<P> Following the international success of AM, Turner suffered from writer's block, struggling to find a direction for a new album . Having written "Sweet Dreams, TN" from Everything You've Come to Expect, he lost interest in writing love songs, with a friend suggesting "not doing that for a moment". In early 2016, upon watching Federico Fellini's 1963 film 81⁄2, Turner was inspired by its depiction of writer's block, childhood memories and the science fiction genre . He began writing songs for the album on a Steinway Vertegrand piano he received as a 30th birthday gift from the band's manager Ian McAndrew, in a spare room of his Los Angeles home dubbed "Lunar Surface". During the process Turner recalled piano lessons he had received from his father at the age of eight, commenting that he "never thought (his father's influence) would find its way into (his) compositions as much as it has on this record". Many of the vocal takes on the album remain from Turner's home demos on a Tascam 388 8 - track recording machine . </P> <P> Guitarist Jamie Cook commented that he "was blown away by the direction Alex had gone in" when Turner played the band the demos in February 2017 . Initially unsure how they would record the songs, Cook suggested Turner release it as a solo album, but Turner was uninterested . Cook began recording guitar ideas to complement the demo, with bassist Nick O'Malley particularly approving of the track "Star Treatment". </P> <P> In September 2017 the band began recording material at Vox Studios in Hollywood and La Frette in Paris, with long - time collaborator James Ford co-producing the album with Turner . During these sessions "the piano and guitar started to jell", with O'Malley and drummer Matt Helders joining . Helders commented that during recording he played with more restraint than on previous records, noting that "it's about playing for the songs". Further recording sessions took place with Ford in London . </P> <P> The group employed a wider array of guest musicians than on previous albums, with contributors including Ford, guitarist Tom Rowley (who serves as a touring member of the band), Guards drummer Loren Humphrey, Zach Dawes and Tyler Parkford of Mini Mansions, and Cam Avery, who contributes backing vocals to "She Looks Like Fun". The musicians all played together in the same room, inspired by the sessions for the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound production method . Avery and Parkford both joined the band as touring members following the album's release . </P>

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