self-reveals-porno-mint-and-grime|title=Self reveals Porno, Mint & Grime|website=Silent Uproar|accessdate=April 15, 2026}}</ref> "Resurrect" was included on Selfafornia's download page,<ref name="IPR"/> it was previously released as a part of the Japanese edition of ''Gizmodgery'' in April 2001.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mailman |first=Craig |date=March 10, 2001 |title=Self announces new album, web site |url=http://solublesound.com/news/view_article.php?articleID=44 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010410035841/http://solublesound.com/news/view_article.php?articleID=44 |archive-date=April 10, 2001 |accessdate=December 11, 2025 |website=Soluble Sound |language=en}}</ref>
==Reception== Laurent of ''Indiepoprock'' complimented the compilation's sound, describing it as encapsulating the band's bright and quirky instrumentation amidst a low budget.<ref name="IPR"/>
==Track listing== {{track listing | | all_writing = Matt Mahaffey except where noted. | total_length = 32:41 | title1 = See If You Swim | length1 = 3:20 | title2 = Wednesday Again | length2 = 3:29 | writer2 = {{hlist|Mahaffey|Ken Andrews}} | title3 = America | length3 = 1:08 | title4 = Shelf Life | length4 = 3:42 | title5 = Waiting | length5 = 3:03 | title6 = Anything is Impossible | length6 = 3:57 | title7 = Baby, Can You Dig Your Man? | length7 = 4:04 | writer7 = Seth Timbs | title8 = Puppy Love | length8 = 3:47 | writer8 = {{hlist|Mahaffey|Timbs}} | title9 = Suzie Q Sailaway | length9 = 2:49 | writer9 = {{hlist|Matt Mahaffey|Mike Mahaffey|Mac Burrus|Chris James|Jason Rawlings}} | note9 = Mike Simpson Toy Mix | title10 = Resurrect | length10 = 3:22 }}
==Personnel== Credits adapted from liner notes.<ref name="liner">{{cite AV media notes |title=Selfafornia|author=Self |year=2001 |type=liner notes |publisher=Spongebath Records}}</ref> *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== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20051030033353/http://selfies.com/media/?selfafornia ''Selfafornia''] archived download at Selfies.com
{{Self (band)}} {{Authority control}}
Category:2000s demo albums Category:2001 compilation albums Category:Self (band) albums Category:B-side compilation albums Category:Albums free for download by copyright owner Category:Music based on video games Category:Self (band) compilation albums