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Subliminal Plastic Motives
Studio album by
Self
ReleasedOctober 24, 1995
Recorded1994–May 1995
Genre
Length42:38
Label
ProducerMatt Mahaffey
Self chronology
Subliminal Plastic Motives
(1995) 		The Half-Baked Serenade
(1997)
Singles from Subliminal Plastic Motives
  1. "Cannon"
    Released: October 24, 1995
  2. "So Low"
    Released: 1996

Subliminal Plastic Motives is the debut studio album by American pop rock band Self,[4] released on October 24, 1995, through Zoo Entertainment and Spongebath Records. Its songs were written and recorded by brothers Mike and Matt Mahaffey, the band's sole members. The album was promoted through the singles "Cannon" and "So Low", each receiving airplay and accompanied by music videos that contributed to the album's success.

Critical reception was largely positive, with reviewers commending its eclectic production, sharp lyricism, and innovative approach to alternative rock, drawing comparisons to Beck, Matthew Sweet, and Ben Folds. Subliminal Plastic Motives debuted at number 64 on CMJ's Alternative Radio Airplay chart and had achieved sales exceeding 40,000 units by 1997. In 2014, Self issued the album's first vinyl release through Fat Possum Records.

Background

Since age four, American musician Matt Mahaffey has written and performed music,[5] expressing interest in becoming a drummer. His parents gifted him a toy drum kit each year until he was nine when he received a real drum kit and began performing with other kids.[6] In 1991, Mahaffey moved to Murfreesboro, Tennessee[7] to attend Middle Tennessee State University with a major in music. Enrolled in the Recording Industry Management program,[8] he performed as a drummer with multiple local bands ranging between pop, R&B, rock, and punk. Mahaffey additionally produced music for various rappers, selling songs out of his dormitory room for $40 ($87.00 in 2023).[6] Discovering that he received more experience outside of class, he dropped out in his second year. Alongside the decision, the band Ella Minopy was formed,[8] with Gary Miller and fellow dropout and musician Seth Timbs.[9]

Writing and production

In 1993, talent manager Richard Williams encountered Ella Minopy at a hip-hop club. Finding Timbs and Mahaffey to clash creatively, Williams suggested they split into two separate acts to be managed by himself. The three subsequently founded Spongebath Records, with Timbs forming Fluid Ounces,[8] and Mahaffey forming Butter. Once discovering that Butter was already in use by another band, he renamed his project Self,[9] additionally recruiting his brother Mike as a guitarist.[6] The two performed at Nashville Entertainment Association's annual Extravaganza in February 1995, attracting media attention and interest from multiple major labels. They accepted a recording contract from Zoo Entertainment,[10] additionally acquiring a year-long partnership between Spongebath, Zoo Entertainment, and distributor BMG.[8] By the time of the Self's signing, the band had completed five satisfactory songs and was given two months to finish the rest of the album.[10] The project was solely recorded analog,[7] while Mahaffey approached writing with guitar and drums, later recording samples of himself to save on cost.[9]

To prevent monotony, Mahaffey aimed to make Subliminal Plastic Motives as diverse as possible by incorporating all of his influences, such as Beastie Boys, Pavement, and Prince. He also prioritized live playability, minimizing the usage of tight synthetic sequences.[10] The album's opening song, "Borateen", was inspired by a drunk experience during a New Year's Eve celebration, written with intentional ambiguity to refrain from over-explaining.[9] Mahaffey's overwhelmed feelings with the record deal translated into the song "Sophomore Jinx", discussing the fear of being used and staying relevant.[10] In an interview with PiG Publications, he pinpointed its inspiration from a speech by a lawyer about his music. Its lyrics attempt to predict a future he feared, wanting to keep his current life.[11] The topic additionally inspired the song "Mother Nature's Fault".[12] Another song, "Big Important Nothing", was written after Mahaffey watched an interview about Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley on ABC,[10] and instrumentally samples a live performance of Ella Minopy.[9]

Other material

"Dog You Are" was played by Self in concerts surrounding Subliminal Plastic Motives, instrumentally aligning with other songs from the album and lyrically addressing a critic who reviewed it negatively. It was released on Self's first compilation album, Feels Like Breakin' Shit (1998).[13] The song "Shelf Life" was rumored to have been recorded during the sessions for the album, having been cut. It appeared on the compilation Selfafornia (2001).[citation needed]

Release

Self performing in support of the album at the El Rey Theatre in 2014.
Self performing in support of the album at the El Rey Theatre in 2014.

