ˈɔːl mjˈuːzɪkz tˈɑːm dʒjˈʊɹɹɛk pɹˈeɪzd ðə "dˈiːp, hˈaɪ lˈoʊnsʌm sˈaʊnd" ʌv hˈaʊɚdz djuːˈɛt wɪð vˈɪns ɡˈɪl, "ɡˈɜːl" ænd ɡˈeɪv ɐ ɡlˈoʊɪŋ ɹᵻvjˈuː tə hˈaʊɚdz θˈɜːd ˈælbəm, nˈoʊ ɹˈuːlz—nˈeɪmɪŋ ɪɾ æn "ɪnˈoːɹməs lˈiːp ɪn kɹiːˈeɪɾɪv ɡɹˈoʊθ ðæt ɪz ðə mˈɛʒɚɹ əvə kˈɑːnsəmˌeɪt ˈɑːɹɾɪst" ænd "ˈiːzili ɹᵻbˈɛkə lˈɪn hˈaʊɚdz fˈaɪnɪst, mˈoʊst kənsˈɪstənt ɹˈɛkɚd tə dˈeɪt.
AllMusic's Thom Jurek praised the "deep, high lonesome sound" of Howard's duet with Vince Gill, "Girl" and gave a glowing review to Howard's third album, No Rules—naming it an "enormous leap in creative growth that is the measure of a consummate artist" and "easily Rebecca Lynn Howard's finest, most consistent record to date.