The Ladybug Transistor story begins in Brooklyn, NY during the mid-1990's. Their debut album, Marlborough Farms (1995 - Sit N Spin), named after the band's fabled Victorian Flatbush headquarters and studio, was a recording project based around founding member Gary Olson's collaborations with friends. They soon caught the attention of Merge Records who released Beverley Atonale in 1997. It was around this time that Ladybug Transistor evolved into a proper band with siblings Jennifer and Jeff Baron, Sasha Bell, San Fadyl and Julia Rydholm. This collective crafted the trilogy of The Albemarle Sound (1999 - Merge), Argyle Heir (2001 - Merge), and The Ladybug Transistor (2003 - Merge), on which The Ladybug Transistor developed their trademark sound - a distillation of classic pop, characterized by a precise melodicism that is anchored by the restrained baritone of Olson.

As Marlborough Farms has become a gathering place for the musicians that Ladybug has befriended over the years, the band took advantage of this situation by recruiting many of them to contribute to their most recent full length Can't Wait Another Day (2007). The album features spirited contributions from members of Aislers Set, Architecture in Helsinki, The Clientele, Jens Lekman, Kevin Barker (Currituck Co., Vetiver), Heather McIntosh (Circulatory System, Instruments) Roy Nathanson (Lounge Lizards/Jazz Passengers) and others. The first fruits of these sessions were heard on 2006's Here Comes The Rain EP, which also introduced two new members to the family, with Kyle Forester and Ben Crum of Great Lakes enhancing the Ladybug sound by adding inspired keyboards and guitar.