Becoming a Jackal

O'Brien told Cherwell he recorded all the instruments himself and then taught the parts to the band; an NPR affiliate says he played everything except French horn and strings. He called himself too much of a perfectionist when recording. "I Saw the Dead" was written last but meant to open the album, a song about life from the perspective of death, and Domino's Harry Martin recalls O'Brien playing its melody on piano the night contracts were signed. O'Brien told Hot Press he liked mixing dark imagery with really mundane domestic things.

Metacritic scored it 78. The Telegraph gave 5 of 5, the Guardian and Mojo 4, NME 8 of 10 and Pitchfork 6.9, and the Mercury judges called it a record of great charm and mystery. The release date varies by source: May 24 on the album page and MusicBrainz, May 7 or 14 on the band page.