The Black Keys recorded their first two studio albums in drummer Patrick Carney's basement. The building was sold by its landlord, forcing them to find a new location for their third album. They decided to set up a makeshift studio in a dilapidated factory in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. Built by General Tire to manufacture rubber tires, the factory stood on the corner of S Seiberling Street and Little Cuyahoga River in the East Akron neighborhood. General Tire closed the factory in 1982, though space in the building was being leased out. The band rented the entire second floor of the building for $500 per month, and dubbed their workspace "Sentient Sound".