With Go Down Singin' Rice emerges as a spirit settling into a more philosophical place. Still wildly committed to living wide open in pursuit of his dream and being the best man possible, there was only one title for this 11-song cycle.
Whether measuring the pitfalls and triumphs on the lean fiddle 'n' harmony assessment of "Oh Tennessee," the cascading acoustic guitar passage of simple wisdom from father to son in "Numbers," or the smoky looking back at first loves in "Little Red Race Car," there's a knowing appreciation for how he got here.
In a voice sturdy as a retaining wall, Rice confesses, "I'm 38 now, and that's part of it. I've journaled since I was 15 years old, but there's something about being able to tell other people. I'm a deep person, but I don't know to show it in real life, so I'm trying to do it in my music. For me, 'Go Down Singin''is everything about where I am and what I want. I'm starting to see myself as who I want to be, not who I thought I should be. That's a good start. And I think a lot of men struggle with this stuff, too."
Getting honest, digging down, Rice shifted his approach. Working with Oscar Charles (Boy Named Banjo, Madeline Edwards, E lvie Shane), the pair worked to create a sound that was as honest, as real instrument grounded as the songs that were emerging. Written largely on guitars and piano, Go Down Singin' showed a man reckoning with growing up.
