Tarpaper Sky

Critical reception

Tarpaper Sky garnered critical acclaim by music critics. At Metacritic, they assign a "weighted average" rating called a Metascore to albums based upon the ratings and reviews by selected independent publications, and the album's score is an 84 out of 100 with nine reviews usad, which means the album received "universal acclaim". Thom Jurek of Allmusic rated the album four stars out of five, stating that "This is Crowell at his best: focused, balanced, clever, at times profound" on a release that is "a welcome return to form." At The Independent, Andy Gill rated the album four stars out of five, saying how the release "finds him relaxed and confident in his craft". Steve Johnson of the Chicago Tribune rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of four, writing that "With effortless melodies played with the grace and unforced power from a veteran band, 'Tarpaper Sky' showcases Crowell's still-potent voice, all honey and cedar and sly inflection, and his knack for finding the words to make simple wisdom and an older man's reflections resonate." At USA Today, Steve Jones rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of four, stating that this is a "fine collection of retro-sounding and embraceable tunes." At Country Weekly, Tammy Ragusa graded the album an A-, writing that "His lyrics are overflowing with imagery and meaning [...] both weighty and witty [...] and his voice is laden with texture."

Luke Torn of Uncut rated the album an eight out of a ten, writing how "Crowell’s versatile, impassioned voice is in fine fettle, a confident mix of goofiness and longing, anticipation and excitement, sadness and sentimentality, as if he’s just now entering a new prime." At American Songwriter, Hal Horowitz rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying that " the organic Tarpaper Sky is a welcome reminder that at 63 he remains capable of releasing beautifully crafted music that can stand toe to toe with his best." Stuart Henderson of Exclaim! rated the album a nine out of a ten, stating that "This is just vintage Crowell, which is to say that Tarpaper Sky is an essential record by one of the best." At The Austin Chronicle, Doug Freeman rated the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, writing how the release "proves that the Houston Kid in his 60s remains as vital as ever, balancing ballads and bar room stomps, both cut with his characteristic sense of autobiographical detail and precarious mortality." Eric R. Danton of Paste rated the album a seven point three out of ten, saying that "Though these 11 songs aren’t always as sharply drawn as his best material, there’s plenty to love here." At Blurt, Lee Zimmerman rated the album four stars out of five, stating that "Tarpaper Sky finds Crowell yet again emphasizing the superior songwriting skills that have been his stock in trade since the very beginning."

Track listing

All songs were written by Rodney Crowell except "Fever on the Bayou" (Crowell w/ Will Jennings), "God I'm Missing You" (Crowell w/ Mary Karr), and "Somebody's Shadow" (Crowell w/ Quinten Collier).

1. "The Long Journey Home" - 4:23
2. "Fever on the Bayou" - 3:57
3. "Frankie Please" - 2:43
4. "God I'm Missing You" - 3:55
5. "Famous Last Words of a Fool in Love" - 3:50
6. "Somebody's Shadow" - 3:29
7. "Grandma Loved That Old Man" - 3:43
8. "Jesus Talk To Mama" - 3:40
9. "I Wouldn't Be Me Without You" - 3:28
10. "The Flyboy & The Kid" - 3:55
11. "Oh What A Beautiful World" - 5:08

Personnel

Guest performances

Chart performance

The album debuted at No. 168 on the Billboard 200, and at No. 25 on the Top Country Albums chart with 3,000 copies sold in its debut week.