▁Gra ves ▁found ▁himself ▁at ▁the ▁hel m ▁of ▁writing ▁and ▁recording ▁the ▁music ▁( in ▁the ▁band ’ s ▁home ▁studio ), ▁and ▁St amm ▁wrote ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁lyr ics . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁tri o ▁began ▁work ▁on ▁a ▁four - song ▁EP ▁album . ▁Gra ves ▁t apped ▁his ▁first ▁cousin , ▁Jeff ▁McC ull ough , ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁band ▁and ▁play ▁bass ▁guitar ▁and ▁piano . ▁McC ull ough ’ s ▁formal ▁music ▁training ▁and ▁experience ▁in ▁previous ▁bands ▁allowed ▁him ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁major ▁cre ative ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁developing ▁group . ▁ ▁S inc la ir ▁A ircraft ▁EP ▁ ▁( 2 0 0 4 ) ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁( two ▁weeks ▁before ▁Gra ves , ▁St amm , ▁and ▁G ula ▁graduated ▁high ▁school ), ▁For ▁the ▁M oment ▁released ▁the ▁result ant ▁home - record ings ▁as ▁an ▁album ▁called ▁S inc la ir ▁A ircraft ▁EP . ▁The ▁band ▁sold ▁all ▁ 3 0 0 ▁copies ▁before ▁school ▁ended . ▁Most ▁important ly , ▁a ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁S inc la ir ▁A ircraft ▁EP ▁came ▁to ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁Tom ▁Der r ▁( owner ▁of ▁Rock ▁R idge ▁Music , ▁who ▁expressed ▁interest ▁in ▁signing ▁For ▁the ▁M oment ▁to ▁his ▁label . ▁But ▁first , ▁Der r ▁and ▁co - owner ▁Chris ▁Hend erson ▁( gu itar ist ▁in ▁alternative ▁rock ▁group ▁