Saves the Day formed in late 1997,. theirTheir debut album, ''[[Can't Slow Down (Saves the Day album)|Can't Slow Down]]'', was released with [[Equal Vision Records|Equal Vision]] in August 1998.<ref name=EVSTD/> The album helped the band gain fans, but only in the New Jersey area.<ref name=Greenwald80>Greenwald 2003, p. 80</ref> The band promoted the album with two tours, which helped the band expand their fan base.<ref name=EVSTD>{{cite web|url=http://www.equalvision.com/evrbands/savesthed.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991018200727/http://www.equalvision.com/evrbands/savesthed.html|title=EVR: SAVES THE DAY|archivedate=October 18, 1999 |work=equalvision.com |accessdate=May 18, 2015}}</ref> Saves the Day had three different line-up changes while touring ''Can't Slow Down'', leaving vocalist [[Chris Conley]] and drummer Bryan Newman as the only original members left.<ref name=Wired>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2014/11/oral-history-through-being-cool/|title=Happy Birthday, Through Being Cool: The Story Behind the Seminal Emo Album|author=Ufberg, Max |date=November 3, 2014|magazine=WIRED|accessdate=May 18, 2015}}</ref>
''I'm Sorry I'm Leaving'' was recorded and mixed at Shoulder to the Wheel Studio in March 1999.<ref name=ISILbooklet/> The EP was [[Mastering engineer|mastered]] by M.J.R. at Metropolis Mastering Ltd.<ref name=ISILbooklet/>
