Plain White T's have gone independent for the first time in more than a decade, releasing their self-funded seventh album 'American Nights' this year and finally experiencing full satisfaction in their music - because more heart and soul has gone into it than ever before.

Plain White T's at 2015 ASCAP Grammy Nominees BrunchPlain White T's go independent with 'American Nights'

The creative process for 'American Nights' began several years ago when the 'Hey There Delilah' hitmakers were still signed to Hollywood Records. The record (which looked marginally different then to what it does now) would've been released on the label had the band not decided to move into independent territory, taking their material with them.

'For the first time since we've been on a label, the label had much more of a say in what songs we recorded, who we worked with and so the whole time it was kind of like a bummer feeling', the band admitted in an interview. 'We made an album that wasn't really an album that we would've made or that we wanted to make. They kept pushing it back and it never ended up getting released at all and so we ended up walking with the album, we ditched the half of it that we all weren't crazy about and we recorded five or six new songs.'

More: Watch Plain White T's interview on 'American Nights'

Now the band describe the album as their 'favourite record we've ever done' and are looking forward to supporting it on their upcoming tour. One of the songs, 'Pause', was written during tourtime; a process they describe as being like 'groundhog day' and inspired them to stop and absorb the fact that they are international rock stars. 'Whatever you're doing, just stopping and really acknowledging the moment you're in, I think that's what will make you happy and make you feel fulfilled', they said.

More: Read more about 'American Nights'

Meanwhile, Plain White T's insist 'American Nights' is going to be incredible: 'It'll sound amazing, it'll sound way better than ever before. We're free.'