All The Roadrunning - Critical Response

Critical Response

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	63/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly	B−
Music Box
Rolling Stone
The Telegraph	Positive
Winnipeg Sun

In his review for the Winnipeg Sun, Darryl Sterdan gave the album four out of five stars, calling the collaboration a "match made in heaven". Sterdan continued:

At first blush, you'd think Mark Knopfler's Dylanesque croak and Emmylou Harris's angelic tones would be a beauty-and-the-beast scenario. But we are glad to report this decidedly odd couple make some seriously beautiful music together on All the Roadrunning. Granted, this is nothing new for Emmylou, who has partnered with virtually every important roots and country artist of the last 30 years and never failed to make them shine just a little brighter. But the bulk of the credit really here has to go to Knopfler. He's the dominant force on the disc, acting as co-producer and penning all but one of these elegantly rootsy songs.

Sterdan praised Knopfler's songwriting on the album, especially "This is Us", "Right Now", and the "Celtic-tinged bluegrass" of "Red Staggerwing". Sterdan also noted Knopfler's production, approaching the project with a lighter touch than on his past projects, and wisely reining in his signature guitar work enough to highlight Harris' singing.

In his review for The Telegraph, Neil McCormick wrote that Knopfler and Harris recorded a "remarkable new album" that is a "collection of rich, mature songs that reflect their combined life experiences", and that is "one of the best albums of both their careers".

In his review for Entertainment Weekly, Josh Tyrangiel gave the album a B– score, writing that the two artists "seem oddly matched" and that Knopfler's guitarwork tends to overwhelms Harris' vocals.