The Joke of Life was produced by Thomas & Ryan Engelberger at Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA and features appearances by members of My Morning Jacket, Drive-By Truckers, Futurebirds, Reptar, Heffner and more. Thomas examines the gap that can be left between the expectations of life and the sometimes tenuous reality. The album chronicles a period of change and rebirth for the Futurebirds keyboardist, who is no stranger to the open road. Beneath its more obvious virtues is a wit and longing borne from the experiences and struggles of a working-class musician.