The album was recorded in Salem, Oregon, and was the second by the band to be produced by Frank Black, best known as the frontman of Pixies.

This time there are a few songs to let you catch your breath so when we do rock the fuck out again it hits home harder.

"[5] Although Argos has said that it "feels good to find out my voice is an instrument", he found the process of learning to sing somewhat "scary".

[7] The band aired the new material at several shows before the album's release, including the 10th birthday party of Islington's Buffalo Bar.

Writing for the May 2011 issue of Uncut magazine, for example, Stephen Dalton compared Argos' songwriting to that of Jarvis Cocker, Ian Dury, Mark E. Smith and Luke Haines, awarding the album a favourable 4/5.

In their 7/10 review of the album, Drowned in Sound said that while "the record is still unmistakably Art Brut, there’s also much more progression and experimentation than we’ve seen from the band before", comparing "Is Dog Eared" to "PiL-era John Lydon".

Despite finding something "strangely self-conscious" about the album, the reviewer concluded by saying that she still loves them, despite their "eccentric faults".

[16] It was written in response to the Axl's controversial[17] Reading Festival performance the previous year.

[16] In their review of the album, Consequence of Sound noted that Axl Rose "is a fitting tribute to the Guns N' Roses vocalist; mindless lyrics about checking out his middle finger and beating the world to the punch.

[9] To accompany the album, Art Brut compiled a comic book version of Brilliant!

comic book features artwork by a range of artists, including Akira The Don, Bryan Lee O'Malley, Hope Larson, Jamie McKelvie, Jeffrey Brown, Jeffrey Lewis, Let's Be Friends Again, Marc Ellerby, Mr Solo, Sian Superman and Patrick McQuade.

Argos was "over the moon and incredibly flattered that these artists took time out to work" on the comic.

As I had chosen all my favourite artists and writers for the project I was expecting to be blown away by every new submission, it went beyond even that though.

[18] A lifelong comic book enthusiast,[18] Argos' passion for comic books has already crossed over into Art Brut's music and art work, with Art Brut vs Satan's DC Comics & Chocolate Milkshake referencing the legendary publishers of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Justice League and Green Lantern.

In 2010, Argos unveiled his comic book themed side project named "Spoiler Alert",[19] whose three track EP featured songs inspired by DC Comics characters Batman, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle.

[20] He also writes an online comic book review for Playback called "Pow to the People".

They were pretty full on, nothing at all like the Adam West goofing around show I had seen Saturday morning television.

I loved them though and realised then that they were something that would stay with me into adult life and have spent all my money on comics ever since".

[22][23] The strip ends with the Joker hurling his nemesis through a window, parodying the opening of Watchmen.

[22] Artist Patrick McQuade, who worked on the comic book, described the experience as "very cool"[24] and said, "I had total creative freedom to do whatever I wanted.