This 1992 Dischord Records release served as the band's final statement, capturing their raw, unpolished sound at its most potent. It’s a ferocious and uncompromising document of a band burning brightly before their abrupt dissolution.
- The album was recorded at WGNS Studios in Arlington, Virginia, with Don Zientara producing. It was the band's only full-length album released during their initial run, preceding their breakup in late 1992. The Nation of Ulysses disbanded shortly after the album's release, leaving a legacy of influential, albeit short-lived, output.
- Plays Pretty for Baby reached number 2 on the CMJ album charts in early 1993. The album has been retrospectively praised for its primitive production and the band's intense delivery. It was reissued in 2010 by Dischord with remastered audio.
- The band's aesthetic was heavily influenced by 1960s R&B and soul, particularly their fashion and stagecraft. Ian MacKaye, a seminal figure in DC hardcore, was not involved in this particular project, though he was instrumental in the band's formation and early career. The Nation of Ulysses' name and their four-part "Ulysses reference system" were a nod to James Joyce's Ulysses.
The Nation of Ulysses was a DC-based post-hardcore band whose music featured elements of garage rock and punk. They were known for their energetic live shows and distinctive, often confrontational, stage presence.
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