Everything in Transit

Composition and recording

According to Kaj Roth of Melodic, Everything in Transit is a concept album, which deals with Andrew McMahon's "alienating return to the hometown he left to pursue his music, and the dissolution of a long, meaningful relationship because of it." The songs were written during his first summer in years outside of Something Corporate, which McMahon spent scribbling lyrics accompanied by drawings into a private sketchbook, selected pages of which can be accessed through a web-link to a secret homepage on the enhanced CD portion of the album. The song meanings are at times more cryptic than one might be used to from McMahon's Something Corporate songs, as the lyrics describe a more personal view on feelings and situations and all take advantage of a first person's narrative style.

The project took almost two years from the first songs being written and recorded to the final product hitting the music store shelves. McMahon spent more than $40,000 of his own savings on the production, before being picked up by Maverick Records.

Track information

McMahon has stated "Bruised" to be his favorite song on the record. Bruised is also featured on the compilation Punk Goes Acoustic 2.

When first written, the song "La La Lie" was originally titled "West Coast Winter" and featured a different chorus. The original demo was released in late 2006 on the band's website. Part of its lyrics had since been adapted in "The Lights and Buzz".

"Dark Blue" was the last song recorded for the CD. It is about the months McMahon and his fiancée (now wife) spent separated from one another. The song title is in reference to a blue lightbulb used in the bedroom he shared with her in their Arizona home. The Something Corporate song "She Paints Me Blue" is taken from the same idea.

"Kill the Messenger" was the first song to be released from the band, available on the Drive-Thru Records and PureVolume compilation Bands You Love, Have Heard of, and Should Know.

The final chorus of track 10, "MFEO", repeatedly picks up the line "Where are you now?" with the same intonation as earlier on in the song "The Mixed Tape", which in a way bookends the album.

The bonus track "Into the Airwaves" deals with a long-distance relationship, that is bridged by McMahon "slipping into the airwaves". Ironically, the individual McMahon wrote the song about moved back to California before he even recorded the song.

Release

On April 17, 2005, Jack's Mannequin debut album was announced for release in summer of that year through Maverick Records. Another announcement followed four days later, revealing the album's title, Everything in Transit, and the release date of July 12. On April 26, Maverick Records released the "Holiday from Real" 7 inch vinyl single in the United States. The A-side featured the title track, while two versions of "Kill the Messenger" (album version and an acoustic version) served as B-sides. On May 20, two songs were made available for streaming through the band's Myspace account. On June 2, McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, forcing him to immediately undergo chemotherapy and postponing tour dates indefinitely. In addition, the album's release date was pushed back to August 9. In July, it ws announced that album's release date would be pushed back a further two weeks, to August 23.

"The Mixed Tape" was released to radio on September 20, 2005. The music video to the song, directed by Michael Perlmutter and Full Tank, was filmed while McMahon was being treated at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, therefore contains very few shots of him, but consists of an animated collage of the album artwork, a traced McMahon singing and playing the piano and some rendered 3D models. A second music video for "The Mixed Tape", starring Hilarie Burton, was filmed in January 2006 and released to coincide with McMahon's cameo appearance on One Tree Hill. "Dark Blue" was released to radio on June 27. The music video for "Dark Blue", released on September 7, takes place at the site of a dance marathon in Venice anno 1950. In September and October, the band went on the Tour for a Cure tour, with support from Copeland, the Hush Sound and Daphne Loves Derby.

The album was re-released on November 7, featuring a DVD of live performances, music videos for "The Mixed Tape" and "Dark Blue", and interviews. In November and December, the band supported Panic! at the Disco on their U.S. arena tour. In February 2007, the band went on their first headlining tour. They toured the U.S. with support from Head Automatica and The Audition. They extended this tour into March, with support from The Audition and We Are the Fury.

Reception

The album debuted at number 37 of the Billboard 200 with 22,163 copies sold within the week of its release.

Track listing

All tracks written by Andrew McMahon.

Awards

Personnel