For more information and to purchase I Think I’m Going to Hell, visit: buybeforeyoustream.com
Omaha-based indie rock band Bad Self Portraits has announced the upcoming release of their full-length debut album I Think I’m Going to Hell, arriving exclusively on vinyl August 26th through the Buy Before You Stream initiative. The album’s lead single, “Pensive,” is out today, introducing listeners to a project rooted in raw honesty, emotional excavation, and the power of physical music in a digital age.
Created by Midtopia, Buy Before You Stream empowers independent artists to release vinyl editions of their albums directly to fans before they appear on streaming platforms – rebuilding the artist-fan connection and ensuring 100% of the profits go directly to the artist. With its third release, the initiative continues to offer a tangible, sustainable alternative to the increasingly ephemeral streaming economy.
For Bad Self Portraits – formed in 2017 by high school and college friends Ingrid Howell, Cole Kempcke, Connor Paintin, and Jesse White – this release is a reclamation. Their first album was never pressed to vinyl due to production issues, making this moment long-awaited and deeply meaningful. “Vinyl feels like a time capsule,” says White. “It’s about preserving a record of who we were when we made it.”
Howell adds, “I grew up listening to story records with my family – we didn’t really watch TV, so those records became our entertainment. That experience shaped how I think about music. It’s a physical piece of art that can’t be erased by an algorithm.”
I Think I’m Going to Hell is an unflinching exploration of grief, mental health, religious anxiety, and family trauma – the aftermath of chaos, rendered in sharp detail. The title, drawn from Howell’s experience growing up with undiagnosed childhood OCD in a strict religious household, captures the early sense of dread that shaped her worldview. “Even when people told me I was good, I felt inherently doomed,” she shares. “It felt like I was born missing some essential information that everyone else had.”
That emotional weight permeates the album, from the visceral tension of “All Bark No Bite” – an unsparing portrait of Howell’s relationship with her mother, shaped by fear and emotional confusion – to the lead single “Pensive,” a character study inspired by her relationship with her partner Joel. Where Howell is spontaneous and firebrand, Joel is cautious and reasoned. The song explores their differences with warmth and clarity, reflecting on how growing up in contrasting faith environments shaped their personalities – and how those differences ultimately balance each other.
The band’s arrangements mirror these emotional contrasts. Bad Self Portraits blend cathartic indie rock textures with psychologically rich storytelling, shifting from whispered introspection to full-body catharsis. “We want our music to feel lived-in, like an emotional mirrorball,” Howell says. “Nothing polished – just real.”
Ahead of the vinyl release, the band will embark on a one-week regional tour with stops in Wichita, Denver, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, and Omaha, offering fans a chance to connect with the music in person before it becomes available online. The digital release of the album is set for September 19th.
Following the success of Talia Keys’ From The Ashes and Rudy Love & The Encore’s 11, Bad Self Portraits marks the third artist to release new music under the Buy Before You Stream banner. With growing dissatisfaction around the economics of streaming, the initiative is building a new kind of music ecosystem – one where fans own a piece of the journey, and artists retain creative and financial control.
With I Think I’m Going to Hell, Bad Self Portraits offers a debut that doesn’t flinch – a record steeped in self-examination, soul, and defiance. It’s an invitation to sit with discomfort, and maybe even grow from it. In a world of disposable content, this is music made to last.
ABOUT BAD SELF PORTRAITS
Bad Self Portraits is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, known for emotionally charged songwriting, bold vulnerability, and magnetic live performances. Formed in 2017, the band features Ingrid Howell (vocals, bass), Cole Kempcke (guitar), Connor Paintin (guitar, keys), and Jesse White (drums, vocals). Their debut LP I Think I’m Going to Hell marks a breakthrough moment in their journey.
ABOUT MIDTOPIA
Midtopia seeks to establish sustainable and equitable opportunities for independent artists and music workers via concepts for contributive partnerships and alternative business models that harness the connected, collaborative power of interdependence. This alternative to current music industry models is based on a philosophy of “do it ourselves” invoking greater cohesion to strengthen and build equity among artists and music workers, regardless of geographical location or current industry status. Like an intricate network of roots beneath a tree, this multidisciplinary collaboration will enhance these concepts giving artists and workers the ability to cultivate more sustainable growth, strengthen independence, fortify community, and propagate truly unique creative identities. Learn more at midtopia.com.
ABOUT BUY BEFORE YOU STREAM
Buy Before You Stream is a community-driven initiative that allows fans to purchase exclusive vinyl editions of albums directly from the artist before they hit streaming platforms. 100% of the profits go directly to the artists, ensuring they maintain control over their work and generate meaningful income. The initiative fosters direct artist-to-fan relationships, supports local record stores, and promotes sustainability in the music industry.
ABOUT THIRD MAN PRESSING
Third Man Pressing is a meticulously designed boutique vinyl record production facility with a unique customer experience that includes a viewing window for our visitors to witness the beauty and importance of the record making process. Third Man Pressing is an investment in Third Man Records’ hometown, a neighborhood within a city rich with musical history, creating a space that is as inspiring as it is prolific.
