Lazzara said that Taking Back Sunday was "starting to grow up," no longer writing songs about being in high school and realizing that they "have to be an adult about some things." According to Mascherino, the group wanted to create something "timeless" to stand out from their peers; they "didn’t want to just do the formula," and used piano, xylophone and strings. "Alternative Press" noted that "Louder Now" had a "much more full sound, much more tight" than "Where You Want to Be". MTV called the album "a big, ballsy, monster of a rock record," and its title affirms that it is a rock record. The album's sound has been described as alternative rock, emo pop and pop punk.