After work on The Thing Called Love was finished, River returned to Gainesville but by now Aleka's Attic had practically disbanded and River found himself alone and left to write his songs with just his guitar and voice, much like he had before he formed the band.

Island Records had also lost interest in the band so River chose to invest his own money so that he could realize his life-long ambition and put out an album of his own. Recalling his time as chief recording engineer and co-producer on this project Sasa Raphael remembers "I know how much he wanted to share his music. It was his dream and desire to share this music with all of his fans and friends world-wide." To achieve this dream, River worked eighteen-hour days writing song after song in bursts of frantic energy often working himself to the point of exhaustion. A number of the people present at the recording studio got the impression that River knew time was running out.

When River died, it was not just the movie Dark Blood that was so very close to completion. "Never Odd or Even" - the first and only, fully produced, full-length album that River ever recorded was also practically completed as well. Says Raphael, who also played bass on the album, "We worked very hard on this album and the outcome was amazing. I have listened to the music and the music speaks for itself. When Riv left on his last fateful trip westward, we had already recorded the whole thing, minus some vocal work we had planned and some cool samples and loops we had intended to record, and all that was left was to mix it."

It was not to be though and no album was ever released. Immediately following River's death, the master tapes for Never Odd or Even were seized and locked away.

All is not lost however as it is still possible to find the odd Aleka's Attic track on the various charity albums that River and the band donated material for. The most common one, which can still be purchased relatively easily, is the benefit compilation album In Defense of Animals 2. This release features seventeen tracks donated by artists such as Björk and Elastica. Track 15 is by Aleka's Attic - a song simply called "Note to a Friend". River plays guitar and sings vocals along with his sister Rain, Josh Greenbaum plays drums with Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers on bass.

See Acquiring Phoenix for details about obtaining this CD.

River's inscription with regard to the song reads:

Rain has maintained her interest in music since the death of her brother and continues to sing regularly. She is credited as singing lead vocals on track 9 of the 1996 album Monkey on Rico by the band Thermadore. In fact, her breath-takingly beautiful voice can be enjoyed on track 11 singing a charming song entitled Everything's Alright.

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