The Comas took a hiatus following the release of 2007's Spells, prompting co-founder Andy Herod to leave Brooklyn in search of a new muse. Several months spent in North Carolina yielded the beginnings of a new project, which further blossomed during a two-month stint in California and a subsequent return to the East Coast. After settling down in Asheville, NC, Herod began recording his debut album under a new moniker: Electric Owls. Joining him in the Echo Mountain studio were several veterans of the indie scene, including the Comas' Jason Caperton, Band of Horses/Archers of Loaf alum Matt Gentling, and the Gutter Twins' Cully Symington. The resulting record, Ain't Too Bright, was released by Vagrant Records in May 2009.