The album serves as a follow-up to the band's debut extended play, Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean, which was released in 2006.

The title of the album was inspired by the unincorporated town Battle Mountain, Nevada after the band visited the city.

The album was supported by four singles; "And I Told Them I Invented Times New Roman", "Lemon Meringue Tie", "The Backwards Pumpkin Song", and "Open Your Eyes and Look North".

It is the band's first of two studio albums to feature clean vocalist Jonny Craig.

A non-direct sequel to the album, titled Downtown Battle Mountain II, was released on March 8, 2011.