First Time / Alone came together in late summer and the early autumn of 2023, on the heels of the release of Greg Mendez, his self-titled breakthrough album, also being reissued via Dead Oceans. The writing and recording process came to a quick halt following an intensive surgery on Mendez’s right wrist– a four-month purgatory of bad TV, canceled touring, and physical therapy ensued, a painful stretch of boredom leaving Mendez unable to play guitar.

“Alone” was the first song Mendez wrote once he was able to play guitar again. Likely none of the songs would have existed as-is if Mendez’s right hand hadn’t been out of commission, but they’re artful in their directness and simplicity. He initially thought he would need to refine them, building them out to the same scale as self-titled, but the more he returned to the work, the more it felt complete and true as-is.