Though the band's members originally hailed from all over the U.K., the expansive, mostly instrumental band the Workhouse calls Oxford its home. The Workhouse formed in 1996 but didn't start releasing singles until three years later; however, these singles, which were released by hip imprints like Rocket Girl, Bearos, and Livid Meekrat, won the group critical acclaim as well as favorable comparisons to like-minded bands such as Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky. By 2001, the Workhouse's lineup had finalized to guitarists Mark Baker and Andy Dakeyne, bassist Chris Taylor, and drummer Peter Lazell. Their debut album, The End of the Pier, had a U.K. release late in 2003. It was released in the U.S. by Devil in the Woods the following year, boasting a resequenced and expanded track listing that included tracks with Baker and Taylor handling vocal duties. That fall and winter, the Workhouse worked on their second album and recorded their second Peel Session.