▁as ▁the ▁drum mer . ▁For ▁the ▁lead ▁guitar , ▁Cole ▁already ▁had ▁had ▁Robert ▁Qu ine ▁in ▁mind ▁long ▁before ▁a ▁meeting ▁was ▁arranged ▁by ▁mut ual ▁acquaint ance ▁Mah er . ▁Bla ir ▁Cow an , ▁formerly ▁of ▁the ▁Comm ot ions , ▁was ▁re - un ited ▁with ▁Cole ▁and ▁would ▁receive ▁song ▁writing ▁cred its ▁for ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁album . ▁Matthew ▁S weet , ▁then ▁an ▁obsc ure ▁solo ▁artist , ▁was ▁rec ru ited ▁under ▁recommendation ▁from ▁Mah er ▁to ▁play ▁bass ▁guitar . ▁ ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁album ▁was ▁recorded ▁and ▁mixed ▁at ▁Right ▁Track ▁Studios ▁in ▁Manh attan ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁' No ▁Blue ▁Sk ies ' ▁which ▁was ▁recorded ▁at ▁Sky line ▁Studios ▁in ▁NY C ▁and ▁mixed ▁at ▁M aison ▁Rou ge ▁in ▁London . ▁ ▁This ▁period ▁in ▁Cole ' s ▁would ▁later ▁be ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁the ▁self - refer ential ▁song ▁' I ▁Tried ▁To ▁Rock ' ▁released ▁on ▁' The ▁Neg atives ' ▁released ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁A ▁self - de prec ating ▁song ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁singer ▁ ▁makes ▁light ▁of ▁the ▁dram atic ▁change ▁in ▁music , ▁and ▁his ▁own ▁l ifest yle , ▁after ▁his ▁move ▁to ▁New ▁York . ▁▁ ▁Com position ▁▁ ▁Cole ▁made ▁a ▁conscious ▁decision ▁to ▁change ▁and ▁evol ve ▁his ▁lyr ical ▁style ▁from ▁that ▁which ▁he ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁Comm ot ions . ▁A ▁new ▁approach ▁saw ▁him ▁less ▁afraid ▁to ▁attempt