more low fidelity production than on Hunt's previous albums. The album's songs are primarily guitar-based and contain jagged, rumbling rhythms, loose guitar riffs, funk licks, and studio effects, including an abundant use of reverb. Their musical structures are characterized by eccentric arrangements, shifting melodies, and rhythms that vary at offbeat intervals. The songs also feature tense, aggressive soundscapes with sonic influences derived from 1960s psychedelic music and 1970s rock music. Jim Farber from the New York Daily News notes the prevalence of rock music on the album and describes its music as "a surrealist's notion of soul: prog-rock swayed by R&B ... Lots of songs have the skewed melodic structures of '70s Zappa, tempered by '80s Red Hot Chili Peppers." Geraud Blanks of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel characterizes the album's music as "an amalgamation of Prince's psychedelic funk, Jimi Hendrix rock and Curtis Mayfield soul". Hunt's falsetto vocals on the album feature silky timbre and style. He sings in a variety of musical modes on the songs. Hunt's songwriting on the album is characterized by resolute lyrics, multi-layered storylines, social commentary, a droll perspective, poetic subtlety, thematic subtext, and whimsy. Songs on the album are unified by a theme of tension and dissonance in modern life. The songs explore topics and issues in contemporary society and culture, including gentrification, identity politics, and mass consumption, accompanied by a sense of hope in Hunt's lyrics. Hunt explains the album to have a "loose concept", with songs unified by subject matter concerning "unspoken issues around society", and says of his lyrical sentiments on the album, "It fits my personality that no matter what's going on I'm going to answer it honestly with a wink and a smile. As cliché as it might be, I feel like every situation needs a laugh." L. Michael Gipson of Creative Loafing notes David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz as references points for Hunt's songwriting, and writes that What Were You Hoping For? explores "both sides of the political aisles" with metaphorical songs such as "North Hollywood", "Designer Jeans", and the title track, as well as themes concerning an intimate relationship with the songs "Moving Targets", "Falls (Violet)", and "Cross Dresser". Certain songs were inspired by the effects of the late-2000s recession and Hunt's experience in North Hollywood, a district marked by population density, low income, and other recession-related issues. Hunt said of the district, "There's so many issues