Negotiating power pop, folk-rock, and punk, among other influences, Ben Kweller's highly melodic, often-irreverent indie rock quickly made an impression among critics and colleagues when he emerged as a solo artist in the early 2000s following a stint with the band Radish. He found a following big enough to land him on the Billboard 200 for the first time with his second album, 2004's On My Way. After a diversion into country influences with Changing Horses in 2009, he returned to a more eclectic indie rock with his fifth LP, 2012's Go Fly a Kite. It marked his fourth straight appearance on the U.S. albums chart. Kweller made his acting debut in the film Rudderless in 2014, also appearing on the film's soundtrack. Following an almost-decade-long break from music brought about by a near-death experience, he returned with Circuit Boredom in 2021.