Jordan, Kienle and Stern had previously worked together in the band Fizzlewink, and with the addition of DePaolo began recording together under the Getaway moniker. A strong online presence helped the band spread their emocore-styled music beyond the local hardcore scene, and led to a recording contract with the renowned Epitaph Records label. A change of name ensued because of legal issues surrounding the Getaway moniker, with the debut Matchbox Romance EP West For Wishing surfacing in 2003. This was the band’s first non-Internet release and was greeted with enthusiasm by both their grassroots fanbase and the US rock press. The album Stories And Alibis followed at the end of the year. The production job by Epitaph boss Brett Gurewitz did a fine job of replicating the band’s fiery live sound, and the album was applauded as one of the finest post-hardcore debuts of the year.

In 2004, the quartet released a split EP with labelmates Motion City Soundtrack. The second Matchbox Romance album Voices followed at the start of 2006. It proved to be an even better album than the band’s debut, a dramatic and ambitious recording that saw them moving beyond the narrow confines of emo into alt rock territory.