Matthews also delves into politics more so than on previous albums. He says that the lead single, "American Baby," is "about the qualities of America that appeal to the world. The hopeful quality and the romantic quality of Sunday barbecues and playgrounds and hot dogs and baseball. A lot of people around the world look at that and say, 'That's the beautiful thing about America.' ... That's the hope of the nation. It's not how ass-kicking we are." He continued, "I didn't go into writing the lyrics for this album with any kind of agenda, but it's on my mind, and I wish it was on more people's minds, that this country, from town-to-town, is very divided now. People are taking an us-versus-them mentality. And for us, music is something that we take to across those differences, and to erase lines. Because I think everyone has concerns, and they're all similar, it's just how we get to those places, and whether or not we can justify the means of attaining your goals."