[8] Mattea later noted that "there were no budgets" when she was recording the album, as she was unable to afford a $75 makeup session, and the front cover featured her wearing a jacket which she had purchased at Kmart.

[2] Other notable cuts on the album included "God Ain't No Stained Glass Window", which was released as a 12" promotional single for the Christmas season;[10] a cover version of Barry Manilow's 1981 hit "Somewhere Down the Road";[11] and "(Back to the) Heartbreak Kid", which later became a Top 10 hit on the country charts for Restless Heart in late 1985 to early 1986.

[12] Allmusic reviewer William Ruhlmann wrote of the album that it was "a fairly representative sampling of Nashville formula country writing", while praising the "feisty" nature of "Street Talk" and Mattea's vocals on "Heartbreak Kid".

[15] Ruhlmann found this album superior to its predecessor, stating that Reynolds "seems to have shaped the song selections to the singer's talents and given her the opportunity to sing in a more individual manner.

[14] Mattea's artistic vision developed with the making of her third album, which brought in folk and acoustic sounds (inspired by her childhood).

[2] Contributing musicians on Walk the Way the Wind Blows included Béla Fleck, Don Williams (who sang background vocals on "Love at the Five and Dime"), Wendy Waldman, and Vince Gill.

[2] The album also featured bluegrass musician Tim O'Brien, who wrote both "Walk the Way the Wind Blows" and "Untold Stories", as a duet partner on the track "The Battle Hymn of Love".

[21][2] Jurek noted the album's bluegrass influences with favor, while comparing "Untold Stories" to the work of Bill Monroe and praising the lyrics of "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses".

[22] People magazine's review of the album stated that "it’s just Mattea, sounding warm, strong, smart and generally splendid," also commending the lyrical storytelling of "Life as We Knew It" and "Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses".

[5][24] This album featured backing vocals from Craig Bickhardt, Riders in the Sky, Jim Photoglo, and Claire Lynch, with musical contributions from Mark O'Connor, Charlie McCoy, Jerry Douglas, and Ray Flacke.

[25] Jurek called it "the first completely realized project of her career", and highlighted Laurie Lewis's "Love Chooses You" as its strongest cut.

[26] An uncredited review from People was positive, stating that "she’s still not one to rock and roll, but this album has a fair share of swingy, blue-newgrass tracks", and that "Mattea sounds warm and relaxed".

[27] Comparing Mattea's vocals to Linda Ronstadt and Jennifer Warnes, Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "she treats the songs, most of which are about lives in transition, with the requisite humility and honesty so their simple charms are not inflated into stentorian Author's Messages".

The album included eight of her previous singles, plus "The Battle Hymn of Love" from Untasted Honey and the new recording "A Few Good Things Remain".

Both were released as singles in 1990 and reached the Top 10 of Hot Country Songs, with "The Battle Hymn of Love" representing O'Brien's only chart entry to date.

[29] Contributors on backing vocals included Trisha Yearwood (on "Time Passes By"), The Roches (on "Whole Lotta Holes"), Emmylou Harris, Craig Bickhardt, and Ashley Cleveland.

[32] Her 1992 album, Lonesome Standard Time, produced a number 11 country hit in its title track, plus the Top 20 "Standing Knee Deep in a River (Dying of Thirst)".

Produced by Josh Leo, the album was more rock and pop influenced than its predecessors,[40] with Thom Jurek of Allmusic comparing its sound to Mary Chapin Carpenter and Bonnie Raitt.

[43] Also in 1994, Mattea had a cameo in the movie Maverick,[44] whose soundtrack also featured her as one of several lead vocalists on a multi-artist rendition of "Amazing Grace".

Lionel Cartwright wrote "If That's What You Call Love", which also featured him on piano and background vocals, and Phil Keaggy played guitar on the closing track "Beautiful Fool".

[46] Thom Owens of Allmusic stated that "though the glossy production may put off some of her old country-folk fans, Love Travels is a typically tasteful and compelling record".

[47] Bob Cannon of Entertainment Weekly praised the inclusion of Gillian Welch and Cheryl Wheeler songs, calling it "her most mature and focused work yet.

[51] Maria Konicki Dinoia wrote in Allmusic that "she pushes the envelope, bringing to the forefront the blending of the Scottish/Irish music found in small doses on her last few albums.

Produced entirely by Mattea, the album included covers of The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Down on the Corner",[55] along with a rendition of the spiritual "Wade in the Water".

[56] Allmusic and Country Standard Time both reviewed these covers in particular with favor, with the latter's Dan MacIntosh also noting that "Mattea chooses songs that are mostly optimistic, even though hers is a kind of hard-won optimism.

[67] Authors Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann noted that Mattea was part of a group of country artists that took inspiration from the American folk revival by incorporating "modern sensibilities to create powerfully appealing images".

In March 1991, Mattea was one of several artists on "Voices That Care", a charity single to help boost the morale of U.S. troops involved in Operation Desert Storm.

[70] Dolly Parton's 1993 single "Romeo" featured guest vocals from Mattea, Tanya Tucker, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Pam Tillis, and Billy Ray Cyrus.

The first of these was a cover of "Teach Your Children" which also featured Suzy Bogguss, Alison Krauss, and Crosby, Stills & Nash, and the second was a duet with Jackson Browne titled "Rock Me on the Water".

[83] A 1994 article in the Chicago Tribune noted that a Nashville newspaper interpreted a comment she had made on wearing both color ribbons as a confrontation, and that Mattea was often questioned as to whether her activism had a negative impact on sales of her then-current album.