Feels Like Breakin' Shit

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Feels Like Breakin' Shit is Self’s first compilation album, released for free as an internet download in 1998 by Spongebath Records and DreamWorks Records. Matt Mahaffey gathered songs he’d saved from the band’s earlier albums, Subliminal Plastic Motives (1995) and The Half-Baked Serenade (1997), along with demos, covers, and parodies. He had kept the tracks on DATs as a backup, made CD-R copies, and gave one to his manager. The collection leaked online and fans liked it, so it was officially released for free online. Fans could make their own artwork since none was included with the digital files; Mahaffey even created a cover in 1999. The release was later followed by Self Goes Shopping (2000).

Musically, the album jumps around styles but mainly sits in alternative punk rock, with some techno elements on the opening track. It includes four covers—Prince’s “Let’s Pretend We’re Married,” Sam Baker’s “Hey, Lou,” Suzanne Vega’s “Fat Man & Dancing Girl,” and Tommy Roe’s “Dizzy”—along with two parodies such as “Moronic,” a vulgar take on Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic.” There’s also a Titanic-inspired piece inspired by the film, and tracks like “Dog You Are” about a sharp critic and “Breakdancers Reunion” about a friend who could breakdance on command. The ending features a vocoded moment that spells out a strong word. All songs are written by Matt Mahaffey, except where noted. The album runs about 49 minutes (49:53 on Spongebath, 49:19 on DreamWorks) and sits between The Half-Baked Serenade (1997) and Breakfast with Girls (1999) in Self’s discography.