Breaking Laces originally began as a one-man project by Hartong, who recorded and released a pair of well-received D.I.Y. albums - 2003's Operation Income and its 2004 follow-up, Sohcahtoa - on his own. Those early efforts won considerable critical acclaim and substantial airplay on satellite radio. Hartong then joined with kindred spirit, Seth Masarsky, later adding bassist Rob Chojnacki, with whom Mazarsky had played previously in the band Darby Jones. Extensive touring followed and in 2005 they recorded their first album, Lemonade, together. This album was followed by the six-song 2006 EP Astronomy Is My Life, But I Love You and 2009's full-length Live at Seaside Studios.