the group independently released "bliss" in 1993, their first album under the name 12 rods, which was recorded in minneapolis while the members were still living in oxford. in 1996, one year after fully relocating to minneapolis, the band released the ep "gay?", which went on to bring the group much-needed publicity following a review by an early "pitchfork" where it received one of the few 10.0 ratings given in the publication's history. former pitchfork columnist jason josephes spoke of "gay?" favorably in his "three blocks from groove street" column after he and "pitchfork" founder ryan schreiber saw 12 rods' first minneapolis concert and bought the ep.