Style and sound Donald McKenzie of
The Ottawa Citizen described
Hit the Highway as a "diverse offering" with elements of
country,
gospel and
rhythm and blues. In a review of
Hit the Highway,
People observed that the band "play back-to-basics,
acoustic rock and roll and
R&B", further remarking that, despite the band being Scottish, "you can't find
music more American" and that the record "invokes [...] legends like Buddy Holly|[Buddy] Holly and
Otis Redding". The album's sound continued in the band-based
rock vein of its immediate predecessor
Sunshine on Leith. Featuring elements of
blues,
country,
gospel,
R&B,
rockabilly and
soul, its style was compared favourably to
traditional American music and to 1960s pop. The album's lyrics eschewed the political themes of previous works and instead had a heavy focus on spirituality. The album's themes of spirituality, children and relationships was noted as being more "adult" than those of the
grunge scene that dominated alternative music at the time. Duo member Craig Reid told
The Sacramento Bee that the contrast was "not conscious", further explaining; "we're not trying to be the opposite of what was fashionable [...] I like some of the stuff grunge bands do, and I think you can have both. Like when
punk first came out in Britain, it was not all this thrashy stuff. There was room for a lot of different things, and I think there should be room in alternative music". The album's themes also contrasted with some of those on its predecessor
Sunshine on Leith (1988), as
Hit the Highway was largely apolitical, owing little to their previous
Scottish nationalist and
left-wing themes. ==Critical reception==