Super Fake Nice Explained

Super Fake Nice is the second EP by American pop rock band Self, released through El Camino Media on July 29, 2014. Originally announced as an album in 2007, it is the band's first studio release since Gizmodgery (2000), ending a 14-year break. The EP primarily utilizes a pop rock sound. The singles "Looks and Money" and "Runaway" supported it, with the latter achieving mainstream success alongside its music video.

Background

In 2007, Matt Mahaffey announced Super Fake Nice via Myspace as Self's fifth full-length album. Its title was derived from an overheard conversation at a movie theater.^[2] In a 2009 interview, Mahaffey described its lyricism as "atypical to sElf" and stated disinterest in collaboration for it.^[3] The first song written that would appear on the project was "Runaway", with a 2010 demo being the fifth version of a song Mahaffey had repeatedly attempted to create since 1990 around a sample of Parliament's song "Do That Stuff".^[2] In January 2012, Mahaffey finished his home studio in Franklin, Tennessee, entitled Fresh Imperial and co-designed by Mark Wenner. Several writing and recording sessions took place in the same month.^[4]

Later in 2012, independent record label El Camino Media was founded by Matt Messer. He was drawn to "Runaway", expressing interest in it as a radio single and inspiring Mahaffey to perform and record several more songs by himself for the project. While preparing "Runaway" as a single, Mahaffey was unavailable to personally create a music video, so he hired a crew to create a video with cats.^[5] It was filmed in New York City^[6] and directed by Ballard C. Boyd.^[7] An art contest was held by Mahaffey to determine the cover art of Super Fake Nice, which was won by Autumn and Brian Cutaia.^[8] Following completion, Mahaffey self-described the project as a "ratatouille of stuff I had lying around", stating a general desire to release material as Self.^[9]

Release

Self put out various songs before the release cycle of Super Fake Nice.^[10] In 2009, two rough demos were made available online: "Orchird" and "Monogamy".^[3] Following this, "Could You Love Me Now?" and "Looks and Money" were officially released as singles on May 10, 2010, and November 28, 2011, respectively. Though they wouldn't appear on the EP, "Monogamy" and "Could You Love Me Now?" were bundled together and released as a standalone single for Record Store Day 2015.^[11]

"Runaway" was released as a single on July 11, 2014. A music video was published alongside this, featuring a band of cats pantomiming with instruments while several other cats move to the beat of the song.^[12] Containing six songs,^[13] Super Fake Nice became available for pre-order on July 17 and was released through El Camino on July 29, becoming the band's first studio release since their fourth album, Gizmodgery (2000).^[14] On July 30, Self performed "Runaway" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, marking the band's TV debut.^[15] A music video was later released for "Looks and Money" in 2015, directed by Dave Foley and starring himself with Mary Lynn Rajskub.^[16]

Reception

Super Fake Nice received favorable to mixed reviews. The Fire Note criticized the first two tracks for their "gloss ante" while praising the EP's other songs for reviving Self's older style.^[13] NPR denounced the lyrics of "Runaway" as trivial but praised its instrumental, calling it an "infectious pop-rock track".^[1] Lyndsey Parker of Rolling Stone described the song as a "catchy comeback track", likening its music video to Keyboard Cat and ranking it at number 10 on a list of the top 20 music videos of 2014.^[17] "Runaway" was additionally featured as the iTunes Single of the Week on July 29, 2014.^[8]

Track listing

Sample credits

• "Runaway" contains samples of "Do That Stuff", written by George Clinton, Gary Shider, and Bernie Worrell, as performed by Parliament.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the EP's liner notes.^[18]

• Matt Mahaffey – lead vocals, instruments, production, audio mixing, arrangement
• Mark Chalecki – mastering engineer
• New York Brass – horns (3, 5)
• Ahna Mahaffey – intro vocal (4)
• Autumn Cutaia – album artwork
• Brian Cutaia – album design
• Andy Harper – photography

Release history

Region! scope="col"

Date	Format(s)	Label
Various	July 29, 2014		El Camino
	September 30, 2014	CD		[19]
	October 2014	Vinyl LP		[20]