Subliminal Plastic Motives was announced in September as the first Zoo–Spongebath partnership album to release on October 24, 1995.[14] A release party was held the day before in Nashville, Tennessee.[15] To prepare for the show and future concerts, Self was tasked by Zoo Entertainment to assemble a full live band. They recruited keyboardist Chris James, drummer Jason Rawlings, and bassist Tim Nobles, adopting the former two as main members after the tour.[7][13] Alongside the album on October 24, the band released their debut single, "Cannon".[15] This was followed by the single "So Low" in early 1996.[16]

Both singles received music videos, each directed by Jesse Peretz.[16] They were commercially successful, airing on MTV and boosting the album's radio play, including reception from the station KROQ-FM.[5][17] One time, the airdates for "So Low" and God Lives Underwater's "Don't Know How to Be" were accidentally switched, leading the two bands to become friends and eventually form Wired All Wrong.[citation needed] In August 1997, Billboard reported that the album had sold over 40,000 units via retail.[8]

In celebration of Subliminal Plastic Motives' twentieth anniversary, the band performed the entire album at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City on January 10, 2014,[18] and the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on August 1.[19] The album was issued on vinyl for the first time through Fat Possum Records the same year.[20] On July 30, Self made their TV debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! by performing "Runaway" and "Lucid Anne".[21] The latter was not broadcast, available exclusively online.[22]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Pitchfork8/10[3]

The album received positive reviews upon release. Andy Hinds of AllMusic lauded its fusion of post-grunge guitars, inventive sampling, and pop-driven vocals.[1] Ryan Schreiber of Pitchfork gave a similar rating with an 8/10, likening it to Matthew Sweet's melodic sensibilities with the energy of hip-hop beats and a unique take on power pop.[3] Tom Breihan of Stereogum classed Subliminal Plastic Motives with Beck's style, commend its chopped, eclectic take on rock music.[22] Laurent of Indiepoprock celebrated the album's prevalent energy, hip-hop influences, and jazz elements, declaring it a compelling must-hear record.[23] Michael McCall of Nashville Scene complimented it as expertly crafted, containing rich harmonies with a confident, modern edge.[10] Gabe Besecker of Woof Magazine praised the album's ironic, clever lyrics that balance parody and playfulness, matching its sound with Ween and They Might Be Giants.[5]

Nik Rainey of Lollipop Magazine described it as a blend of Nine Inch Nails and ELO, creating dynamic alternative rock with infectious hooks.[24] Eric Brace of The Washington Post noted the album as a striking debut, showcasing Mahaffey's versatile songwriting and production with sharp lyrics and rhythms reminiscent of Nirvana and Ben Folds while pushing modern rock into new territory.[2] J Noise of Hybrid Magazine additionally made a comparison to Ben Folds and highlighted the album's artwork, but stated that it lacked the standout moments needed to elevate it above its contemporaries.[25] Chuck Campbell of Knoxville News Sentinel praised the rhythmic guitars on "Borateen" and "Stewardess" while stating that the album loses focus as it progresses, pointing out the "disjointed keyboard" of "Big Important Nothing" as an example.[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Matt Mahaffey, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Borateen" 3:05
2."Sophomore Jinx" 5:12
3."Stewardess" 3:36
4."So Low" 4:11
5."Marathon Shirt" 4:15
6."Lucid Anne" 3:02
7."Cannon" 4:01
8."Missed the Friction" 2:59
9."Superstar" 2:31
10."Mother Nature's Fault" 3:35
11."Big Important Nothing" 2:43
12."Lost My Senses"
  • Mahaffey
  • Seth Timbs
3:25
Total length:42:38

