Institute was formed in 2004 in the wake of a hiatus of lead singer Gavin Rossdale's other band, Bush.

Rossdale later recruited Charlie Walker (known for his work with Split Lip and Chamberlain, in addition to a temporary stint in Helmet) to take Freese's spot and round out the band.

Though not known for producing rock ballads,[citation needed] Hamilton also proved keen towards Rossdale's lighter songs, such as "Ambulances", which featured Gavin's then-wife, Gwen Stefani, singer of No Doubt and successful solo artist.

The album also gained traction from being included in the main menu of the hockey video game NHL 06 from EA Sports and its inclusion in the big-budget motion picture Stealth.

Institute played numerous Bush songs live, including "Machinehead", "The People that We Love", "Swallowed", an acoustic version of "Comedown", and "Glycerine".