Sleep with One Eye Open

Sleep with One Eye Open was recorded and mixed in four days in January 2011; of 23 recorded songs, 16 were chosen, with "Sophronie" as a bonus download. Thile sings and plays mandolin and Daves sings and plays guitar, and the songs are mostly from the Monroe and Flatt and Scruggs repertoire: "Tennessee Blues" and "Mississippi Waltz" (Bill Monroe), "My Little Girl in Tennessee" and the title song (Lester Flatt), "If I Should Wander Back Tonight" (Flatt and Scruggs), with traditional songs such as "Rain and Snow", "Bury Me Beneath the Willow" and "Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms".

Relix's Bill Murphy wrote in June 2011 that if bluegrass ever needs another revival, this future classic is more than enough to keep the flame lit. The New York Times, according to Nonesuch, called them a rip-roaring partnership, and Bluegrass Unlimited described the production as stripped down, clean and raw, more Monroe Brothers than Louvin Brothers. Nonesuch credits Thile and Daves as producers; one blog snippet says Jack White produced two tracks, which is not confirmed.