Personnel

Self

  • Matt Mahaffey – lead vocals, instruments, sampler
  • Mike Mahaffey – instruments

Additional musicians

  • Brian Rogers – sampler texturing (2), trumpet (5)
  • Don Kerce – additional bass (4, 8, 10, 11)
  • Chris James – rhodes piano (4)
  • Sam Baker – alto saxophone (5)
  • Seth Timbs – handclaps (6)

Technical

Charts

Weekly chart performance for Subliminal Plastic Motives
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Alternative Radio Airplay (CMJ)[26] 64

References

  1. ^ a b c Hinds, Andy. "Subliminal Plastic Motives Review". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Brace, Eric (February 8, 1996). "Self Made Debut: Good Motives'". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Schreiber, Ryan (June 1996). "Self: Subliminal Plastic Motives: Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 28, 2004. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  4. ^ Helligar, Jeremy (Jan 15, 1996). "Subliminal Plastic Motives by Self". People. Vol. 45, no. 2. p. 23.
  5. ^ a b c Besecker, Gabe (December 11, 2023). "sElf-Indulgent: A Retrospective on the Band That Started Matt Mahaffey's Career". Woof Magazine. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Conant, Brian (July 21, 1999). "Self's frontman knows art when he hears it". U. Magazine. Archived from the original on June 11, 2002. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Harkey, Scott (September 11, 2000). "Self / Interviews". Silent Uproar. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e Flippo, Chet (August 9, 1997). "Murfreesboro: An Emerging Music Mecca". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 32. pp. 66–67. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e Orr, Jay (October 20, 1995). "Music City: Lyrics on band's 1st album won't expose too much of 'Self'". Nashville Banner. p. C1.
  10. ^ a b c d e f McCall, Michael (November 16, 1995). "Personal Best". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  11. ^ Duritz, Darius (March 10, 2000). "The PiG Interview with Matt Mahaffey". PiG Publications. Archived from the original on December 8, 2001. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Campbell, Chuck (February 2, 1996). "'Cannon' Shoots Self Into The Limelight". Knoxville News Sentinel. p. T8.
  13. ^ a b Fischer, Blair (May 1996). "Concert Review: Self Likes to Be in Control". RockNet. Archived from the original on November 14, 1996. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  14. ^ Newman, Melinda (September 16, 1995). "NYC's Tramps Club Celebrates Its 20th; R.E.M. Drops Lawsuit Against Hershey". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 37. p. 13. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  15. ^ a b Flick, Larry (October 28, 1995). "Popular Uprisings - Self Assured". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 43. pp. 28, 89. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Atwood, Brett (May 18, 1996). "Peretz Has Lighthearted Approach". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 20. p. 80. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  17. ^ Paulson, Dave (October 11, 2018). "Matt Mahaffey: the Nashville music genius behind the new 'Ninja Turtles'". The Tennessean. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  18. ^ Anderl, Timothy (January 8, 2014). "Self's Subliminal Plastic Motives gets vinyl release". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  19. ^ The Five 10 (August 10, 2014). "sElf / Matt Mahaffey Rock El Rey, Los Angeles". The Five 10. Retrieved January 4, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Heisel, Scott (August 27, 2014). ""We never broke up, but we got burned out"—Matt Mahaffey on the return of Self". Alternative Press. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  21. ^ Rodgers, Patrick (July 31, 2014). "Watch Self Play 'Runaway' and 'Lucid Anne' on Jimmy Kimmel Live". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  22. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (July 31, 2014). "Self Released A New EP And Played Kimmel Last Night". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  23. ^ Laurent (September 15, 1995). "Self - Subliminal Plastic Motives". Indiepoprock (in French). Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  24. ^ Rainey, Nik (December 1, 1996). "Self – Subliminal Plastic Motives – Review". Lollipop Magazine. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  25. ^ Noise, J. "Reviews | Self - Gizmodgery". Hybrid Magazine. Archived from the original on March 4, 2001. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  26. ^ "Top 75 CMJ Radio Airplay". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 32. April 1996. p. 35. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
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