"I've been in a very long relationship [with wife, Katy]. We've been together for like 8 years, and 98.94 percent of the time it's incredible, and the other whatever percent, there are fights and stuff, and that's how it is; I'm okay with that. When it happens, it's easy to get in that moment and remember how you feel, whether that's angry or upset. I tell people this: It's hard to write about walking in the park, but it's easy to write about a breakup."

"I tried not to let [my parents or brother] hear anything, because I wanted it to be a surprise and I didn't want them to get too involved either. I love my parents, but when you get too many people involved it gets…hard.

But I did get feedback from Cale [Mills, an old friend and current bandmate]. We are partners in crime, and I feel like he's got a good ear for things, and he's got good ideas, so after a recording session he'd be like, "maybe you should do this," and I'd always take his opinion.

And, obviously, I let my wife listen to stuff. She just likes music. She likes listening to stuff on the radio; she likes listening to indie rock stuff too. She's like the average listener."