", ▁lyr ically ▁inspired ▁mostly ▁by ▁Cost ello ' s ▁time ▁spent ▁in ▁Afghan istan . ▁ ▁The ▁du o ▁released ▁the ▁album ▁independently ▁in ▁late ▁summer ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁partner ed ▁with ▁Global ▁Hope ▁Network ▁– ▁an ▁organization ▁dedicated ▁to ▁helping ▁imp over ished ▁refuge es ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁– ▁p led ging ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁CD ▁and ▁download ▁sales ▁towards ▁their ▁cause . ▁ ▁The ▁self - re leased ▁album ▁was ▁completely ▁home ▁recorded ▁by ▁the ▁pair , ▁mixed ▁by ▁Martin ▁Fe ve year ▁of ▁Jup iter ▁Studios , ▁Seattle ▁( Mod est ▁Mouse , ▁Dam ien ▁Jur ado ), ▁and ▁master ed ▁by ▁Alan ▁D ouch es ▁of ▁West ▁West ▁Side ▁Music , ▁NY ▁( S uf jan ▁Stevens ). ▁ ▁Their ▁diverse ▁mix ▁of ▁instruments ▁includes ▁accord ion , ▁mand olin , ▁b ells , ▁v ib raph one , ▁horn s , ▁ass orted ▁per cussion , ▁electronic ▁organ ▁and ▁W url itzer , ▁to ▁name ▁a ▁few . ▁ ▁Cost ello ' s ▁lyr ics ▁range ▁from ▁self - ex am ination ▁to ▁social ▁critique . ▁ ▁His ▁songs ▁are ▁often ▁about ▁self - s ac r ific ing ▁figures ▁such ▁as ▁Hugh ▁Thompson ▁and ▁Diet rich ▁Bon ho ef fer , ▁and ▁he ▁pull s ▁insp iration ▁from ▁the ▁Southern ▁Goth ic ▁fiction ▁of ▁Fl ann ery ▁O ' Con ner ▁and ▁Car son ▁McC ull ers . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6