Frontman Ryan O'Neal spent the following two years writing the album, including writing out the lyrics on an old typewriter, without composing any of the music in mind during the sessions. With all of the lyrics written, he then began working on applying the lyrics to musical compositions; some went effortlessly, while others took extensive reworking. Corgan, impressed with the work, helped them secure a record deal with Interscope Records in late 2002. The band cancelled plans to record an EP in order to focus efforts on their first major record label album. The band had planned to start the recording sessions in 2002 and to release the album in early 2003, but the recording sessions did not start until the beginning of 2003 and it took six months to complete. The band recorded in music producer Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio, and according to the studio's recommendation, worked with Susan Voelz on the album's orchestral arrangements, as the band generally knew the sounds they wanted to make, but did not necessarily have the means to convey it on paper. Corgan also helped to put them in contact with a number of people in the music industry who he had previously worked with, including the producer Bjorn Thorsrud, with whom Corgan had recently collaborated on his "Adore" and "Machina/The Machines of God" albums with the Smashing Pumpkins, and with the mixer Alan Moulder, who had also worked on the "Machina" sessions.