Notes and References

1. Web site: All Songs Considered. New Mix: Foxygen, Lily & Madeleine, Porter Robinson, More. NPR. August 5, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20151018193258/https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2014/08/05/338006118/new-mix-foxygen-lily-madeleine-porter-robinson-more. October 18, 2015. September 15, 2023.
2. Web site: Heisel. Scott. "We never broke up, but we got burned out"—Matt Mahaffey on the return of Self. Alternative Press. en. August 27, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140830035853/https://www.altpress.com/features/entry/we_never_broke_up_but_we_got_burned_outmatt_mahaffey_on_the_return_of_self. August 30, 2014. November 18, 2024.
3. Web site: Sharp. Brock. Interview: Matt Mahaffey Of Self. Rock Sellout. en. October 7, 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091010190746/http://www.rocksellout.com/home/2009/10/7/interview-matt-mahaffey-of-self.html. October 10, 2009. November 19, 2024.
4. Web site: Freeman. Jon. Matt Mahaffey Returns To Tennessee With New Studio. Music Row. en. January 23, 2012. November 19, 2024.
5. Web site: Raymer. Miles. Video: Cats make synthesizer jams for Self's 'Runaway'. Entertainment Weekly. July 21, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150311161210/https://ew.com/article/2014/07/21/video-cats-make-synthesizer-jams-for-selfs-runaway/. March 11, 2015. September 15, 2023.
6. Web site: Parker. Lyndsey. Self-Awareness! Rediscover Matt Mahaffey's Returning Cult Band Self. Yahoo! Music. August 15, 2014. September 15, 2023.
7. Web site: Rodgers. D. Patrick. Self's 'Runaway' Features a Slew of Delightful Cats [Fresh Vid]]. Nashville Scene. en. July 22, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726091053/https://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2014/07/22/selfs-runaway-features-a-slew-of-delightful-cats-fresh-vid/. July 26, 2014. November 18, 2024.
8. Web site: Peterson. Tyler. sElf's Lead Single “Runaway” Featured as iTunes Single of the Week Today. BroadwayWorld. July 29, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20151229044622/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/sElfs-Lead-Single-Runaway-Featured-as-iTunes-Single-of-the-Week-Today-20140729. December 29, 2015. September 15, 2023.
9. Web site: Hubbard. Susan. AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MATT MAHAFFEY of sElf. East of 8th. en. December 4, 2014. November 19, 2024.
10. Web site: Olmstead. Todd. Self, a.k.a. the Dude Who Made the Expedia Dot Com Jingle, Is Back. Vice. en. July 24, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20221208074254/https://www.vice.com/en/article/rqywxr/self-interview-premiere-super-fake-nice. December 8, 2022. November 18, 2024.
11. Web site: Self Releases. Self. November 18, 2024.
12. Web site: Parker. Lyndsey. Is Self's 'Runaway' the Greatest Cat Video Ever?. Yahoo! Music. July 21, 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180118053810/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/music-news/is-self-s--runaway--the-greatest-cat-video-ever-204255014.html. January 18, 2018. September 15, 2023.
13. Web site: Anthony. Christopher. sElf: Super Fake Nice [Album Review]]. The Fire Note. August 12, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20211201041532/https://thefirenote.com/reviews/self-super-fake-nice-album-review/. December 1, 2021. September 15, 2023.
14. Web site: Breihan. Tom. Self Released A New EP And Played Kimmel Last Night. Stereogum. July 31, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20221223204243/https://www.stereogum.com/1695800/self-released-a-new-ep-and-played-kimmel-last-night/news/. December 23, 2022. September 15, 2023.
15. Web site: Rodgers. Patrick. Watch Self Play 'Runaway' and 'Lucid Anne' on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Nashville Scene. July 31, 2014. September 15, 2023.
16. Web site: sElf ' "Looks & Money" with Dave Foley and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Funny or Die. February 28, 2015. November 18, 2024.
17. Web site: Parker. Lyndsey. The 20 Most Awesome Music Videos of 2014. Rolling Stone. en. December 22, 2014. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507164427/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-20-most-awesome-music-videos-of-2014-231622/. May 7, 2019. November 18, 2024.
18. Super Fake Nice. Self. 2014. El Camino Media.
19. Web site: sElf • SUPER FAKE NICE CD. El Camino Media. September 15, 2023.
20. Web site: sElf • SUPER FAKE NICE EP 10" CLEAR VINYL. El Camino Media. September 15, 2023.