Recorded in the UK, France, Sweden and the USA[1] and released on 12 May 2008, the album features contributions from Bruce Kaphan (American Music Club, Red House Painters), drummers Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) and Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson), saxophonist/flautist Theo Travis, and the London Session Orchestra arranged by Dave Stewart (Hatfield and the North, Egg, Stewart and Gaskin etc.).

In his online diary Tim Bowness mentions that, despite following a difficult year and being typically melancholy in places, the tone of the album is more optimistic than anything the band have done before.

No-Man fan site "A Confession" has also created a dedicated Schoolyard Ghosts microsite featuring the video for "Truenorth – Part Two" and album lyrics.

The first 2000 copies of the album obtained from the No-Man online store came with an exclusive 6 track, 20-minute, bonus disc of alternates and edits.

The song "Mixtaped" is a reworked version of a Tim Bowness solo demo called "Schoolyard Ghosts".