[1] For her fourth album, Hathaway consulted producers Rex Rideout, Mike City, and David Delhomme as well as Vivian Sessoms and Chris Parks to work with her.

"[7] Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel wrote "Outrun the Sky is worth the wait for fans of old-school singing without the self-indulgent histrionics that American Idol contestants confuse with emotion.

Although these 13 songs lack the distinctive punch needed to rival Alicia Keys — the gold standard for modern R&B; — the album is filled with subtle charm.

"[8] Mark Anthony Neal from PopMatters found that Outrun the Sky was in the spirit of Hathaway's previous album The Song Lives On but "finds its place.

"[10] SoulTracks critic Chris Rizik noted that "while her 1999 disc with Joe Sample, The Song Lives On, was a career album that couldn't be replicated, with Outrun the Sky Lalah Hathaway has created a classy and welcome addition to her discography that should be gobbled up by her patient, devoted fans.