The Breeders wanted to re-record the demo tape for a general release. 4AD gave the band an $11,000 budget and recruited Steve Albini, who had worked with Deal on the Pixies' 1988 album Surfer Rosa, to record in Edinburgh, Scotland for two weeks in December 1989. The Perfect Disaster's Josephine Wiggs joined the band as bassist. The Breeders were without a drummer, so Albini suggested Britt Walford of Slint join for the recording sessions. Deal met Walford after a Pixies concert in Chicago; Walford agreed to play drums on the album, and joined The Breeders under the assumed name of "Shannon Doughton".

The recording of Pod took only a week, so The Breeders used the remaining time to record several B-sides, a Peel Session and a video for "Hellbound". Released on 28 May 1990, Pod, although not commercially successful, received positive reviews from mainstream critics; The New York Times' Karen Schoemer wrote: "The angular melodies, shattered tempos and screeching dynamics recall elements of each of the women's full-time bands, but Pod has a smart, innovative edge all its own.". The album also was famously quoted by Kurt Cobain as one of his favorite records ever: "The main reason I like [The Breeders] is for their songs, for the way they structure them, which is totally unique, very atmospheric. I wish Kim was allowed to write more songs for the Pixies, because "Gigantic" is the best Pixies song, and Kim wrote it."