Critical
The album garnered positive reviews. With 73 points out of 100,the aggregate score website Metacritic classified them as "Generally favorable reviews". [6] Rolling Stone rated the release with three stars out of five. The magazine called it a "grab bag" new and older material that relied on Nelson and Haggard's "mythology". [7] Uncut delivered a favorable review,declaring:"Nelson sings like a canary and plays like a dream,Haggard growls like a grizzled jailbird and everyone seems to be having a blast". [8] American Songwriter favored the chemistry between Nelson and Haggard,while it praised Cannon and his "rootsy,loose and homey" approach,while it called the backing band "great". [9] Paste delivered a positive review,declaring:"Just hearing (Haggard and Nelson) make the music they want is plenty". [10]
Austin Chronicle rated the album with four stars out of five. The review remarked the merger of the styles of both artists:Haggard's signature use of the Telecaster and steel guitar;with Nelson's guitar and Mickey Raphael's harmonica. It called the rasp on their voices "well seasoned",while it concluded that both "deliver a master class on how country music is supposed to be done". [11] Los Angeles Times wrote a favorable review,that considered "the spirit in (Haggard and Nelson's) voices" the main feature of the album. [12] The Wall Street Journal called it "one of the strongest,most engaging country albums of 2015" and remarked "its fresh,revealing songs,striking harmonies and varying rhythms". [13] On its review, The New Yorker talked about the situation of Country music. The magazine opined that the album was "outlier in a genre that is increasingly fixated on youth",and discussed the disappearance of adult themes and aging in the genre. [14]
Allmusic gave the album three-and-a-half stars out of five. It praised Cannon's "sharp ear for material,along with a way with a relaxed groove",while it considered Haggard and Nelson "filled with good humor (and) a delicate balance of fun and sweet". [15]
