Cute Is What We Aim For, originating from Buffalo, NY in January 2005, began as a quintet before slimming down to a four-member lineup featuring vocalist Shaant Hacikyan, guitarist/pianist Jeff Czum, drummer Tom Falcone, and bassist/guitarist Fred Cimato. Their debut album, The Same Old Blood Rush with a New Touch, produced by Matt Squire, was released in June 2006. The band toured extensively, sharing stages with notable acts like Anberlin and Panic at the Disco, before releasing their second album, Rotation, in June 2008 with a revamped lineup including drummer Michael Lasaponara.