[4] The album cover features a photograph of Griffith taken in the autumn of 1978, tinted by Frank Golden, as well as lettering by her then husband, Eric Taylor.

[5] AllMusic's Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., wrote, "In retrospect, There's a Light Beyond These Woods sounds better because it sticks closer its folk roots.

"[1] Rick Teverbaugh of Country Standard Time wrote of the album, "It was a bold venture because all but two of the nine songs were penned by Griffith.

Reminded me how light shone through warped kitchen windows, how snow-covered mornings smelled, how a partner looked moving through the house.

Griffith's songs develop like Polaroids of lost moments, often of almost mundane subjects – not great passion, but the way the bathtub tilted or heading outdoors to bring in oranges for juice.