[3] The track "Shepherd" was based on a short story written by her father Don, who was a novelist before he became a university professor.

[11] Pitchfork believed that Young Man in America was "more intimate and accessible than its predecessor" and that "Mitchell's songs are never whimsical, sentimental, or light... the results are consistently immersive and rich".

[10] PopMatters view was that "Young Man in America is born from sorrow, suffering, shattered dreams and incendiary youth 'waiting on oblivion', yet it's one of the most life-affirming musical journeys you'll have all year".

[1] British newspaper The Guardian noted the themes touched on by the album, saying "She transforms her surveys of her country's belligerence and social irresponsibility into powerful rituals smeared with blood and dirt.

"[7] Drowned in Sound was impressed that the album followed up the highly acclaimed Hadestown with great success, saying "Narrowing her scope without lowering her ambition, Mitchell delivers a more traditional collection of singer-songwriter tracks, and does so without any marked drop in quality from its incredible predecessor": by the end it has "become perfectly clear that Mitchell has created a deeply affecting album which preserves everything that was so marvelous about her beloved folk-opera, and ultimately performs a very handsome job of keeping out of its vast shadow".