Doe, best known as a member of Los Angeles-based punk-rockers X, released his latest solo album, "Dim Stars, Bright Sky," in 2002. Several well-known guests--including Juliana Hatfield, Aimee Mann, Jane Weidlin, Jakob Dylan and Rhett Miller--contributed vocals to the album.

In recent years, Doe has performed with his solo band and with X, which again features long-estranged guitarist Billy Zoom.

Phillips, meanwhile, was a member of the critically acclaimed--but commercially unsuccessful--'90s rock group Grant Lee Buffalo. He issued his fourth solo album, "Virginia Creeper," earlier this year.

"I didn't want to approach it with excessive overdubs and I couldn't have made this album alone, by myself," Phillips said of "Virginia Creeper" in a statement. "I'd done that with my last record, 'Mobilize.' This time, the songs had a simplicity that would best be served by taking them into a studio with feeling, responsive musicians."

His backing band for the set included violinist Eric Gorfain, pianist Zac Rae, upright bassists Sheldon Gomberg and Sebastian Steinberg, and drummer Kevin Jarvis.