▁album ▁Brad ▁has ▁recorded ▁to ▁date — not ▁to ▁mention ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁best ", ▁also ▁not ing ▁the ▁" sharp ▁mel od ies ▁and ▁constantly ▁sh ifting ▁musical ▁terrain ". ▁Play ▁received ▁three - and - a - half ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁five ▁from ▁All music ▁critic ▁Stephen ▁Thomas ▁Er le w ine , ▁who ▁referred ▁to ▁most ▁songs ▁as ▁" fall [ ing ] ▁within ▁the ▁real m ▁of ▁the ▁expected ", ▁but ▁c ited ▁others ▁as ▁" p ure ▁' 8 0 s ▁sh red [ … ] re ve aling ▁a ▁side ▁he ' s ▁previously ▁cam ou fl aged ." ▁Er le w ine ▁also ▁said ▁that , ▁like ▁P ais ley ' s ▁other ▁albums , ▁Play ▁was ▁" am ong ▁the ▁most ▁advent ur ous ▁and ▁best ▁country ▁music ▁of ▁this ▁de cade ." ▁Ken ▁T ucker ▁of ▁Billboard ▁called ▁the ▁album ▁" both ▁out standing ▁and ▁diverse " ▁and ▁made ▁note ▁of ▁the ▁Buck ▁O w ens ▁du et , ▁which ▁he ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" br ing [ ing ] ▁an ▁old ▁friend ▁back ▁to ▁life ▁with ▁the ▁ut most ▁respect ." ▁ ▁Whit ney ▁Past ore k , ▁review ing ▁the ▁album ▁for ▁Entertainment ▁Week ly , ▁gave ▁the ▁album ▁a ▁B - ▁rating . ▁She ▁referred ▁to ▁the ▁du ets ▁as ▁" a ▁welcome ▁resp ite ▁from ▁all ▁the ▁no od ling ", ▁but ▁said ▁that ▁as ▁a ▁whole , ▁the ▁album ▁was ▁" an ▁indul gence ▁he ' s ▁earned ▁but