Stag received positive reviews from critics noted at review aggregator
Metacritic. It has a
weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 11 reviews. Editors at
AllMusic Guide scored this album four out of five stars, with critic Kelly McCartney calling this music worth listening to for Ray's ability to express herself purely as a musician "from political outrage to self-doubt, from hardcore guitars to mandolins". A
PopMatters review informs Indigo Girls fans that they will find this album to be a "snarling, beautiful surprise". In
Rolling Stone, David Peisner notes that while Ray's tone and musical genre have changed, her interests as a songwriter and activist have not, writing, "she covers familiar ideological turf here, but her assaults on sexism, prejudice and general hate-mongering take on a distinctly personal spin".
Billboard highlighted this release, noting that Indigo Girls fans have awaited a chance to hear Ray's rock influences for a decade and summing up the review that this is "an extraordinarily potent recording, one that will likely be among 2001's best". ==Track listing==