"Morning is the Long Way Home" is a re-recorded version of the instrumental break that first appeared on Ice Water.

The song "Three Quarter North", which first appeared on the album A Shout Toward Noon, is here played slightly faster without any accompaniment.

The song "Chamber of Commerce" was originally introduced at live performances as "Goddammit" and as written in response to the accidental death of Michael Hedges.

Allmusic music critic Stephen Erlewine wrote of the album "Kottke is at his most impressive at his most intimate, turning out alternately gentle and intense solo guitar pieces.

"[1] In her review for The Weekly Wire, critic Mari Wadsworth wrote: "Fans of the guitarist's acoustic songwriting have nothing to fear on One Guitar, No Vocals, which shows off Kottke's playing at its best to date.