Breakfast with Girls
Encyclopedia
Breakfast with Girls is the fourth album
by alternative pop/rock band Self
, released in 1999. The album was highly anticipated, being the first Self
album released on a major label since their debut album, Subliminal Plastic Motives
.
, the album featured an impressive roster of production credits, including: Richard Dodd, a Grammy-Award winning engineer; Hugh Padgham
, a legendary British producer; and Ken Andrews
, formerly of the band Failure. The sessions took place at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, with additional tracking done at The Bennett House in Franklin, TN and Mahaffey's house in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
. "Uno Song" and "Suzie Q Sailaway" were last minute additions to the album - both had originally been recorded for inclusion on Gizmodgery
.
Despite the lukewarm reception, many of the band's fans now consider Breakfast with Girls to be Self's masterpiece, citing its quirky songwriting and diversity as reasons. It contains a wide variety of styles ranging from industrial, funk, and hip-hop to blues, jazz, and orchestral pop. The album also contains a few slightly more conventional pop/rock songs.
, and there was a vinyl release of the album, with the Brunch EP and two other songs added as bonus tracks. Both of these items are now amongst the most highly sought after Self items, though all the bonus tracks are available online as downloads. The album produced one single, the bouncy pop song "Meg Ryan", but like its parent album it didn't see much success.
The song "Paint by Numbers" was featured in the movie Dead Man on Campus and its soundtrack.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by alternative pop/rock band Self
Self (band)
Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....
, released in 1999. The album was highly anticipated, being the first Self
Self (band)
Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....
album released on a major label since their debut album, Subliminal Plastic Motives
Subliminal Plastic Motives
Subliminal Plastic Motives is the debut album from alternative pop/rock band Self, and is perhaps their most well-known release.The album was recorded entirely by Matt and his brother, Mike. The album found some modest success with MTV and flagship radio stations like KROQ-FM...
.
Production
Working with a larger budget now that the band was on DreamWorks RecordsDreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
, the album featured an impressive roster of production credits, including: Richard Dodd, a Grammy-Award winning engineer; Hugh Padgham
Hugh Padgham
Hugh Padgham is a British record producer. He has won many awards, including four Grammys, with Producer of the Year and Engineer of the Year. A 1992 poll in Mix magazine voted him one of the world's Top Ten Most Influential Producers....
, a legendary British producer; and Ken Andrews
Ken Andrews
Ken Andrews is an American musician and producer, based out of Los Angeles, California.Andrews was born in Seattle, Washington, and attended film school in Los Angeles before his band Failure received a record deal from Slash Records.He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, guitarist, and...
, formerly of the band Failure. The sessions took place at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville, with additional tracking done at The Bennett House in Franklin, TN and Mahaffey's house in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
. "Uno Song" and "Suzie Q Sailaway" were last minute additions to the album - both had originally been recorded for inclusion on Gizmodgery
Gizmodgery
Gizmodgery is the fifth album by alternative pop/rock band Self, released in 2000 by Spongebath Records. The LP was recorded entirely with children's toy instruments....
.
Reception
The album wasn't well-received upon release, in part due to the delays in its release, but also because of the drastic change in style from its predecessor. Rather than the more rock-oriented approach of the debut, Breakfast with Girls saw lead singer/songwriter Matt Mahaffey focusing more on the more experimental sides of his music. The change confused many fans, and the critical response was mixed, with some praising him for his bold, disciplined, do-it-yourself indie aesthetic, while other critics felt the record was too cold and calculated--something that could only be enjoyed at a distance.Despite the lukewarm reception, many of the band's fans now consider Breakfast with Girls to be Self's masterpiece, citing its quirky songwriting and diversity as reasons. It contains a wide variety of styles ranging from industrial, funk, and hip-hop to blues, jazz, and orchestral pop. The album also contains a few slightly more conventional pop/rock songs.
Release
In addition to CD, the album was also released on Vinyl with bonus tracks, and as a limited edition CD, which had a full 12 page booklet of artwork done by Brian Botcher. People who pre-ordered the album also received an EP, BrunchBrunch (album)
Brunch is an EP by alternative pop/rock band Self released in 1998.The songs were originally intended to be on Self's album, Breakfast with Girls, but as that album was delayed, Brunch was released to tide fans over, and was available by pre-ordering Breakfast with Girls...
, and there was a vinyl release of the album, with the Brunch EP and two other songs added as bonus tracks. Both of these items are now amongst the most highly sought after Self items, though all the bonus tracks are available online as downloads. The album produced one single, the bouncy pop song "Meg Ryan", but like its parent album it didn't see much success.
The song "Paint by Numbers" was featured in the movie Dead Man on Campus and its soundtrack.
CD
Vinyl edition
Personnel
- Vocals - Matt Mahaffey
- Bass, Double Bass, Harmonica, Trombone - Mac Burrus
- Drums, Percussion - Jason Rawlings
- Guitar, Bass, Xylophone - Mike Mahaffey
- Piano, Xylophone - Chris James
- Strings - The Nashville String Machine (tracks: 7, 13)
- Horns - David Jellema (tracks: 11)
- Saxophone - Richard Griffith (tracks: 9)
- Other (Various instruments) - Matt Mahaffey
Production
- Writer - Matt Mahaffey
- Producer - Matt Mahaffey
- Executive Producer - Richard Williams
- Mastering - Bob Ludwig
- Mixing - Hugh Padgham (tracks: 1-3, 6-13), Csaba Petocz (tracks: 4), Matt Mahaffey (tracks: 5)
- Engineer - Bobby Dufresne Jr., Chris James, Jeff Balding, Joe Baldridge, Ken Andrews, Matt Mahaffey, Richard Dodd, Shawn McLean
- Engineer (Assistant) - Aaron Swihart, Brian Garten, Glenn Spinner, Joe Costa, John Saylor
- Arranged (Strings) - Chuck Lee (tracks: 7), Chris McDonald (tracks: 13)
- Engineer (Strings) - Allen Sides (tracks: 7), Shawn McLean (tracks: 13)
- Co-producer - Ken Andrews (tracks: 13)