On September 21, 2005, it was announced that Taking Back Sunday had begun recording their third album with Eric Valentine. The group chose Valentine because he had produced Queens of the Stone Age's "Songs for the Deaf" (2002) and Third Eye Blind's self-titled album (1997). Although they met with Howard Benson and Rob Cavallo, the band's "love of Eric's work kind of trumped any other meeting we had." Unlike their previous records, the group worked in a large studio (Barefoot Studios in Los Angeles, California). Warner Bros. told them, "Take your time and it's done when you're done with it," and the band re-recorded the demos. According to Mascherino, the group "knew how it was going to come out ... again was a thorough way to do it." Working in a big studio, according to Lazzara, gave the band the opportunity to "have more than two guitar sounds."