[4][5] Frontman Jim Adkins performed solo shows and released a series of singles; bassist Rick Burch ran a distillery in Arizona; drummer Zach Lind made two EPs with his wife under the name the Wretched Desert; and guitarist Tom Linton took up boxing.

[6][7][8] Jimmy Eat World intentionally wanted to work with a new producer that they had no past experience with, and to push them out of their comfort zone.

[9] Sessions were held at Sunset Sound, Chez JMJ and Unit 2, with Meldal-Johnsen and the band sharing the producer role.

Mike Schuppan, Carlos de la Garza, Meldal-Johnsen, Adkins and Lind acted as engineers, with assistance from Geoff Neal.

[11] While the band has previously employed the use of synthesizers on their past releases, they used it more on Integrity Blues, which was aided due by Meldal-Johnsen's enthusiasm for the instrument.

[19] Consequence writer Ben Kaye said the album acted as the "perfect bridge between Bleed American vulnerability and Futures aggression".

[16] Courtney Marie Andrews contributed additional vocals on "You with Me", "Sure and Certain" and "Pol Roger", alongside Robin Vining, who sung on "You with Me", "Sure and Certain" and "Pretty Grids".

Vannessa Frebairn-Smith acted as the session leader for these arrangements, which comprised Mike Whitson on viola, Rob Schear on trumpet, Nick Daley on trombone, Lara Wickes on English horn, and Jessica Pearlman on oboe.

[20] The alternative rock song "Pretty Grids"[22] recalls the sound of the band's seventh album Chase This Light.

[23] "Pass the Baby" starts off as a no-fi electronic track that sees Adkins singing over programmed drums, with guitarwork akin to the xx.

[21][24] It switches to math rock and concludes with a heavy coda section, which was reminiscent of The Fragile (1999)-era Nine Inch Nails, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

[26] "The End Is Beautiful" a mid-tempo ballad;[22] its slow acoustic guitarwork earned it a comparison to "Hear You Me" and "Cautioners", both tracks from Bleed American.

[15] The song talks about finding contentment with being alone, without feeling lonely, while the title alludes to a hotel chain in Glasgow where all of the rooms are named after alcoholic beverages.

[58] AllMusic reviewer Neil Z. Yeung said it "shines in the dark with glimmering production, [and] a refreshed sense for hooks ... strik[ing] a clean balance between past and present".

[15] Sputnikmusic staff member SowingSeason found it to contain "breathtaking melodies and intimate lyrics", with the "dreamy sensation and emotional relevance of Futures.

Club writer Zoe Camp considered it their "glossiest release to date", witnessing the band "doubling down on the jagged hooks and dulcet-sung choruses ... festooned with their usual angst".

[24] Ultimate Guitar staff team said that if the listener was looking for "catchy lyrics and emotional melodies ... then you may be pleasantly surprised" as the music was "very easy to get into.

He added that the album "finds itself sharing its dominant concern of using the [emo] genre's inherent vulnerability and introspection to promote self-esteem rather than self-pity.

"[20] Drowned in Sound's Aidan Reynolds found it "a wonderful thing to hear Jimmy Eat World rediscover the form that stretched from Clarity through Futures ... their dedication to honest, wide-eyed songcraft has resulted in their best album in over a decade.

writer Ian Gormely said it followed a "rough guide" of studio experimentation started by Clarity, while taking "some steps towards improvising a few lines".