Playlouder's Sarah Bee considered it a "more low-key" affair that was "less brash" than Millionaires. Eno likened the process to when artists make their debut record: "they're full of enthusiasm and excitement and they know what they're doing and it's a pleasure.

He expanded: "It's their tightest, freshest, most contemporary batch of songs, weatherproofed to stand the test of time.Inspired by playing the new songs live, the band decided to gather in a circle and record live-in-the-studio [8] at Ridge Farm Studios in Capel, Surrey with engineer Gary Langan. Though the band had planned to use a different producer for the main sessions, [3] Eno and guitarist/violinist Saul Davies were enlisted to produce most of the recordings. Senorita" is about a guy that falls in love with a dangerous woman, and is followed by the disco song "Gaudi". Scratchcard" and "I Thought You Were", outtakes from the album's sessions, were included on the career-spanning box set The Gathering Sound (2012), alongside the music video for "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)". English Beefcake" and "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" were included on the band's third compilation album The Collection (2004).

Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 18 May 2001; the band appeared on Later. House in the Woods studios; producer credit was split between Brian Eno, guitarist/violinist Saul Davies, KK and the band. In March 2000, the band revealed they had been writing new material and planned to record later in the year, with the aim of releasing an album in January 2001. Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" was released as a single on 25 June, [29] after being delayed a week from its original release date. What Is It Good For" was engineered by Pettit and mixed by him, James and Bascombe at House in the Woods and Whitfield.Throughout July and September, the band performed at the T in the Park, Guildford Live, City in the Park, [30] Witnness, [35] Benicàssim, and Annual Youth Music festivals, across the UK, Spain and Portugal.

On 31 May, Pleased to Meet You was announced for release in July, and the track listing was revealed. Ben Folds was initially scheduled to support the band for their UK stint, but was replaced by Turin Brakes. Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" was released as a single in late June, followed a week later by Pleased to Meet You on 2 July through Mercury Records. The UK special edition included the bonus songs "Gaudi" and "What Is It Good For" as 9th and 10th tracks.Vocalist Tim Booth left the band after their December UK tour; the final show of which was released as the Getting Away with It. Though noting it wasn't as "adventurous" of a release as Wah Wah is, the band made a record "whose songs are often times spacious and funky at the same time. He added that the album had an underlying theme of distaste for "habits, addictions, [and] impulses that we can't control. Andrew Paine of NME considered it the "best James record in a long while and there are some near-inspirational moments. The Shining", "Getting Away with It (All Messed Up)" and "Alaskan Pipeline" were engineered by James Loughrey.

ChartAttack wrote that fans of the band's earlier hits, such as "Sit Down" and "Laid", would be "disappointed with this disc," however, "longtime James fans should find much to enjoy. In a review for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan wrote that the band "continue their run of mini-symphonies by and for men who don't cringe at terms such as 'birthing partner'.On 19 June, Dotmusic revealed the album's artwork, which is a computer-generated image that merged all of the members' faces. Space" begins as a Radiohead-esque track with an electro intro before shifting into chorus sections in the vein of Simple Minds.