Produced by the band in their hometown of Boston, MA, and mixed by long-time friends Paul Q. Kolderie (who produced the band's breakout third album, 1992's Let Me Come Over) and Tom Polce, Skins is the follow up to 2007's acclaimed Three Easy Pieces, which brought Buffalo Tom back into the spotlight after a nine-year hiatus. Skins is the first release on the band's own Scrawny Records via a worldwide partnership with The Orchard, and features guest Tanya Donnelly of Belly, Breeders and Throwing Muses fame singing on the song 'Don't Forget Me.'
Besides the standard CD, a deluxe edition is available with demos and b-sides, as well as a vinyl version with a download card featuring the additional songs.