0 0 0 , ▁Cloud de ad ▁released ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁six ▁ 1 0 " ▁vin yl ▁singles ▁on ▁M ush ▁Records . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁these ▁singles ▁were ▁compiled ▁on ▁CD ▁and ▁released ▁as ▁the ▁group ' s ▁self - t itled ▁debut ▁album . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁his ▁album ▁Oak land az ulas yl um ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Wolf ▁en list ed ▁Jos iah ▁Wolf ▁on ▁drums , ▁Matt ▁M eld on ▁on ▁guitar , ▁and ▁Doug ▁Mc Di arm id ▁as ▁a ▁multi - inst rument al ist . ▁Wolf ▁decided ▁to ▁transfer ▁his ▁alias ▁onto ▁the ▁new ▁band , ▁and ▁Why ? ▁was ▁officially ▁formed . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Why ? ▁released ▁their ▁debut ▁album ▁Ele ph ant ▁E y el ash . ▁The ▁album ▁devi ated ▁consider ably ▁from ▁the ▁sound ▁of ▁Wolf ' s ▁prior ▁solo ▁work . ▁The ▁group ▁tou red ▁much ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁album ▁as ▁a ▁four - pie ce . ▁However , ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁tour ▁with ▁Islands , ▁the ▁group ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁three - pie ce , ▁as ▁M eld on ▁moved ▁to ▁an ▁island ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Seattle ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁his ▁girl friend . ▁ ▁For ▁their ▁second ▁album ▁Alo pe cia , ▁Why ? ▁asked ▁their ▁fans ▁to ▁contribute ▁photograph s ▁of ▁their ▁pal ms ▁for ▁the