"As such, the album was lighter on the sonic layering, with less production elements than "Nothing Is Sound" or even "The Beautiful Letdown," and carried a more pop direction, with new experimentation into areas the band had not previously explored, while also returning to their lo-fi indie roots.Topics explore living, time, coping with the death of a loved one, and, most dominantly, anti-materialism, particularly in the songs "American Dream" and "4