The album was a conscious effort to move away from the pop sensibilities of her #1 song "Brand New Key" and focus on more introspective material.

“I saw Stoneground Words as a sort of statement, something that would remind people that 'Brand New Key' was a complete one-off for me.

In 2024, Melanie oversaw the release of a deluxe edition of the album to restore it to its initial double album configuration, stating “it was like restoring a precious antique… no, it was like being handed a bag full of broken china and realizing it was an ornament that you loved when you were younger, but which fell off the shelf and shattered.

So you sit there and you piece it back together.” [1] In their review of the album, Billboard called it "one of the finest packages of her career thus far.

"[3] Record World 's review mentioned that the "charmingly packaged set is perhaps the best Melanie album yet.