On March 22, 2002, "On a Wire" was announced for release in two months' time; alongside this, the album's track listing and artwork were posted online. The following month, the band performed at Skate and Surf Fest. On April 25, 2002, "Overdue" was made available for streaming through an e-card on the band's website. "On a Wire" was released through independent label Vagrant Records on May 14, 2002. The album's artwork was created by Travis Millard; Pryor said it was "incredibly complicated" as the band wanted it to stand out when compared to the covers of their other albums. In May and June, the group went on a headlining US tour with support from Hot Rod Circuit, the Jealous Sound, Rhett Miller and Audio Learning Center.