It was in a basement room in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco that the band began work on their debut album, "A History of Sport Fishing". It was both composed and recorded in a two-week period during which the band would work only in the early hours of the morning. The final product was released in 2002, originally under Thee Shallows until the band were forced to change their name after a call from an attorney. It showcased classical influences as well as laying down the foundation of the groups mellow, textured sound. The album was released on Megalon Records and received very little promotion in the United States, while it was given a big push by Monotreme Records in the United Kingdom, and this led to the band becoming more popular in Europe than in their home country.