The Real Feel is the first proper solo LP from Pavement's Scott Kannberg, a.k.a. Spiral Stairs. He got several collaborators in the studio for the album, including Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew, the Posies' Jon Auer and members of his post-Pavement band Preston School of Industry. According to Parker Gibbs, the album "has a vibe similar to classic 70’s albums by Fleetwood Mac (’Then Play On’), Captain Beefhart (’Safe As Milk’), and guitar god Richard Thompson, not to mention Aussie psych rock icons Died Pretty."