Originally released in 1973, Attempted Mustache was the second of three albums Loudon recorded for Columbia Records. Recorded in 5 days with some stellar Nashville studio musicians as well as Doug Kershaw and Loudon's then-wife Kate McGarrigle, the album contains several of what Loudon considers to be his best songs. With track-by-track notes by Loudon himself, this gem has been digitally remastered from the original source tapes and appears on CD for the very first time.

- from liner notes, penned by Loudon Wainwright in 1998

"Once upon a time there was vinyl and people used to make 2-sided long-playing records, and when you bought a record you'd bring the thing home and listen to the A-side and then you'd flip the thing over and listen to the B-side. I took advantage of this in 1974 when I decided to have it both ways with Unrequited. Critics and fans had complained that my studio records weren't on a par with my live shows. On the other hand, the radio rarely played and the public hardly bought anything recorded live with the possible exception of Frampton Comes Alive. On Unrequited, side A is made up of studio tracks and side B is an edited live recording over three nights at The Bottom Line in my hometown of New York City."