Recording took place at Cello Studios with producer Joe McGrath, with Jerry Finn co-producing and mixing the proceedings. Christopher Holmes, Jason Gossman and Robert Reed acted as assistant engineeres. Finn and Keith Morris provided additional vocals. Brian Gardner mastered the recordings at Bern Grundman Mastering. The album marks the first appearance of drummer, Derek Grant, described by vocalist/guitarist, Matt Skiba, as "a whole new influence." During recording, both Skiba and vocalist/bassist, Dan Andriano were ill. Skiba describes the album as sounding "bigger, deeper and rawer" than its predecessor, From Here to Infirmary. In a 2003 interview, Matt Skiba stated that Good Mourning:
is pretty good. I mean it took us a long time to do and I think most of the people that I talk to that make records and stuff, there's always stuff that you wish you did better or maybe a little differently. I've never been able to avoid that, even with this. There's things that I wish I had done maybe a little differently. But that also comes with just listening to it and living with it for so long that until it's done you won't really hear things in that way until it's like too late I guess. But I would say for the most part that I'm really happy with it.
Title
According to Skiba: "One morning I was having breakfast down the street from the studio where we were recording and my waiter said 'good morning' to me and it's just kinda like the double meaning/spelling kinda registered and I just called everyone and I was like, 'How about Good Mourning with a U?' and everybody liked it equally as much so we used it."
Release
Good Mourning was released through Vagrant on May 12, 2003. The UK version of the album included two bonus tracks: "Dead End Road" and "Old School Reasons". "We've Had Enough" was released to radio on May 20.
Reception
The album debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200, selling 40,000 copies on its first week of release. By August 2008, the album sold 258,000 copies. Reception from critics was mixed to positive. Within the band, the retrospective reception of Good Mourning varies. When asked to rank Alkaline Trio's first eight studio albums, Dan Andriano put Good Mourning in the top spot whereas Matt Skiba ranked it second to last in place 7.
Track listing
All songs written and performed by Alkaline Trio. ;UK bonus tracks
