Released in 1984 on Randy Meggitt's After Hours label, "History and Geography," garnered favorable reviews and charted well on the burgeoning college radio scene.

Terminal Magazine wrote:

"The LP shows a wide range of inputs all grounded in the rhythm section that made Pere Ubu one of the live wonders of the '70s, but with a more refined sensibility."

CMJ wrote:

"Beautiful impressionistic lyrics are coupled with melodic freeflow. We like this one lots!"

The U.K.'s Outlet Magazine said:

"[Home and Garden] has done a real custom job on this and it's made to last more than a term!"

In SPIN, Andrea Enthal wrote:

"It's the ability to make all the technology sound human rather than all the humans sound technological that makes 'History and Geography'....stand out from the synthmonger pack."

Perhaps the LP's most effusive praise came from Byron Coley:

"Imagine literate. Imagine beautiful. Imagine real goddamn good."

With an album to promote and more music swirling through their heads, Home and Garden regrouped; adding Michele Temple on bass and guitar, and Robert Wheeler on synths. The "project" had become a "band." Gigging constantly in the Cleveland-area and embarking on mini-tours of the east coast, this would be the version of H&G that most people who saw them play live would be most familiar.

With Jones switching off between keys and guitar and Temple between guitar and bass, this line-up could translate the complicated studio arrangements into a live setting. They quickly established a reputation as one of Cleveland's best live bands. They continued to record new music, releasing the "Hideout" EP in quick order. More singles, compilation tracks, and gigging followed. Eventually, the grind of it all got to Jones, who left the band (but would return on occasion to play an odd show). He was replaced by Rick Christyson.