"The elegant, torchy tunes were originally intended for a Bette Midler-style female vocalist, until Mead decided to cut them himself", wrote Steve Leftridge of PopMatters in November 2009, adding that Almost and Always "may be 2009's loveliest collection of pop songs".

[1] "Last Train Home" was NPR's Song of the Day on January 9, 2009,[2] several months after Almost and Always was first released on CD in Japan and online at NoiseTrade.

Many of the album's songs saw their live debut at the Basement in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 30, 2008.

[citation needed] "From My Window Sill", written by Daniel Tashian, was later recorded by his band, the Silver Seas, for their 2010 album Château Revenge!

All tracks written by David Mead and Bill DeMain, except where noted.