The entire album is a collaboration with the Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir — started by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea — from Los Angeles, California.

Zach was so preoccupied with ghosts as a kid that he was put into therapy, and Gosling's parents moved out of his childhood home because they believed it was haunted.

They also imposed rules on themselves during the recording process, such as not playing with a click track, and trying to do no more than three takes on any song, letting any imperfections highlight the strengths of the music.

The self-titled debut album from the band featured members of the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's children's choir and was released on October 6, 2009, through ANTI- and was produced by Tim Anderson of Ima Robot.

[11] In the closing credits of the 2013 French film, Age of Panic, the Dead Man's Bones song "Lose Your Soul" is featured.