Trans Am's self-titled debut, recorded after just a few rehearsals, contained instrumentals which were largely improvised versions of simple rock-oriented motifs based loosely on 1970s bands such as Boston, Bachman–Turner Overdrive, and Yes.

One track from that record, "Starjammer", was later included on the highbrow electronica label Mille Plateaux's double-CD compilation In Memoriam Gilles Deleuze.

In their live shows, the band began to incorporate trigger devices and MIDI-wired beatboxes in order to perform their electronics-heavy songs.

[citation needed] Around the time of the release of The Surveillance, Trans Am started to perform material with vocoder-heavy vocals by Nathan Means.

[4] In 2002, Trans Am released TA,[5] complete with tongue-in-cheek promo photos featuring the band in boy band-esque matching white outfits.

[6][7] During the 2004 U.S. election year, Trans Am released the politically charged Liberation, an album that questioned the George W. Bush presidency and addressed such issues as the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the War on Terror, and paranoia.