"It's Hot" is a keyboard-led track with synthesized-beats and electronic sounds, and was compared to Joy Division. Discussing "Crazy", Booth said he was suffering with liver disease in his teenage years and would hallucinate because of it; the song was reminiscent of the work of U2. "Ten Below" sees Booth reflect on listening to John Peel's radio show while enduring education in a Welsh boarding school. "Porcupine" discusses self-defence; Booth seeing himself as the animal of the same name, against a skunk. The slide guitar recalled the dream pop sound of Cocteau Twins and U2 guitarist The Edge. "Shine" is a mid-tempo track that criticizes rich people, and was also compared to U2. "Dr Hellier" talks about the Iraq War and the film Fantastic Voyage (1966). It incorporated basslines in the vein of New Order. Booth wrote it after having shoulder operation with a James Bond-esque doctor. "All My Letters" was written after Booth was featured on The Jonathan Ross Show alongside Will Smith and Jay-Z; it talks about the cost of fame. The closing song, "Hero", evokes the gospel blues and electronic sound of Cold War Kids. Release and reception Promotion and touring On 30 November 2009, the band announced they would be releasing two mini-albums in 2010, with the first The Night Before planned for released in April 2010. On 16 March 2010, the track listing for the album was revealed. In April 2010, the band embarked on The Mirrorball Tour in the United Kingdom, with support from James Walsh and Unkle Bob. The Night Before was made available for streaming through The Independent website, before being released on 19 April 2010. The iTunes version included "All My Letters" as a bonus track. Deciding to release a mini album, Booth reasoned that attention spans were getting shorter, and that with the dominance of iTunes, people weren't listening to full albums any more. To promote the album's release, the band performed a series of radio sessions. The Night Before reached number 20 on the UK album chart. "All My Letters" was later included on the career-spanning box set The Gathering Sound (2012). Critical response The Night Before received generally positive reviews from music critics. The Guardian critic Dave Simpsons said it was "one of the strongest efforts of their career". PopMatters writer John Garratt said it showcased the band's ability for "big songs, even if they are for a