Juliana Hatfield and Matthew Caws, friends and infrequent collaborators since the early 1990s—they met at some Nada Surf shows[1][2]—decided to form a band together and work on a project that is this resulting record.

The name of the band, Minor Alps, is a reference to the location of a cottage Caws' parents owned in France near Mont Ventoux.

They also played all of the instruments with the exception of drums and programming, which were supplied by Parker Kindred (Joan As Police Woman, Antony and the Johnsons, second Jeff Buckley record, The Friends (with Sammy James Junior of Mooney Suzuki)) and Chris Egan (Say Hi To Your Mom, Computer Magic, Solange).

[8] Allmusic granted the album 4 stars out of 5, noting it was "a collaboration in the best sense of the word, with the two musicians bringing out the best in one another, their individual strengths coming together in a set of smart, well-crafted performances.

"[12] American Songwriter, while calling the project an "oddly named sympathetic collaboration," said that "each tune blending into the next with little for the listener to hang on to beyond the overall gauzy mood" was "somewhat bland and forgettable.