Remember being stunned the first time you found out Nine Inch Nails was Trent Reznor... all by himself? It was a weird concept. One guy who writes, sings, and plays all the instruments by himself and still calls it a band. Now there are countless "bands" like it popping up everywhere.

Well, Self is Mike Mahaffey, but he's certainly no rip off artist. In fact, the closest I've come to describing the music is: Matthew Sweet with a sampler multiplied by rap beats, and divided by a cheerful Alice In Chains.

Really, you just have to hear it.

Almost every song on the disc is a winner, though. Namely "Lucid Anne," "Borateen," "Cannon," and "Big Important Nothing." If you're into pop music, Subliminal Plastic Motives is like a can of Jolt.

-Ryan Schreiber