Following the release of Big Bad in June, Christopher Browder has taken a new approach to a handful of tracks from Mansions’ fifth full-length album. These scaled-back takes, while not fully unplugging, approach the feel of Dig Up The Dead (Acoustic), re-released by Bad Timing records last year.

These mixes differ from those heard in the video series of the same name Browder released last month.

Listen to the collection below and grab a copy of Big Bad on vinyl while you’re at it.

At risk of this becoming a purely Mansions-related blog (I’m working on some things, I swear), I wanted to mark the release of Big Bad today because I just love this band so much.

I’m still waiting to receive my pre-order bundle, but in the meantime, I filled out the Genius data I could for the record. Lyrics, artwork, production, and mastering credits are all available there now. Chris also talked to Brooklyn Vegan about some of their influences on this record which include Frank Ocean, Spoon, Elvis, Patsy Cline, and Cat Power.

At 7pm pacific/10pm eastern this evening, Chris and Robin will be hopping on IG Live to celebrate and play some tunes. I’ll do my best to archive the occasion.

You can pick up Big Bad digitally on Bandcamp or physically from Bad Timing Records.

It was just a few days ago that Mansions announced Big Bad, their first record in 7 years. The timing of the announcement was greatly overshadowed by great civil unrest as thousands across the country protest police brutality in the United States.

Today Mansions is releasing a collection of demos and b-sides from the making of Dig Up The Dead. The collection is only available from June 5-7, 2020 and all proceeds will be donated to Black Lives Matter

From Christopher Browder on the release:

Most of these were never intended to see the light of the day. Unmastered, mp3 quality, no guarantees that any of it is good.

I’m overjoyed to write that Mansions have announced a new full-length record. That record is called “Big Bad” and it’s coming on June 26, 2020.

This marks the band’s first album since Doom Loop in 2013. It’s available for preorder now at Bad Timing Records or Bandcamp.

This emo-tinged indie-rock band was formed by Christopher Browder, crystalizing from various solo projects in 2007. The following is a reverse chronological discography of Browder’s work, including his previous solo releases and college-era bands Good Driver and Once More (Than Never).

While I was working on this archive, Chris went ahead and built something very similar on the band's website for their primary releases. There, too, are some great making-of accounts of several full-lengths in the discography.

Mansions (2007-present)

Another one-off cover. This one came with a note from Chris on the band's Instagram.

While writing Tuff Luff I got hit with major writer’s block, and one attempt to bust out of it was recording dumb rock versions of songs that were very much not that (e.g. what if Phoebe bridges had a pop-punk band). I’ve always loved New Love Cassette, and after recording a demo Robin and I were both like “wait…why can’t the album just be like this???” That discovery unlocked Tuff Luff in a very real way, and we recorded this “real” version in those same Tuff Luff sessions. I hope you dig it as much as we like playing it!!

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Mansions' 6th studio album was marked as a return to the sound that married Dig Up The Dead and Doom Loop. It was recorded from December 2022 to March 2023.

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Recorded from August 2020 through March 2021, this collection continues a long-running theme of reimagining old material to give it new life.

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In a series of covers, also known as 'VS TikTok', Chris transformed these viral hits into charming acoustic ballads.

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Bad Timing Records released the compilation on vinyl for its 20th Anniversary. This release features remixed and remastered versions of the songs. While "All Eyes On You" was dropped, "When I Sleep" and "The Constant" were added.

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Recorded from July through September 2020, these new takes on cuts from Big Bad were released as a digital-exclusive.

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Released 7 years after the last, Mansions' fifth LP is known for a slight departure from the band's signature sound. This is the first full-length first released by Bad Timing Records.

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A collection of demos and b-sides from the making of Dig Up The Dead. The collection was only available from June 5-7, 2020 on Bandcamp and all proceeds were donated to Black Lives Matter.

From Christopher Browder on the release:

Most of these were never intended to see the light of the day. Unmastered, mp3 quality, no guarantees that any of it is good.

