Psychopomp

## Singles

1. "In Heaven"
Released: Jan 20, 2016
2. "Everybody Wants To Love You"
Released: Feb 15, 2016
3. "The Woman That Loves You"
Released: Mar 8, 2016
4. "Jane Cum"
Released: Jun 22, 2016
5. "Heft"
Released: Unknown, 2016

**Psychopomp** is the debut studio album by the band Japanese Breakfast, it was first released on April 1st 2016.

## Background

Psychopomp was recorded in Eugene, Oregon shortly after the passing of Michelle Zauner's mother from cancer. While the sessions were originally intended to just be recording a few demos, along the way Zauner decided to make a full-length album. All but one of the tracks (excluding instrumental songs) originated from a previous project of Zauner's, with the track Everybody Wants To Love You being from the Birthday Girlz album 'Bear Country', Rugged Country from 'June', Heft from 'Where Is My Great Big Feeling?', and The Woman That Loves You, Jane Cum and Triple 7 from 'American Sound'.

The album was originally meant to be mixed by Colin Redmond, but Zauner didn't like how his mixes sounded so she asked Ned Eisenberg to mix them instead after she'd moved to New York City and sat on the album for a couple of months. Instead of just mixing the album, Zauner and Eisenberg ended up reworking and reproducing much of the album in Ned's apartment. While reworking the album with Ned Eisenberg, the re-recorded version of The Woman That Loves You was scrapped in favor of the 2012 American Sound version and the track Run It Down was cut, though it was later included as a bonus track on the Japanese exclusive edition.

Psychopomp was made available for free streaming prior to it's release via Hype Machine on March 25th 2016. It was officially released in the United States of America on April 1st 2016 via Yellow K Records, it was preceded by the singles In Heaven, Everybody Wants To Love You and The Woman That Loves You. The compilation 'Psychopomp! Demos & Midi' was released alongside the album on April 1st 2016, exclusively on cassette. Jane Cum was also later released as a single. After signing a new record deal with Dead Oceans, the album was re-released internationally on September 19th 2016 and was given a 5th and final single, Heft.

In 2023, the copyright of the album was transferred from Dead Oceans/Yellow K Records to Michelle Zauner (under the name Japanese Breakfast).

## Album Credits

### Writing and Production

* **Written by:** Michelle Zauner
* **Produced by:** Michelle Zauner & Ned Eisenberg

### Instrumentation

* **Vocals:** Michelle Zauner
* **Backing Vocals:** Sam Cook-Parrott
* **Guitar:** Michelle Zauner & Nick Hawley-Gamer
* **Bass:** Peter Bradley
* **Percussion:** Colin Redmond
* **Clarinet:** Colin Redmond
* **Keys:** Ned Eisenberg
* **Strings:** Adam Ponto

### Technical

* **Engineering:** Colin Redmond
* **Mixing:** Ned Eisenberg
* **Mastering:** Alex Santilli

### Studio Info

* **Engineered at:** CR Ensemble (Eugene, OR)
* **Mastered at:** Spice House Sound (Philadelphia, PA)

## References

1. ↑ PLEASURE POP CATHARSIS: JAPANESE BREAKFAST - DIY Magazine, July 28 2016
2. ↑ BUMPER AMA~ - Reddit, September 11 2020
3. ↑ The Evolution of Psychopomp | A Conversation With Japanese Breakfast - Play Too Much, October 2016
4. ↑ Japanese Breakfast - Psychopomp: Featured Album - Hype Machine, March 25 2016