By blending the extremes of their previous albums, they give intimate moments an epic scope in ways that sound truly revitalized...
"[2] In an interview with Contactmusic.com, guitarist/producer Andy MacFarlane explained that with Nobody Wants to Be Here and Nobody Wants to Leave, the band aimed to capture all the different forms their music has taken over the years, from "full on noise/feedback, to a sparse, synth led sound, to a stripped back set up with just keys, drum machine and guitar, to playing with an orchestra, and to just an acoustic with vocal.
"[3] The album was produced at Mogwai's Castle of Doom Studios in Glasgow, and engineered by live soundman Andrew Bush.
"[4] In an interview with independent music site GoldFlakePaint, Graham cited years of constant touring surrounding the album as a cause of strain for the band.
"[5] Graham remarked that the recording process was uncomplicated, though, with he and MacFarlane working in unison and being "totally on the same page" with the album's direction.
[8] The announcement was accompanied by a 1-minute teaser video trailer on the band's website,[8][9] followed by a posting of the album's opening track "There's a Girl in the Corner" on Vice magazine's Noisey blog on 18 August 2014.
[11] Additionally, a limited edition CD EP of acoustic versions of songs from the album, entitled Òran Mór Session, was made available at the band's 2014 and 2015 tour dates.
In the interview with GoldFlakePaint, Graham notes closing track "Sometimes I Wished I Could Fall Asleep" as the song where the album began to come together for him.
Musically, the song is a stripped-down piano track, while lyrically, Graham said that "when 'Fall Asleep' happened I suddenly knew what I wanted to say.
[5] Opening track "There's a Girl in the Corner" was posted for streaming on Vice magazine's Noisey blog on 18 August 2014,[10] and the album's first single "Last January" was made available as a digital download on 15 September 2014.
"Last January" has received positive reviews from critics; Pretty Much Amazing describes the song as "chilly [and] cinematic", stating that, "It's a little early in the autumn to start accruing driving-in-the-snow moody jams, but we're not complaining when they're this good",[12] while Consequence of Sound says the song "captures the album's theme of 'small town weirdness and romance' with a post-punk gusto that hits hard sonically while tugging at the ol' heartstrings.
The single was made available as a limited edition 7" picture disc vinyl with the exclusive double A-side track "The Airport".
"[15] A music video for "I Could Give You All That You Don't Want", also directed by Nicola Collins, premiered on Brooklyn Vegan's website on 10 February 2015.
[17] The single was released as a double A-side on white-coloured 7" vinyl, with the exclusive track "There's a Girl in the Corner" as covered by Robert Smith of The Cure.
[1] In an early review, Clash magazine called the album "an enthralling return" and "a marvelous new set that only develops its makers' already enviable reputation.