In a pre-release interview with Billboard, guitarist Deakin/Josh Dibb described the new album as "chiseled" and "shiver-inducing". The title and track listing were revealed by band member Geologist on the Collected Animals message board on May 16, 2007. Problems playing this file? See media help.
According to member Noah Lennox, it was a conscious decision to record the album "in a desert setting." Album content Moreover, Strawberry Jam engineer Scott Colburn, who also worked with the band to record the predecessor Feels, knew Wave Lab's owner.
plus i've spent about a year and a half of my life living in the tucson area" we looked at a bunch of studios from southern california to new mexico and settled on one we liked in tucson. that might not make sense to anyone but us because when you think of the desert you think of twangy guitars and morricone soundtracks and jim morrison walking with the ghost of an indian, but we don't really see it that way. "dave and i were talking a few months back about environments to record and one of us was like maybe it'd be sweet to make this next one a desert record and then everyone was like yeah man we haven't done that yet and it seems like it could fit the songs and the way we want them to sound.
Band member Brian Weitz explained why they chose this location on the Collected Animals message board : The album was recorded at Wave Lab Studios in Tucson, Arizona.