[1] Bixler-Zavala's newly written, mostly acoustic songs were a departure from his previous work with the Mars Volta and At the Drive-in: on his YouTube page he described them as "mostly ballady type stuff...a very sunday morning record.
He cited 1970's AM radio hits and the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young and Roky Erickson as the influences: "It’s part of that classic Southern California ballad music for sure.
[2] He invited his Mars Volta bandmate Juan Alderete, drummer Gregory Rogove (Devendra Banhart, Megapuss), guitarist Dan Elkan (Hella, Them Hills) and keyboard player Nate Walcott.
Jonny Polonsky, David Hidalgo, Money Mark, John M. Andersson and Noah Georgeson also have made appearances in the studio.
Bixler-Zavala's post on Instagram in May 2014 stated that the album was still going to be finished sometime in the future when money and schedules would allow that: "I have twin boys that need a dad and mom so my time and priorities are a difficult thing to juggle.