Hopeful Monster began in 2001 as a recording project at songwriter Jason Ball’s Nervous System Studio in Seabright, Nova Scotia, drawing session players from the vibrant, nearby Halifax indie pop scene. Jason and some of the key participants, including members of Matt Mays & El Torpedo, The Heavy Blinkers, The Guthries and The Hylozoists, began performing in Halifax and showcased in Montreal and Toronto. Hopeful Monster was released in 2002 on Brobdingnagian Records to international acclaim.

The band made two videos in 2003, for River Reflexive and Stars Are Photomagnets. While on a solo tour of Norway and the UK with Sufjan Stevens, Jason was honoured to perform at the wedding party for Of Montreal's Kevin and Nina Barnes. In 2004, he moved to Toronto, playing keyboards in The Hylozoists and with chanteuse Lily Frost, and harmonizing in vocal pop triumvirate The Wilderness with fellow songwriters Andrew Rodriguez and Jason Kent. The Wilderness performed only a few times, opening for Rufus Wainwright and Arctic Monkeys, before disbanding. Jason returned to Europe as a member of The Heavy Blinkers, opening shows with solo sets of Hopeful Monster songs in Germany and France.

Several years in the making, Hopeful Monster’s second album, METATASKING, consists of tracks recorded with band members in Halifax and members of The Wilderness and The Hylozoists in Toronto. Exciting mixes by Heavy Blinker Andrew Watt feature harmonies by The Wilderness, By Divine Right frontman Jose Contreras and by Jason's wife, Catherine. A limited edition CD in a hand-decorated jacket was released at Toronto 's Horseshoe Tavern on June 19, 2008, and the new band lineup introduced, with Jose on guitar, bassist Jeremy Little, drummer Gavin Maguire and Trews keyboardist Jeff Heisholt. The album is available at concerts and online at CDBaby.com and iTunes.