The World Record is West Coast rock classicism personified: a roar of guitar-jangled and youthful exuberance that weds a sturdy, shimmering collection of hooks, heart, and crackerjack songwriting to a record collection in which wax by Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, and Alex Chilton spin in abundance until they form an aural magnetic north. They are bent on making you happy, and not repeating themselves. The band formed in 2003 after songwriter Andy Creighton (Apex Manor, Papercuts, Foreign Born) began passing a solo album around to friends. Soon Creighton was playing out as The World Record with bassist Aaron Ballard and a transient lineup that included members of The Broken West, Wildcat Wildcat, Avid Dancer, The Parson Red Heads, and even Dashboard Confessional and Toad the Wet Sprocket. In 2006 they released their debut full-length Guitars Forever on Tallboy Records. Though initially somewhat overlooked, by the end of 2007 the album was appearing on best-of lists and making a surprise CMJ chart entry at #107. Aquarium Drunkard wrote: "Sure, name checking a band as the West Coast heir apparent to Big Star is a bold statement, brave in fact, but that's exactly how I've been hailing The World Record of late." During this time the song "We're #1" made appearances in several TV shows including Gossip Girl and How I Met Your Mother (and more recently Ben & Kate, New Girl, and the feature film The First Time). But despite praise from L.A. Times, LAist, You Ain't No Picasso and others, The World Record remained one of L.A.'s best-kept secrets, rarely venturing outside of Southern California. Now jump ahead to 2012. That's right, six years - a virtual lifetime in band years. What happened during that time? Creighton toured the world with Let's Go Sailing, The Papercuts, Van Stone, Apex Manor, and The Henry Clay People. Ballard opened an independent framing business in Echo Park. Many World Record shows were performed, and many, many songs got written. The band's lineup solidified and its profile steadily grew. In October of 2012, with a deal in place with Squid vs. Whale (Nada Surf, French Kicks, Radar Bros.), the double-LP Freeway Special was released at last. The band celebrated with a one-night mini-festival at the Echoplex during which a house with (stuffed animal) cats on its roof was lowered from the rafters. Upon witnessing the show, Rawkblog called them "Los Angeles' best power-pop band - maybe anywhere's best power-pop band".