Parachute took root in Charlottesville, VA, where the group honed its pop/rock sound -- equal parts Maroon 5 and the Fray, with an emphasis on acoustic guitar, piano, and affable vocals -- under the original name Sparky's Flaw. Comprised of members William Anderson (vocals, guitar, keyboard), John Stubblefield (drums), Christopher "Kit" French (saxophone. keyboard), Alex Hargrave (bass), and Nate McFarland (guitar), the quintet initially formed during the members' high school years. Their college years saw the fresh-faced bandmates opening for Robert Randolph at the University of Virginia and generating a healthy amount of buzz, which led to the popularity of the independently released One Small Step EP in 2005. Sparky's Flaw subsequently partnered with Red Light Management (the Dave Matthews Band's management company) and were signed to Smash Records (an imprint of the recently revived Mercury Records) in summer 2007.