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After partnering with the label in 2014 for the vinyl pressing of Dig Up The Dead (Acoustic) and The Biggest Lie / Tangerine 7”, Bad Timing Records released the Deserter EP exclusively. The record was premiered on Billboard.com on October 31, 2017.

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Alongside a repressing of New Best Friends, Bad Timing Records printed 250 copies of The Biggest Lie / Tangerine, a two side single with the two tracks from the self-titled EP that didn’t make it on the full length.

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Mansions’ fourth full-length album, and the second release from the band on Clifton Motel Records. Cassettes by Pretty Lush.

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Together with John Nolan (and Street Spirit) of Taking Back Sunday and Straylight Run, Mansions released a two track split featuring their single “Heavy Dungeon Echo.” The release was limited to 1000 physical copies.

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This Burning House Records compilation features six of the label’s artists covering one of each others songs. Mansions covered “Miserable Without You” by Jarrod Gorbel and The Holy Rolling Empire covered Mansions’ “OMG.” Proceeds from the sale of the EP go to the San Francisco School Alliance.

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This acoustic rendition of Dig Up The Dead was originally released on a limited edition CD-R that was included in pre-orders of the standard album's pink variant and some copies of the CD. It was pressed on vinyl by Bad Timing Records on January 6, 2015.

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Mansions' third full-length album, released by Clifton Motel Records. CDs were pressed by Burning House Records and cassettes by Pretty Lush. Vinyl repressed by Bad Timing Records in 2019.

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Best of the Bees is a compilation of various tracks from the EP Initiative. Each track was hand picked by Christopher Browder for a Bandcamp exclusive release. The compilation was reworked and re-released by Bad Timing Records in 2020.

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Roughly 100 copies of this limited edition tape were made. “Unwell” was later put on Best Of The Bees. “Family Dinner Week” was previously released by Browder’s former bands Once More and Good Driver in 2005. “All Those Dreams” was recorded twice more. Once for Mansions’ Daytrotter Session and again as a Dig Up The Dead bonus track.. As far as I’m aware, “Lost In Space” is exclusive to this release.

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A collaborative release by Weatherbox’s Brian Warren and Mansions’ Christopher Browder. Pre-release CDs were hand numbered /200 and hand-painted.

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The second full-length LP from Mansions. A direct follow-up to the EP Initiative, featuring newly recorded versions of the series' best tracks. The original vinyl pressing was hand-assembled and contained a special-edition color poster and CD insert with an interview and unreleased recording of "The Worst" Part.

The original CD pressing featured artwork from Browder and a CD bonus disk for The EP Initiative.

The album was repressed on March 4, 2014 through Bad Timing Records. Handrawn artwork by Robin Dove. This release included the afore-listed "Biggest Lie / Tangerine" 7".

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This compilation is comprised of tracks released on the various EPs released in 2008, leading up to the release of New Best Friends. It was included as a bonus MP3 disc in the CD release of the record.

A full description of The EP Initiative and it’s seven individual parts is in progress and will be published here at a later time.

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This self-titled EP was released by Doghouse to drum up buzz for the forthcoming Mansions full length. The first two tracks of the EP were included in that that release. The latter two were rereleased as a 7” in 2014 along with the New Best Friends repress. The CD contains further content accessible via a computer.

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The first full length released under the Mansions moniker. Self-produced and recorded. This album includes early versions of many songs that would be re-recorded and used on New Best Friends. Only a few hundred copies were produced.

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Good Driver (2005-2006)

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Bristopher Crowder / C.L. Browder (2004-2005)

These tracks were released in an ongoing series that's significant as it's the first "solo" work Chris Browder released online.

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Once More (Than Never) (2004-2005)

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Not much is known about this demo. By the time it arrived on my Radar, Purevolume's data had been purged and the Internet Archive was barred from retaining any data related to the site.

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This was a song demoed by Christopher while he was in college. It's been described as "mellow with a techno-ish vibe." It was available for download on Once More Than Never's university-hosted web page.