Throughout the rest of the year, and 2012, band members mentioned in interviews they had various song ideas and tracked demos with producers Marc Jacob Hudson and Mike Sapone.

Embarking on a US tour in late 2013, the group debuted two new songs, "Flicker, Fade" and "Beat Up Car".

In May, a music video for "Better Homes and Gardens" was released, and the group performed at the Slam Dunk Festival in the UK.

Prior to the release of Taking Back Sunday in June 2011, the band had begun work on their sixth album.

"[1] He added that a few outtakes from the self-titled sessions could be "stepping stones towards our future record ... [A few] ideas we were kicking around that never really got the attention they needed.

[2] The following month, bassist Shaun Cooper said the group had dedicated three days solely to writing material, adding that they "mess[ed] around with different time signatures.

"[3] In a February 2012 interview with Ultimate Guitar Archive, guitarist Eddie Reyes claimed they had "a lot of music", but added that they "tend to change things along the way"; he was optimistic about it appearing on their next album.

[11] In February 2013, the group went to West Virginia and wrote material for their next album,[12] at what Lazzara said was at "a really old colonial house" that was located "on top of this mountain.

"[6] Since all the members lived in different states—Lazzara and Nolan in North Carolina, Reyes in Ohio, and O'Connell and Cooper in New York[13]—Lazzara said they went to this house as it was "kind of out of the way" and had few distractions.

"[6] Though Sapone had been a friend of the band since their early days, the sessions marked the first time he had produced any album tracks.

"[23] With Hudson, the group recorded "Stood a Chance", "Beat Up Car", "They Don't Have Any Friends", "Better Homes and Gardens", "Like You Do", "We Were Younger Then", "How I Met Your Mother" and "Can You Feel (Here I Am)".

"[6] He said Happiness Is was "a great representation of us as a band right now",[16] and that while it featured elements of their past work, they "always want to be moving forward.

"[16] The group found it difficult to pick a track list for the album, as Nolan explained, "We do it very democratically, so there’s a lot of different opinions, and we went through all these different phases of, 'All right!

"[6] O'Connell came up with the main guitar riff for "Better Homes and Gardens", one of the songs that was written in West Virginia.

[60][61] Partway through the tour, the group released a split 10" vinyl EP, which featured two songs by the Used, and "Flicker, Fade" and "How I Met Your Mother" from Taking Back Sunday.

Under the title Happiness Is: The Complete Recordings, it includes all the songs of the original album, as well as "How I Met Your Mother", "This Is Happening", and "Can You Feel That (Here I Am)".

[74] AbsolutePunk writer Drew Beringer wrote that the album "showcases how much each member of Taking Back Sunday has grown as an individual and a musician.

"[75] AllMusic reviewer Gregory Heaney stated that the release "shows that they've honed their skills, creating a beautifully crafted, well-constructed album that feels like more than merely a collection of songs, but rather an album full of soaring builds and heartbreaking collapses that lends credence to the notion that the best things come to those who wait.

"[76] In a review for Alternative Press, Scott Heisel wrote that it was a "comfortable album that doesn’t contain any sort of crazy sonic left turns.

"[78] DIY's Sarah Jamieson said there were "Big rock songs [that] resound" and that the group's "take on life feels a little more grounded, a little more mature.

"[79] Punknews.org staff member Toir Pederson said that it could be viewed as "a bit of return to form...but will come as a disappointment" for those who enjoyed the group's two previous albums.

[80] Revolver writer Jonah Bayer said that the release facilitated the band "getting their groove back" to that of the original lineup.

[81] Sputnikmusic reviewer Anthom wrote that the album "essentially sounds like a Straylight Run record being fronted by Adam Lazzara", referring to the group Nolan and Cooper played in.

[31] However, he added that it was a "warming shot of feel good guitar pop and bright choruses" that was "easily on par" with the group's latter albums.

[31] Ultimate Guitar said that the album was "mixed well, and the songs are engaging",[29] as well as that the group "has really taken a turn for the better" since the reintroduction of Nolan and Cooper.

[29] Edna Gunderson of USA Today wrote that "warmth and wit almost compensate for a lack of distinction and the loss of punk sting.

[33] They called the band an "awesome monster floating in their own bubble," and said that "this LP lets you peek into the different faces that they've made over the years.

"[33] The AU Review writer Ruby Niemann wrote that the album had a "sound that's refreshingly, deliciously similar", and said the songs were "still hook-heavy and excitable.

"[82] Alyssa Dempsey of idobi wrote that the record displays the group's "ability to move forward musically without abandoning their signature style.

"[83] Ash Goldberg, a reviewer for themusic, noted that despite numerous lineup changes, "it's amazing Taking Back Sunday are still around for record number six, let alone sounding as good as they do.