Byron Rice - Lost In The Woods

Published Thursday 28th August 2014
Byron Rice - Lost In The Woods
Byron Rice - Lost In The Woods

STYLE: Roots/Acoustic
RATING 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
OUR PRODUCT CODE: 151474-22144
LABEL: Independent
FORMAT: Digital Only Album
RELEASE DATE: 2013-11-11

Reviewed by Oscar Hyde

Byron Rice, a CCM veteran formerly performing under the name Byron Keith, discovered that he was HIV-positive some years ago. Sadly, Rice faced a great deal of ostracism from within the fairly insular Nashville CCM community; he poured his experiences with the people "who point their finger like a gun / count up all of my sins" into the writing sessions for this album. Lost in the Woods is thus incredibly personal, vulnerable, and autobiographical, whether Rice is reinforcing his confidence in his own identity, pledging to listen to people who need to talk, or wondering, 'Daddy told me I'd one day change the world / but do I have to wait that long?' The recording quality, while not exactly lo-fi, is certainly very down-home, in keeping with the general Americana vibes; apart from the acoustic guitar, just about the only instruments that pop up are slide guitar, bluesy electric licks, and electric piano. It all makes for an intimate and moving experience, and if you have an interest in lyric-focused albums, it's definitely worth listening to Rice's thoughts and story.

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