In an interview with Noisey — it is more like a filmed conversation, really — Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley and Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes revealed that 11 years ago they recorded an album called Blood on the 4-Tracks. Though some of the songs recorded for this album eventually turned up on Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley albums, the complete album has never seen the light of day, and they recently discussed releasing it.
"We stayed up for like two days and made a weird record," Oberst revealed, "which I don't think I've ever heard since then."
Blood on the 4-Tracks was recorded in Lewis's "very cute but kinda run-down" apartment in Los Angeles during the week that singer-songwriter Elliott Smith died — the exact date was Oct. 21, 2003 — which was "a sad, emotional time," Lewis claimed.
One song originally recorded for the album, "It Just Is," was written about Smith's death and was later used for Rilo Kiley's 2004 album More Adventurous. Another song recorded for the album, "Gold Mine Gutted," appeared on Bright Eyes's Digital Ash in a Digital Urn in 2005.
The Postal Service's Jimmy Tamborello was also involved in the recording of Blood on the 4-Tracks — he and Lewis also collaborated on the Postal Service's Give Up. When Lewis asked Oberst about releasing the album one day, Oberst suggested — perhaps jokingly, hopefully not — contacting Jack White to release it as an "edible 7-inch."
Lewis agreed, suggesting a "Fruit Roll-Up 7-inch."
You can check out Oberst and Jenny Lewis's conversation here:
