For "Twenty-Twenty Surgery" Lazzara had several lyrics and melodies, "but nothing was working and it was the most frustrating thing"; its chorus was the album's final composition. Mascherino called "Spin" "this album's 'The Union', but on steroids", drawing a comparison to Circa Survive. The acoustic ballad "Divine Intervention" recalled the quieter work of Brand New, and included a lyrical reference to "My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music". Mascherino soloed on "Miami," encouraged by Lazzara when the band was recording its demo. Lazzara later called the solo "funny and great." According to Mascherino, the group wanted the song "to sound as much like the Cure as possible, so it’s all clean guitars." He said that the drums on "I'll Let You Live" were recorded at a faster tempo, sounding "totally deeper" when played back; the song evoked Breaking Pangaea's 11 minute song "Turning". "Sleep" was the band's attempt at a Motown-inspired bass sound. "Brooklyn (If You See Something, Say Something)" contains a "real floaty, airy pre-chorus and then it's upbeat but dark," according to Lazzara. He did not regret dropping "Sleep" and "Brooklyn" from the final track listing "because when you listen to everything down, they just didn't really feel like they fit."